Episode Transcript
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0:06
This show contains strong language. Listener.
0:08
Discretion is advised.
0:13
Don King. You
0:16
know, I can't remember a time in my when
0:18
I didn't know who Don King was.
0:21
And. He was just always present,
0:23
just they're, even
0:25
folks who don't know why he's famous know
0:27
he's, famous how many
0:30
other boxing promoters does
0:32
the average person you know. Who's not into
0:34
box I feel like it was impossible
0:37
for me not to have any awareness of
0:39
who's dying thing was dying mean
0:41
just listen to? the man listen
0:43
to what the does with the english language
0:46
It's. Gonna be so a lustrous Islam
0:48
be so majestic such regal splendor
0:51
if I'd had opportunities to promote
0:53
you, it would have been something's as easy
0:56
as we say a. Different method of the ghetto something
0:59
sounded different: some guy who loves people I'm an
1:01
American I'm people guy, more promote other
1:03
people for the people in my magic lies. And my people
1:05
ties and if you go dancing you,
1:07
know his signature he's, set
1:10
anti gravity sticking straight
1:12
up frosted tips looks like
1:14
he got electrocuted, here and.
1:16
It didn't stop this everything about
1:19
dancing plus, was Wild Dawn
1:21
asked six foot four of whom would
1:24
roll up in floor, length for Coke
1:26
Flashy Tuxedo Flamed.
1:28
out scenes and rinse and
1:31
he would just take over the
1:33
guys always like front and center so little
1:35
bit ironic because he's promoter
1:37
is not really is to put someone else front
1:40
and center for somehow don king always
1:42
brought the spotlight backs with self and
1:45
when the did and what he did it never
1:47
disappointed So,
1:49
year. Nineteen definitely
1:52
like the flash. The was also
1:54
a marketing genius.
1:56
I mean, a man came up with the rumble in the jungle
1:58
and it's really manila. Who
2:00
are the most legendary Muhammad Ali fights
2:02
of all time? Flash
2:04
forward to him, raising young Mike Tyson in his arms
2:07
appetizer one another fight.
2:09
The war. The to the part where he's out
2:11
there promoting acts like Michael Jackson or
2:14
rubbing shoulders with Nelson Mandela or
2:16
both George Bush's. Lord,
2:18
see the next to James Brown in the middle of Africa.
2:21
There's a reason people flocked to him. Don
2:24
King had it. The genius
2:26
for business and genius for people.
2:29
The made boxes into millionaires. The
2:31
be pretty well for himself, King. The
2:33
on ended up with multimillion dollar states
2:36
all around the country. For your fancy
2:38
cars. The even built
2:40
an eight foot replica of the statue of
2:42
Liberty and one of his homes. Because
2:45
he was rich. Because he could.
2:48
What there was flip side? Down
2:51
with mass of getting attention.
2:53
It. Was also a master of generated controversy
2:56
controversy, that the press was
2:58
all too happy to cover, King
3:01
has been sued more than anyone in boxing history
3:04
set target. Of target federal investigation
3:06
and approximation and for charges
3:08
he spends millions filing lawsuits
3:11
from boxers allegedly seated
3:13
them out. appointment no
3:15
i'm not saying they're wrong In fact,
3:18
that's all true. They didn't
3:20
even mention the part about daunting killing man.
3:22
Well, to men, actually. And
3:25
they left out the part about the mob. But
3:28
look. The boxing road down
3:30
was operating in.
3:31
The wouldn't the kind of place where anybody was
3:33
exactly plane by the rules. Or
3:36
whether even were rules. Like
3:38
nobody Michael Harry, the Culture Rider puts it.
3:41
If you're serious about trying to understand on.
3:44
You kind of gotta look at the whole picture.
3:46
Everybody knows somebody like Don
3:49
King Don King is
3:51
a store front preacher who
3:54
you know is. sleeping
3:56
with the women into shirts We
3:58
still give it out scholarships. The kids
4:00
in we've always known somebody
4:03
like dying team who was.
