Latest news with #DonKing
The Independent
7 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Don King confirms successful $1.1million purse bid for Kubrat-Hunter title fight
Legendary boxing promoter Don King will promote the WBA 'regular' heavyweight title fight between reigning champion Kubrat Pulev and challenger Michael Hunter in August, with the American paying over $1million for the right to organise the bout. The 93-year-old took to Instagram to confirm that his purse bid for the title fight had been successful, sharing: 'Hall of Fame boxing Promoter Don King wins $1.1million purse bid to promote WBA regular heavyweight world champion Kubrat Pulev facing no. 2 contender Michael Hunter on August 23.' 44-year-old Pulev, 32-3 (14), took the WBA's secondary world title with a unanimous decision over Mahmoud Charr in December. Hunter, 24-1-2 (17), enters the contest as the WBA gold champion at heavyweight, having won the strap in June 2024 with a unanimous decision of his own against Cassius Chaney. Watch over 150 boxing events a year live on DAZN - subscribe now Pulev-Hunter effectively serves as a semi-final to a four-man tournament set up by the WBA. Fabio Wardley 's clash with Justis Huni on Saturday, June 7, live on DAZN, is the other leg of the eliminator, with a view of the winners from each fight to face each other before December 31. The winner of Wardley-Hunis will take the interim regular heavyweight title, further cementing the victor's position as challenger to the regular belt. Whilst Kubrat Pulev is listed by the WBA as a world champion and is thus unranked, Wardley, Hunter, and Huni are all inside the organisation's top 10. Wardley is currently number one, with Hunter second. Huni is further down the ratings, coming in at ninth at the WBA's last update at the end of April. It remains to be seen whether the winner of the four-man tournament will be given any preferential treatment, such as an official mandatory shot at the WBA's 'super' heavyweight champion, Oleksandr Usyk. Despite previous promises to streamline their world titles, the WBA has continued to hand out both regular and super versions of titles across numerous divisions. Watch the very best boxing with a DAZN subscription DAZN is the home of combat sports, broadcasting over 185 fights a year from the world's best promoters, including Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, Misfits, PFL, BKFC, GLORY and more. An Annual Saver subscription is a one-off cost of £119.99 / $224.99 (for 12 months access), that's just 64p / $1.21 per fight. There is also a Monthly Flex Pass option (cancel any time) at £24.99 / $29.99 per month. A subscription includes weekly magazine shows, comprehensive fight library, exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes documentaries, and podcasts and vodcasts.
CBS News
17-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
PG&E proposes another rate increase beginning in 2027, claims bills will stabilize
STOCKTON -- Pacific Gas and Electric has proposed to state regulators another rate increase beginning in 2027 but says customer bills are expected to remain flat. Don King has owned Fat City Brew & BBQ in Stockton for almost 15 years. For his 3,000-square-foot restaurant, he paid about $7,500 in utility bills just this month. "PG&E is most expensive right now," King explained. "I mean, it's more in my payroll. It's more than my rent. That's crazy." PG&E alerted customers on Friday, saying it's asking the California Public Utilities Commission to sign off on a 3.5% annual rate increase from 2027 to 2030. This, the company says, is the smallest increase in a decade. That would add roughly $126 more each year. However, with some add-on costs built into rates that are set to expire in 2026, PG&E says bills will actually remain flat in 2027 compared to costs this year. According to The Utility Reform Network (TURN), there's more to it. Lee Trotman, the director of communications at TURN, says at least 17 pending rate increases that have been sent to the commission are not included in this General Rate Case. This means your bill could go higher. "If they say this is going to happen, wait till you get your bill," Trotman said. "That's the proof, right? Did the rates really stabilize, or did they go up? So, and to be honest, customers don't care about the rates. They care about the bill, the total amount of the bill." With Stockton recently making the switch to Ava Energy, with the promise of 5% lower rates, utility customers are trying to stay hopeful. "I think that's going to be on this bill that'll be for this current month right now," King added. "We should see how that works for us, and we're looking forward to that 5% that we're supposed to be saving. So, you know, that helps." CBS Sacramento has reached out to Ava Energy, asking how this will impact Stocktonians. The company said that since this proposal recently came out, they are doing an analysis of the proposal but still promise that 5% discount. PG&E says it's trying to stabilize costs as much as possible, but state regulators still have to sign off on these changes.
