Don King is welcoming TKO to the boxing world the only way he knows how by picking a fight.
Don King Productions announced Sunday through a news release it has issued a cease-and-desist order to Saudi Arabian company SELA and TKO Group Holdings, Inc. under which TKO Boxing the venture formed by UFC CEO White, WWE president Nick Khan and Saudi Arabian boxing financier Turki Alalshikh earlier this year operates.
On Saturday, Alalshikh-owned Ring Magazine announced American heavyweights Michael Hunter and Jarrell Miller would headline a Sept. 11 event as part of the build-up to the much-hyped Sept. 13 battle of pound-for-pound greats Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Terence “Bud” Crawford at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Netflix.
King alleges he has a legal and binding contract with Hunter, the WBA’s No. 2-ranked heavyweight, and that Hunter will be fighting for the WBA (Regular) heavyweight championship next.
King, bidding $1.1 million, won the auction for Kubrat Pulev’s WBA title defense against Hunter in May. The WBA denied two appeals from Pulev’s promoter, Epic Sports and Entertainment, after the company claimed Hunter was unavailable for the fight.
King argues that TKO and SELA unlawfully negotiated and announced a fight with Hunter, with whom King has promotional rights, without King’s knowledge or permission. King claims TKO’s promotion of the bout would amount to tortious interference with his exclusive promotional rights and has demanded TKO and SELA cease and desist from promoting or moving forward with Hunter vs. Miller, or the Hall of Fame promoter will take legal action.
Miller was supposed to face Jared Anderson on the Alvarez vs. Crawford undercard, but Anderson reportedly withdrew from the bout, creating an opening for another fighter to land a major opportunity against Miller on a high-profile fight week. Hunter, 37, has struggled to land marquee fights in recent years and would benefit from facing a big name like Miller.