4:06
The unscrupulous. But
4:08
when you add up the losses and.
4:11
the positives you come up on the
4:13
ledger ahead at games and as
4:15
with dieting with was way
4:17
Oh, yeah, yeah. You can always
4:19
trust on T. What demand
4:21
was a genius? And he had to
4:24
be.
4:24
The be the first black promoted or rise to
4:26
the sports entertainment heights that he did. Barking
4:29
journalists, radio raheem puts it.
4:32
added p. You couldn't really
4:34
get anything.
4:36
The I'm at the highest levels of the
4:38
sport without encountering Don
4:40
King one way or another.
4:42
For more than thirty years. Don
4:45
King controlled boxes. That
4:47
kind of power. Oh, that
4:50
power corrupts. It.
4:52
The guy got asked about this in an interview with
4:54
East, yeah? Well.
4:57
He had a very different answer no.
4:59
one can make can griff sound better than daunting
5:02
i have not done anything other than
5:04
Rebels. Mac Sport of boxing pay
5:06
more money to fight as it ever been paid in the history
5:09
of the world, put a new glamour, new
5:11
type of flamboyance to the sport. To give it little
5:13
grandeur, little dignity
5:15
and price to the youngsters that abiding
5:17
made more millionaires out prospect of than anyone
5:20
in the history of would as evidence.
5:23
This season, three of power.
5:27
In the next hour episodes were going to go
5:29
deep and saved lawless
5:31
world of box and, learn how
5:33
does he, do for kids
5:35
in Cleveland Ohio spent his life to
5:38
get. over his come of
5:40
was his own american dream
5:43
Diddy push boundaries did,
5:46
he break the rules, yes
5:50
did he, burned bridges, yes
5:53
with diddy succeed goddamn
5:57
right
6:00
The leverage race. bright
6:02
lights the capitalists of course
6:06
Hi.
6:16
We reached out to Dog Team for an interview for
6:18
this series, but he declined. Now
6:22
Don King didn't start out as the electric
6:24
haired sucks wearing fast talking
6:27
caricature he. started out as
6:29
a poor kid on the east side of cleveland hustler
6:32
Then. Don King and Cleveland was
6:34
different from the Don King in New York or
6:37
any other city in the world because
6:39
in Cleveland, most folks do I miss Donald
6:42
or the kid. That's who he was
6:44
this blast from Das Past as his longtime
6:47
friend who still refers to him as Donald himself,
6:49
my name is Clarence Rogers, an attorney
6:51
from Cleveland Ohio Dad's.
6:54
, died in an accident at the steel
6:56
plant where he when Don was ten and
6:58
Donald his family had to hustle to make ends
7:00
meet. his mom and sister
7:02
would bake pies at dawn and his brothers would
7:04
go out and sell They also
7:06
full bag of peanuts, a local gambling houses.
7:10
Him before Long's dog got into
7:12
the gambling games and self he,
7:14
started moving his way up in the numbers business
7:17
which was basically an unofficial meaning
7:20
illegal version of the lottery, and
7:22
before,. long down was making lot
7:25
of money And.
7:27
attracting the wrong kind of attention like,
7:29
the time and nineteen fifty four when three men
7:31
from Detroit try to Jackal, the
7:34
way dance houses they busted in
7:36
of he. Grabbed his gun in the suited out his
7:38
living, room he ended up killing one
7:40
of, the guy's charges were
7:42
filed but don't claim self defense
7:44
and amazingly, they. We're drugs
7:47
then three years later some
7:50
of his, rivals Firebomb the South but
7:52
even the risk of zeal time we're getting
7:54
killed wasn't, going to. make dad quit
7:58
he was hungry and this
8:02
Dom started looking past the numbers like. Half
8:05
Cleveland even. Try to connect
8:07
with some of the famous people who came through town.
8:10
Like Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Lloyd
8:12
Price. praise from a
8:14
twenty two of interview with Cuny TV,
8:17
you know, Down was very big out in Cleveland with
8:19
numbers. The at nightclub.
