Ving Rhames portrays Don King in HBO drama, 'Don King: Only in America.'

Jet, Nov 17, 1997

Famed actor Ving Rhames, who has starred in Rosewood and Pulp Fiction, delivers a remarkable portrayal of boxing promoter Don King in HBO's biographical drama, Don King: Only In America.

The drama, which makes its world premiere this week, Saturday, Nov. 15 at 8 pm. (ET), details the life and times of King who, with the exception of Muhammad Ali, is arguably the most famous man in boxing today.

King's influence changed the face of boxing forever, helping to transform it into the international, multi-million dollar, event-oriented business it has become. His fights raised the stakes in the boxing world, setting precedents in promotion, salaries and audience.

The all-star cast includes Darius McCrary of "Family Matters" fame, who portrays boxing champion Muhammad Ali, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Jeremy Piven, Keith David, Bernie Mac, Loretta Devine, Lou Rawls, Ron Leibman and Donzaleigh Abernathy, daughter of the late civil rights leader Rev. Ralph Abernathy.

Only In America traces King's rise from life on the Cleveland streets as a former numbers-runner and convicted felon to the world's most successful boxing promoter. In his climb up the ladder to success, King charmed, intimidated, and outsmarted most everyone.

King formally entered the heavyweight boxing world at the George Foreman-Joe Frazier fight in Jamaica in 1973. He rode to the fight in heavyweight champion Frazier's (Israel Cole) limousine, but left in new champion George Foreman's (Jarrod Bunch) limousine. "That's my policy," King says. "Always leave with the champion."

King went on to promote some of the biggest fights in history, including Ali and George Foreman's 1974 famous fight in Zaire, and he a]so promoted the fights of other heavyweight boxers, including Ernie Shavers, Ken Norton and Larry Holmes. By 1990, King also had become a major force in the career of Mike Tyson.

His dominion over most of the top heavyweight bouts created a monopoly that increased his power in the boxing world.

King has outlasted all the heavyweights he's promoted, claiming to have made them all millionaires while he continues to dominate boxing on his own terms.

Don King: Only In America will also air Nov. 18, Nov. 23, Nov. 25 Nov. 27 and Dec. 8 on HBO.