January 7, 2025
Boxing Promoter Don King Hit With $3B Fraud and Defamation Suit Over Potential ‘Rumble In The Jungle 2’
Let's hope this can be rectified.....
Legendary boxing promoter Don King is preparing for a fight worth $3 billion after being hit with a lawsuit for allegedly bailing on plans for a matchup called Rumble in the Jungle 2, Fortune reported.
A complaint filed by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York alleges fraud, defamation, breach of contract, and more from BYD Sports and its CEO, Cecil Miller, against King and his Florida-based company, Don King Productions. Miller claims King encouraged him to showcase a 50th anniversary in Africa for the iconic matchup that took place in 1974 between then-underdog boxer Muhammad Ali and undefeated heavyweight champion George Foreman.
Paying homage to the match that brought King to stardom, Miller proceeded despite never signing a formal agreement. He set the groundwork for the matchup, including a series of star-studded matches in Nigeria, and scheduled a number of events with appearances and performances from John Legend, Alicia Keys, and Wyclef Jean. When the CEO asked King to help promote the events, King allegedly bailed and forewent the matchups before anything was finalized.
Since the fight between Ali and Foreman garnered $100 million, equivalent to $600 million today, Miller is seeking damages in that amount, in addition to $2.4 billion in prospective damages and a formal written apology.
King pushed back against some claims in an Instagram post of a cease-and-desist letter accusing Miller of falsely representing authorization from King to stage a Rumble in the Jungle 50th anniversary event to government officials. Miller’s attorney, Anthony J.M. Jones, called the lawsuit a “sad day for the sport” after claiming King derailed his client’s event in the end. “It’s confounding when you look at how many people were working on this. This is just a sad day for the sport,” Jones said.
“We are now in 2025, and there will never be a chance to do a 50th anniversary of a fight between Foreman and Ali—and to do it in Africa.”
A letter identical to the one posted on social media was included in the suit.
According to AOL, King and Miller were very cordial prior to the lawsuit. During friendlier times, King allegedly confided in Miller, referred to as a “preacher’s son,” feeling that cozying up with Miller could clean up his image. King allegedly confided in the CEO, telling him about past controversies being behind him and embracing religion following his wife’s death in 2010. The complaint also listed that King once gifted Miller a rare coin and even spoke with Miller’s father and daughter. The two also worked together on another fight deal on behalf of now-late boxer Alonzo “Big Zo” Butler and Don King Productions that took place on Aug. 28, 2021, against late boxer Brandon Spencer while still working on the potential Rumble in the Jungle 2 deal.
In 2022, Miller allegedly followed up with the then 92-year-old about the event and even sent a proposal to formalize the agreement, but allegedly never received a written response. However, King allegedly continued to verbally communicate with Miller about planning efforts. The suit also claims Miller brought in bankers from Africa and the U.S. — with King’s knowledge — and even agreed to post a video on social media to confirm the pair were working together.
In July 2024, when King allegedly failed to appear on a Zoom call to promote the event, Miller learned that the promoter did not own the rights to Rumble in the Jungle but continued to push the event, even pursuing licensing and another title.
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