Daily Mail
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Sky Sports News favourite reveals he's quit as well-known reporters face the axe
A popular Sky Sports News reporter has revealed he has quit the broadcaster. Mail Sport exclusively revealed last week that Sky Sports News are set to make a number of well-known staff redundant as they look to transform the channel. Melissa Reddy and Jeremy Langdon are among the reporters likely to be heading for the exit door. Now, Alan Myers has revealed he will be leaving Sky Sports News after 23 years in the job. Announcing his decision on X on Tuesday, Myers wrote: 'After a 23 year association I have decided to leave Sky Sports News. Difficult decision but one that I felt was right. 'It's been such a fantastic experience from my first report at a Bolton Wanderers outwood bound course, to World Cup. Finals, ECL Finals and everything in between! 'I couldn't wish to have worked for a better company with the most talented and professional colleagues. I thank every one of them for their support and friendship over many years. 'It's been a blast and I have some incredible memories, worked on some headline stories and visited over 30 countries, thank you.' His post came alongside a series of photos of him working for Sky, which included him speaking to iconic boxing promoter Don King, being kissed on the cheek by a fan as he stood outside Manchester City's ground on transfer deadline day, and him standing by when Michael Owen was unveiled as a Newcastle player in 2005. Myers was largely based in the North-West and North-East during his time at Sky, as he covered the likes of City, Newcastle, Liverpool and Everton. Covering Everton meant that he got to report on Paul Gascoigne during his brief spell at the Merseyside club, while he also got to speak to Joe Royle - the last manager to win a trophy with the Toffees - and oversee the building of the team's new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock that is due to open ahead of next season. Myers moving on comes just over a week after shocked staff were told at Sky's London headquarters that a round of redundancies is imminent. Insiders have insisted that the move is not a cost-cutting measure while a spokesperson said it was aimed at 'making us more agile and better equipped to serve audiences'. The restructuring from the US-owned company has not been taken lightly, according to sources. The priority, among bosses, is to ensure that the department adapts to meet the changing behaviours of audiences and is 'faster, more flexible and more creative'. They insist that Sky Sports News, which is the UK's only 24/7 sports news channel, will continue to focus on breaking news stories and that output will not be significantly altered. The redundancies are limited to presenters and reporters. A Sky Sports News spokesperson said: 'We've shared proposals with the Sky Sports News team to change how we're structured, aimed at making us more agile and better equipped to serve audiences across TV, digital and social. 'A small number of roles are impacted, and we are now entering a period of consultation with those colleagues.' Geoff Shreeves, Martin Tyler and Bianca Westwood were among the talent to leave Sky Sports in 2023 due to job cutting. Shreeves had given 30 years of service to Sky Sports as a touchline reporter while Tyler had been commentating for the channel for 33 years. Experienced and well-respected journalists including Guy Havord, Dickie Davis, Greg Whelan and Jaydee Dyer were also affected by the cuts.
