Boxing promoter, Don King, best known for working with legends such as Mohammed Ali and Mike Tyson, is facing a $3 billion civil lawsuit over an alleged fraudulent attempt to revive the historic Rumble in the Jungle fight.
According to aol.com, the lawsuit filed by BYD Sports and CEO Cecil Miller in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, accuses King and his Florida-based production company of fraud, defamation, breach of contract, and other allegations.
According to court documents, King allegedly encouraged Miller to organize a 50th-anniversary tribute event, Rumble in the Jungle 2, in Africa, despite no formal agreement in place. Miller proceeded with plans, securing initial groundwork for a t boxing event in Nigeria, alongside proposed musical performances featuring artists like John Legend, Alicia Keys, and Wyclef Jean. However, King allegedly backed out when Miller requested his support in promoting the event and later disavowed his involvement, causing the project to collapse.
Attorney Anthony J.M. Jones, representing Miller, criticized King’s actions, stating the promoter remained on the periphery of planning before pulling out at a critical moment.
“It’s confounding when you look at how many people were working on this,” Jones told Fortune. “This is just a sad day for the sport. We are now in 2025, and there will never be another opportunity to mark the 50th anniversary of the Foreman-Ali fight in Africa.”
King has not publicly responded to the lawsuit.