8:21
Oh, year. The nightclub.
8:24
That have some
8:26
of that numbers money and opened a new corner
8:28
Tavern Supper Club for would don't
8:30
try to get Pricey do good price
8:32
was so sure that's it you want me to work,
8:34
he club you gotta give me something working
8:37
now that's Lloyd first. Then. Place
8:42
he did six hundred people even had rotating
8:44
states it was part of it's citizen's
8:46
circuit and books all these big names like BBC
8:48
Kenya muddy waters the.
8:50
Come on Lloyd, by the mid
8:52
Sixties it was the spot for musicians
8:55
and celebrities making the waiting, Cleveland Lloyd
8:58
was cleveland big deal then any was, well connected.
9:01
And he was willing to bring down into that world
9:03
I did isn't a mammoth Ali on
9:06
his daughter's fifth birthday or
9:08
pretty sure my parents took me, to second see.
9:10
I had him sang happy birthday to her,
9:13
and Dallas birthday man it's applicants
9:15
outfitted safe and in Ali was like,
9:18
used to be my promoter a
9:20
dog was like. Absolutely we're,
9:22
going to take over this board not
9:25
vesna how with them In
9:28
fact. There was a lot down
9:30
had to go before he ever came anywhere
9:32
near boxing the, violence
9:34
that swirled around the numbers game, it
9:36
was about to bring Diocese money making
9:39
cadillac driving seeing pin. lifestyle
9:42
to screeching halt
9:48
I thought knew my grandpa better than anyone.
9:51
One day we weren't certain in he told me story
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I'd never heard before. They got me wondering
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what are the stories don't I know? That's
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why got my grandpa story worse. Story
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11:10
What
11:15
exactly happened on April twentieth, nineteen,
11:17
sixty six? It depends on who
11:20
you ask. What we do know
11:22
is daunting had a guy who work for him
11:24
running numbers named Sam Garrett
11:27
Sam, o does six hundred dollars for
11:29
Bet was supposed to collect. dawn
11:31
runs at the same at a bar he's
11:33
big man and all hell
11:36
breaks loose
11:37
Now. The way Dawn tells it it,
11:40
was just a fight that got out of hand,
11:43
actually God has his own way of,
11:45
explaining I had explaining got in A. Fistfight
11:48
and where fistfight fall for spaces of the ghetto expressing
11:50
themselves they were expressing themselves
11:53
to the point where dear it's head
11:55
is of slamming into the. sidewalk which
11:58
is right when the cops show up
12:00
Cleveland Police Officer Bob Funny
12:02
says he saw daunting all
12:04
six, four, two hundred and fifty pounds
12:07
of of. The be right over, Gary.
12:10
With a gun in his hand. Honey
12:12
says he yelled eighteen until he drop the gun
12:15
but the way Tiny told it miss night
12:17
see ninety one frontline special even,
12:19
with the cop in his face is gone the
12:21
ground team wasn't done fighting, fighting
12:24
went over medieval grab that gun as
12:26
I. did this gentleman setting up
12:29
as gentleman older man lying down and give one vicious
12:31
teeth again right on the head Honey
12:34
says Gareth last words before he went
12:36
unconscious were done I'll pay
12:38
you the money King, we
12:40
should say, denies this version
12:42
of events always. has but
12:45
however it happened the fight
12:47
was bad enough to send sam garrett to the hospital
12:50
where he died five days later
12:55
Every now and then down would talk about it in
12:57
interviews in a way that made it seem
12:59
like almost bad luck.
13:02
It must have been a pretty bad bro, which adds
13:04
up deep contrition fourth, says it happen,
13:07
but nevertheless I was instrumental in a fatality
13:09
of fellow human beings happened to be one
13:11
of my personal friends. Some
13:13
say business concern your friends against you. Personal
13:16
friend or not. The on killed
13:19
the guy.