Gulf Insider
21-04-2025
- Business
- Gulf Insider
Boxing's New Capital? Saudi Arabia Channelling Don King Legacy
Saudi Arabia's vast investments are restoring boxing to the glamour and profile it enjoyed during the era of legendary promoter Don King, according to a senior official at one of the sport's main governing bodies. 'The biggest money is paid here and has been for two years now,' World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman said in an interview in Riyadh. 'The way things are now, it's like when boxing arrived in Vegas. They are bringing back the Don King era,' Sulaiman added, referring to the promoter behind some of boxing's biggest names, including Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. Driven by Turki Al Sheikh — a royal court adviser and chairman of the General Entertainment Authority — Saudi Arabia has poured millions into staging blockbuster fights over the past two years. That includes Tyson Fury's two bouts against Oleksandr Usyk in 2024, with combined prize pots well exceeding $100 million. The first of those fights — dubbed the Ring of Fire — was hosted at a glitzy event in Riyadh, attended by football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and rapper Eminem, and generated 1.5 million pay-per-view buys. For comparison, one of Don King's most iconic promotions, the 1997 rematch between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield, drew nearly 2 million pay-per-view purchases. Riyadh's foray into boxing is part of a broader strategy under Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman to position Saudi Arabia as a global sports hub. The push aims to diversify the kingdom's economy, enhance quality of life and attract tourism. Saudi Arabia is also backing the creation of a new boxing promotion venture with TKO Group Holdings Inc., the parent company of WWE and the UFC. The kingdom has already shaken up sports like golf and football by luring top talent with lucrative deals and will host major events over the next decade — culminating in the Fifa World Cup 2034. Sulaiman was in Riyadh to attend the Riyadh Season WBC Boxing Grand Prix, a multiphase tournament scheduled throughout the year. These events could pave the way for deeper collaboration between Saudi Arabia and the WBC, one of boxing's four major sanctioning bodies. According to Sulaiman, the WBC and Saudi authorities are exploring future tournaments in the country, joint international events, and even the construction of a boxing museum. Talks are still in the early stages and outcomes remain uncertain, he said. The WBC chief expressed hope that Saudi Arabia's investments could eventually lead to greater unification within boxing — a fragmented sport with multiple titles and promoters — 'if it's correctly handled.' However, he acknowledged the challenge that promoters elsewhere will struggle to match the prize money on offer in the kingdom. That could force them to cooperate more, boost ticket sales, and explore streaming partnerships to stay competitive. Still, Sulaiman remains optimistic about the future of the sport.
Gulf News
21-04-2025
- Business
- Gulf News
Boxing's new capital? Saudi Arabia channelling Don King legacy
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia's vast investments are restoring boxing to the glamour and profile it enjoyed during the era of legendary promoter Don King, according to a senior official at one of the sport's main governing bodies. 'The biggest money is paid here and has been for two years now,' World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman said in an interview in Riyadh. 'The way things are now, it's like when boxing arrived in Vegas. They are bringing back the Don King era,' Sulaiman added, referring to the promoter behind some of boxing's biggest names, including Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. Big fights, big money Driven by Turki Al Sheikh — a royal court adviser and chairman of the General Entertainment Authority — Saudi Arabia has poured millions into staging blockbuster fights over the past two years. That includes Tyson Fury's two bouts against Oleksandr Usyk in 2024, with combined prize pots well exceeding $100 million. The first of those fights — dubbed the Ring of Fire — was hosted at a glitzy event in Riyadh, attended by football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and rapper Eminem, and generated 1.5 million pay-per-view buys. For comparison, one of Don King's most iconic promotions, the 1997 rematch between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield, drew nearly 2 million pay-per-view purchases. Sport as strategy Riyadh's foray into boxing is part of a broader strategy under Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman to position Saudi Arabia as a global sports hub. The push aims to diversify the kingdom's economy, enhance quality of life and attract tourism. Saudi Arabia is also backing the creation of a new boxing promotion venture with TKO Group Holdings Inc., the parent company of WWE and the UFC. The kingdom has already shaken up sports like golf and football by luring top talent with lucrative deals and will host major events over the next decade — culminating in the Fifa World Cup 2034. Future plans with the WBC Sulaiman was in Riyadh to attend the Riyadh Season WBC Boxing Grand Prix, a multiphase tournament scheduled throughout the year. These events could pave the way for deeper collaboration between Saudi Arabia and the WBC, one of boxing's four major sanctioning bodies. According to Sulaiman, the WBC and Saudi authorities are exploring future tournaments in the country, joint international events, and even the construction of a boxing museum. Talks are still in the early stages and outcomes remain uncertain, he said. Push for unification The WBC chief expressed hope that Saudi Arabia's investments could eventually lead to greater unification within boxing — a fragmented sport with multiple titles and promoters — 'if it's correctly handled.'
