Mike Tyson’S Worst Mistake Worth $100 Million That Infuriated The Boxing World
With ‘Iron Mike’ becoming the undisputed champion, Don King became the sole overseer of the champion’s fortunes. At the outset, it appeared like a match made in heaven. But soon, fissures in the relationship rolled out in the open.
In 1998, Tyson sued King for $100 million, but they settled for $14 million before the trial. ‘Iron Mike’ reportedly said, “He did more bad to black fighters than any white promoter ever in the history of boxing.”
In Tyson’s case, he re alized King’s sway over his purse until he signed a deal with the WWF to participate in WrestleMania 14. Soon he discovered that Don King controlled ‘image right.’ And that King could be entitled to a cut of the $3.5 million he received from WWE.
Former Heavyweight champion Larry Holmes reportedly quipped his opinion, “Don King, looks black, lives white, and thinks green.” King was at the height of his career when Mike Tyson again became a champion. In 1994, he promoted 47 title fights. Among others, it included the bouts between greats like Julio Cesar Chavez and Felix Trinidad.
On the other hand, by the late 1990s, a few boxers smartened up. They displayed a reluctance to sign up with King out of suspicion. For example, despite Don King’s attempts, British – Canadian boxer Lennox Lewis never came along.
Slowly but surely, his sway began to fade.
