Don King joins the internet age

Way back in 1974, Don King owed his place at the forefront of world boxing to being the man who saw the benefit of the latest technology. The promoter is now 76 but he still has his eye on the future.
In 1974, it was closed-circuit television that gave King his way in. He set up George Foreman and Muhammad Ali in the Rumble In The Jungle, the action beamed back to thousands watching in cinemas around the world. These days people sit at home, so King is moving to the internet to reach them.

King does not have the sort of stranglehold on US television that he once had, but that has not stopped the 76-year-old from working hard. His latest initiative is donkingtv.com which will broadcast his shows around the world, starting on tonight with live coverage of Cory Spinks's IBF light-middleweight title defence against Verno Phillips from St Louis.

Excitement is something King does well and he even seemed excited to be talking to me on Wednesday to promote his new internet service.

"I love the TV companies, but this is what America is all about, it's a trailblazing service which will mean these fights will reach millions of people around the world," King said.

It was cash input from John Daly, the British head of Hemdale Films (which would later produce films including The Terminator and Platoon), that helped live King's dream of The Rumble In The Jungle. "[Closed circuit television] was the new technology then, donkingtv.com is the new technology now," King said.

The webcast of Spinks-Phillips is free (unless you live in St Louis), the beginning of what King promises will be regular programming of live and past fights. In promoting, King remains ambitious. He has part-shares in the promotion of Samuel Peter, the WBC heavyweight champion, and Nikolay Valuev, who has a rematch with Ruslan Chagaev for the WBA title in May, and declare that he wants to unify the world heavyweight title.

"It's been a great, wonderful adventure," King said, referring to his promotional career. And the secret of his success: "Keep God in the forefront of your live and believe in your country."

Comments

[LINDA DOTSON-WOOLEY]

It is my pleasure to have the opportunity to be working on several new projects with the bigger than life DON KING. I have always admired his charisma...his success.He is definately a MOVER AND SHAKER....always blazing new trails (ie; the new IPTV network of DON KING)....I gotcha back my man!