13:21
These arrested in and the being found guilty
13:23
of second degree murder. The maximum
13:25
sense for that. Life in
13:28
prison. What
13:30
in a twist of fate? Already speculate
13:32
something little more CD. The
13:34
judge on the case reduces the charts, the manslaughter.
13:38
What happens right after private meeting he
13:40
has with things turn? The
13:42
on and of serving just four years.
13:48
In a nineteen eighty interview with Playboy
13:50
magazine, this is how Da described
13:52
his time in prison quote. It
13:55
was dark and dreary world of confinement
13:58
when. i arrived they still made all Blacks
14:00
walk behind the whites. I got
14:02
a job on the prison far as what to get some fresh
14:04
air. How to clean the pig pig?
14:07
It was hell, man.
14:10
The gun friend Clears Rogers says
14:12
that prison might have been a blessing in disguise.
14:15
The what you have to understand is that blessings
14:17
come in different forms and I
14:19
think Don King's biggest blessing was gone
14:21
to the penitentiary instead of wasting
14:24
his time don't, read. he
14:26
says thousands of books
14:29
There he is on David Letterman in nights in
14:31
eighty two, describing his reading list.
14:34
Read avidly in the All A Philosopher's
14:36
socrates plato thorough are
14:38
try yoga, braun Marcus Aurelius and
14:40
I went to school by correspondence clear,
14:43
it says this education was transformative
14:45
as a result of that time spent
14:47
in the tenth and it's entry.
14:49
I would say Don King educated
14:52
himself to the equivalency
14:54
of for in excess of the Ph.D. The
14:56
could deal with the classics Greek mythology,
14:59
the Bible, whatever you want to talk about. Like,
15:02
don always liked to say.
15:04
He didn't serve his time, he made his
15:06
time serve him.
15:07
You. Could hear for the rest of his life in the way
15:09
he makes the mask quotes from all those books
15:12
you read and, I was six process we
15:14
other uses of. Adversity, which ugly and venomous
15:16
like to go, that's where the presses Jolla, this
15:19
my sincere, not a burger act when death meet
15:21
him in the courtyard, he said, "You will" Find me sitting
15:23
down. i know you're there
15:26
known bring me known mortal man rang me giants
15:28
and the agenda is criticized one
15:31
who is a muffin proletariat but i'm
15:33
like rajat kipling like can walk with case
15:38
God said he. read thousands
15:40
of books Finally.
15:44
In September, Thirtieth, nineteen, seventy one
15:46
he's released from prison. Soon
15:49
after. This friend Lloyd Price flew
15:51
out and paid on a visit and A took a long
15:54
drive and talked about what could come next for Die.
15:57
The on didn't seem to care what he did. He
15:59
just new. One thing. He wanted
16:01
to take over.
16:03
The'and and used to tell me a man make me big
16:06
me be I don't ever want to go back
16:08
to jail, never never, never. They
16:10
tossed around ideas. New
16:13
the promotion. Maybe film
16:15
production. So business.
16:18
Or of ah. ha
16:23
Now these might have been pretty lofty
16:25
goals for us, the release, felon
16:27
and especially for Black, when in nineteen sixty
16:29
seven when Don went into prison.
16:32
What a lot has happened in the four years he was inside.
16:37
You have bought me one nine hundred people,
16:43
that don't be. afraid to
16:45
say if we want our
16:50
If the non violent fight for civil rights
16:52
has lacked both peacefully demanding respect
16:55
inequality by the late Sixties
16:57
the demands has earned his command and,
17:00
gone the opportunists he is
17:02
gonna ride whatever new wave is out there. on
17:05
that drive down seems to settle
17:07
on boxing These are the asking
17:09
lloyd. The man, all the connections.
17:12
The hook him up. Then not in a
17:14
small, I want to promote some local fight
17:16
between the neighborhood Barbara in gym teacher kind
17:18
of way. Now. Yeah,
17:21
decides he wants to go big. These
17:23
are expressing lloyd the connecting to was all for
17:25
and Muhammad Ali. Lloyd.
