King Cozies Up to Pope

Don King gets ringside seat, offers Benedict XVI a boxing belt
By Patrick Hopkins,  Newser User
Posted Mar 22, 2007 11:20 AM CDT
King Cozies Up to Pope
Don King au naturale   (Getty Images)

A tonsorially tamed Don King took the stage Wednesday in front of an atypical audience–the Pope. The legendary boxing promoter, who spent four years in jail for manslaughter, was denied a personal audience with his Holiness, but did manage to hand the pontiff a handwritten set of prayer requests–and a green-and-gold boxing belt.

Promotion, apparently, works both ways: King's pilgrimage was arranged by boxer (and client) Luca Messi, whose brother is a Catholic priest. (More Don King stories.)

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