17:29
The go along with it. Before
17:31
you know it all, he has said yes to
17:33
something. Though do exactly
17:35
what is unclear. It.
17:38
People who try to get them back on a C. Take
17:41
their blind faith and runs with. With
17:44
commitment from Ali. Daniel
17:46
to make this arrangement more fissile. The
17:49
besides he needs lawyer and
17:51
that's how he meets or man Clarence
17:53
Donald, indicated that
17:56
he had commitment from ahmed Ali. workplace
18:00
What to do work or how to best
18:02
use? their commitment
18:04
I mean what do you do with
18:06
the most notable fighter at the time have
18:08
Ali M C a dinner have, make
18:11
an appearance dance nightclub, class
18:13
at dawn result to few smart both the think
18:15
it. through and as at the time
18:17
i had a boat so we called boat meeting
18:20
On my boat clearance comes through
18:22
with the both legs he hosts Dawn
18:25
and few big wigs including George Forbes,
18:27
majority leader of the Cleaver City Council
18:30
and, on my way down had
18:32
stopped and picks up the out cleveland
18:35
plain dealer
18:36
With. The Sunday morning and the Sunday
18:38
Plain Dealer headline was
18:41
Forest, City Hospital to close
18:43
its doors for City Hospital
18:45
was opened by black doctors and nineteen fifty
18:48
seven and still. Mostly serve the Black Community
18:51
George for look at the newspaper
18:53
and said Donald there it is,
18:55
and we all looked at him, like George
18:58
or determined by, you. Crazy he
19:00
repeated he said Donald, there
19:02
it is and. then
19:04
we caught it doesn't get
19:07
mohamad i lead to come from cleveland
19:09
to do lead benefit to save the hospital
19:13
Now whether that's exactly how it all goes down
19:16
with the boat, the headline eureka moment,
19:18
it kind of the matter. It doesn't
19:20
matter is that done really decides
19:23
to build his event around helping the hospital.
19:25
The organize, a series of exhibitions
19:27
with Muhammad Ali, is star headliner. The
19:30
pump, the brakes. Don King
19:33
didn't know them what about boxing. For
19:35
for her second as teenager won match,
19:37
the two. Then he got knocked down was
19:39
like I'm good. That
19:41
he can't fumbled the Ali hook up by trying
19:43
to wing it. Then he reaches out to
19:45
this guy.
19:47
The young as boxing promoter and history
19:49
and been in this game to and thirteen
19:51
years old. This is
19:54
Dawn El Bar.
19:55
That you promoter who back then was pretty much
19:58
the only promoter in Cleveland.
20:00
Now, if the requirement of this job
20:02
is that your personable convincing
20:05
the hero of all your stories and
20:07
a big personality. It done,
20:09
I'll bomb, is that do? The
20:11
personal highlight reel is something else.
20:14
I know Johnny Cash Use, Alva Guy,
20:16
did the only show ever, says the
20:18
playboy mansion Willie Nelson, he
20:20
may remember me spend time with them,
20:23
and A Lana says I was sixteen years old
20:25
and was Supreme's diggory place
20:27
is packed. That was L bomb remembers
20:29
it he's on his grind.
20:31
Putting together an event on a Saturday morning
20:33
at venue in Buffalo, New York.
20:35
Tools and a state senator
20:38
in Cleveland's was quite friendly with
20:40
as and times there's going to Buffalo
20:43
to prep Abbas himself and was
20:45
roughly. eleven o'clock
20:47
in the morning and, that phone
20:49
rings
20:50
Obama pretty well known in Cleveland, so
20:53
it makes sense that is reach except the politicians.
20:55
And then?
20:57
The just a minutes is on
20:59
the suffer you were salaam what and,
21:02
I get on and it was,
21:05
just a, center. is done
21:08
i'm here with a party been in
21:10
of don king he would like to talk
21:12
to you and i said fine and
21:14
the first words I heard.
21:17
The elbow.
21:20
Man what?
21:23
the hell is hell says Don
21:25
King, waste no time going straight for
21:27
his ask. The said.
21:29
Where are you what I said in Buffalo Mr
21:31
didn't call me time I? said or
21:33
said wanted so my back he said you must
21:36
come back today i said chance
21:38
of sony up a soldier and on one
21:40
or states or monday
21:42
Don King said he wasn't going to leave the senator's
21:44
office, he was calling Darnell Bomb from until
21:46
album came back to Cleveland. The
21:49
bomb said, but the senator back on the phone.
21:53
How is this guy is, you saw
21:55
and you don't know I'm where I am stuck
21:57
with him? until monday
22:00
Who? Knows what would have happened if Album tried
22:02
to call things plus but that senator
22:05
did not wanna find out and,
22:07
by seven o'clock that night'so so
22:09
bomb is back in. Cleveland reporting
22:11
is the newest member of Things Dreams, but
22:15
even if he's got a lawyer promoter
22:18
in one of the greatest boxes of all. time there's
22:20
still lot of ways things and go
22:23
sideways
22:26
The remains of for young women were found
22:28
all murder victims it was.
22:30
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Now. daunting was doing a pretty
24:23
good impression of boxing promoter by this point
24:26
in, Clears had even had meeting where they managed
24:28
to land the Cleveland arena as Benefit
24:30
even, within Claire's got claire's call
24:32
from the arenas owner Nick, Malaria, he
24:35
said about our, meeting
24:37
this morning I cannot
24:40
rent hearing, that the donna. Thing is
24:42
can't do, it, he's a, convicted felon oh
24:45
right that began
24:49
the difficulty of them down even
24:51
entering, into boxing the couldn't. even ren and
24:53
arena or clarence he's
24:55
quick as yes make a
24:57
film at the arena to him and said and
24:59
if agrees is just like that salvage
25:02
is the benefit
25:03
Meanwhile, daunting his en el
25:06
bomb setting of all the fight for Mohammed Ali.
25:08
Her die on one, the boss, three
25:11
or four exhibitions, or three or four
25:13
different playlists, and I wanted
25:15
a pro records as it is done.
25:18
Even though Dawn as fresh outta jail, he
25:20
doesn't seem to have any problem paying for all this.
25:22
He. Used to have a passport,
25:25
it's the back pocket he had
25:27
cold with the inside pockets,
25:29
part is on the sides and he carries
25:31
in every part it's between three
25:33
and. Center novelists and he just
25:35
put his hand in his pockets and the enemy
25:38
fighter's mountains, and he says
25:40
here so flimsy together.
25:43
Now, Da decides he doesn't want the city
25:45
exhibition to just be boxing. The
25:48
wanted to be any vet. The going
25:50
to be a fastened so, and he wants to have concert
25:52
to. Though yes,
25:54
Lloyd Price for another favor. This
25:57
time is the cause of his friends in the music
25:59
business. Lloyd get some big
26:01
names to agree to perform I'm.
26:03
talking wilson pickett lou rawls
26:05
in marvin gaye
26:08
We. We saw him with the big time
26:10
and again Dude, has
26:12
no same in this game, while
26:15
Lloyds pulling in the musical acts dogs
26:17
out and about with the mission. Of his, own someone
26:20
has to give folks to fill those arena seats so
26:23
he calls and a, little help don would,
26:25
go and get fifty thousand
26:27
dollars worth. , tickets on consignment
26:30
given to the numbers hustlers they
26:32
would go out and street silva, tickets comeback
26:35
get more tickets that's how
26:37
tickets was done as our was. Promoted,
26:41
before important people dahmer
26:43
hose them himself one day
26:45
he set up a meeting with them local minister and his
26:47
wife to sell them block of tickets for the congregation
26:50
The number one word. Motherfucker.
26:54
Used night and day mother
26:57
fucker this motherfucker.
26:58
Now this is fine for a lot of folks
27:00
done deals with but. Maybe
27:02
not for minister. The income him.
27:05
And then he starts talking.
27:08
The more recent every word of motherfucker
27:12
am. i shake my head i'm looking
27:14
at the reverend and his wife
27:17
and their and comfortable as can be
27:20
Don keeps this up for a while until
27:22
finally the Reverend is like I.
27:24
need to talk to you The only
27:26
go onto the whole.
27:29
A comeback removing. grabs
27:31
weiss and then awesome
27:34
He said. Every,
27:37
you know. We blacks.
27:39
We have nothing. No one
27:42
says that we've done anything right
27:44
is only one thing that,
27:47
belongs to us and that
27:49
is the word months. of
27:52
stuff near him he said that
27:55
his artwork Dawn
27:57
is selling this hard. Any
27:59
stars?
28:00
Going every black man
28:02
woman and sales to walk down
28:04
Euclid Avenue with a head held
28:06
high Saints mother fucker mother
28:09
and, then like then great actors as
28:12
he same mother he stops
28:15
And now. That me hear you
28:17
say. Do.
28:19
It up holding hands and
28:22
we gather and, said mother
28:24
thought they said, was
28:28
to hug team was wild, man album,
28:31
was impressed was just, was takeover.
28:34
Guy and he wants you know, moon
28:36
forget about anyone the
28:39
name let's say anything he just
28:41
took over everything he could mesmerize
28:43
you. any mesmerize everybody
28:46
that was our house
28:58
It's. The night of August twenty eight and Euclid
29:00
Avenue in Cleveland is the place to be
29:03
over, eighty five hundred people packed with Cleveland
29:05
Arena, the benefits exhausted
29:07
a thirty. With the musical, less now
29:10
I don't know the settlers that night, but
29:12
that the time Marburg a was still ride
29:14
the wave of his success with what's, going on. For
29:17
can only imagine the by with, Cedric The, space
29:21
after the concert there were, space couple
29:23
of, preliminary fight, then, the
29:25
main event mohammad Ali.
29:27
, Ali thought this
29:30
just, isn't close to, share bought
29:33
a couple of politician or,
29:36
think the only close to real
29:38
fighter we're fairly Daniels
29:40
determinant. And do as and
29:42
three, rounds the goal was, knockout
29:45
so, I'll either were Ali does this broke
29:48
up foot work faster than
29:50
for as, sensitive. Knocked
29:52
out by guys. who would never be able to knock
29:54
them off real life when he puts
29:56
on cell phone at all So
29:59
what's the point? Oh,
30:01
boy. When
30:04
all the musical acts were back to their hotels
30:06
and I'll he took off his glove the.
30:08
night turned out to be massive success
30:11
Actually, it was record breaking. The
30:14
eighty one thousand dollars they made off the ticket
30:16
sales with the most in history for boxing
30:19
exhibition at that time the, hospital
30:21
came out the big one of the boxing matches
30:23
or Muhammad Ali's. but
30:26
Not all the tears found his
30:28
way to the hospital. The problem
30:30
was.
30:31
There were a lot of folks who took
30:34
advantage of the fact that to there was no
30:36
experience from anybody's point of view. It's
30:39
certainly not put on and defend Don had never
30:41
put on and event. Though they were more
30:43
cost involved and should have been involved.
30:45
The turns out go
30:47
and be had a steep price. When
30:50
it was all things done. whereas handed
30:52
over at SEC for seventeen thousand dollars.
30:55
Do the math right there in well,
30:57
that's sixty four thousand dollar short. In
30:59
a hospital was not happy about that differ.
31:02
Remember very clearly the chairman of the board, a
31:04
hospital was guy named Andrew Johnson.
31:07
Then he was upset that the hospital didn't get.
31:10
You know eighty thousand dollars but.
31:13
but he didn't understand The
31:15
the cost of putting the venom.
31:18
Down and his crew, they did swim
31:20
pretty big.
31:21
Again, this event with it's top tier musical
31:23
acts and fast and so wasn't typical. That
31:26
didn't stop the hospital from film I did been ripped
31:28
off or. One a rip off. That.
31:31
If it was just less than what they expected
31:34
and less than what we had hoped as the race
31:36
for them. In this will become
31:38
kind of a pattern would die. Incredible,
31:41
so. Map of success.
31:44
The not always as much money come back to the people
31:46
they might have expected. The
31:48
on with an hung up on the money issue. The
31:50
was still walking away feeling on top of his game.
31:53
In in fact. The even though the star
31:55
of this whole so we're supposed to be Muhammad Ali.
31:58
If u's s dunno bomb. The real
32:01
star turned out to be Don King
32:04
though, Bomb says King just had an incredible
32:06
natural talent for this kind of work. right
32:09
after the exhibition isis dungiven
32:11
become when the biggest movies ever
32:13
I may just saw that and she slicing
32:16
a young fighter the same, my gone
32:18
five years now human to was him.
32:21
You're like wow joining, dance
32:23
scene for his big break in the success of the benefit
32:25
still me the last album, and
32:27
was woman highlights I guess my
32:30
life said he was and.
32:32
started that start
32:35
and something obama to become synonymous with
32:38
Like. Most things with daunting it's,
32:40
not that simple on the one about him
32:42
in the boxing of hobbies is a best
32:44
of the worst thing that ever happens to the sport.
32:47
And Fancies talk to, that
32:49
right there is something that will get arched while for, decades
32:52
over the course of his career daunting
32:54
would go on to put together some. Of together most spectacular
32:57
and most profitable spice the world had, ever seen
33:00
as he will betray the trust of countless fighters
33:03
that he pulled it was orbit
33:08
The down, the best thing that ever happened a boxing.
33:11
No.
33:16
The king. He was
33:19
both. Coming
33:21
up on power, daunting.
33:24
The bottom line is no purses
33:26
were awful bag and. it would big
33:28
for a reason
33:29
He. Got the world adventure not
33:31
just north of Boston but,
33:34
the world of business she figured
33:36
out what the right number was in people's said you're
33:38
crazy, there's no way you. Complete a bad
33:40
as that much no one else did before the rumble
33:42
in the jungle, thought it's him
33:45
on the path to becoming
33:47
the biggest promoter in the fight. Games
33:51
on. me my resolve
33:54
is still on the f b still wanted to clean
33:56
up that sports and they wanted to go right through the
33:58
tough and that was done game
34:00
It. hurt a Admob connections, they knew he had my
34:02
connections were right where we wanted to be,
34:04
will get ready to do promotion, thought
34:06
we were ready the launder the drug.
34:08
Money in that promotion Joe Jackson's
34:11
ran it, so he had all the leverage if he
34:13
said Don King's don't be the promotion
34:15
Don King was gonna be to promote it
34:17
was. A major success for the Jackson
34:19
family, like an average.
34:20
It is that I'll never sign
34:24
saying, that all over. the
34:26
years is the donkey
34:27
They already make.
34:30
his live if my son has and
34:32
thousand probably knew this sold
34:34
on the fuck off and that the somebody else
34:36
people would have still road with isis
34:38
and not road with dancing he said he
34:40
burned bridges that but he buys new ones
34:44
If. You love the show follow us on
34:46
Apple Podcasts Spotify
34:49
stitcher Amazon Music but
34:51
wherever you get your podcasts this,
34:53
show was hosted by me panama Jack,
34:56
offer news or. Symphony, Walker associate
34:59
producers are Kyra estimate Bonsu
35:01
in, India, which are editor,
35:03
is Keith Romer additional, editing
35:06
by Lizzie Jacobs mixing and sound
35:08
design by, of. And Arnett smoke media
35:10
access why not sue me I just soccer,
35:13
and production management by Jennifer, Miss Our
35:16
consulting producer is Radio? right executive
35:19
producers are lizzie jake is katie
35:21
our theme song is by norman snyder special
35:24
thanks to grant irving steve accurate
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