Don King Receives French Boxing Promoter’s License

Don King received a French boxing promoter’s license today in Paris. This marks the first time France has given a boxing license to King.

King met in the office of French Boxing Federation President Humbert Furgoni with other members of the federation (F.F. Boxe).

After approving King’s application, Furgoni presented King with a F.F. Boxe flag and a plaque. He also gave King a French national amateur championship belt and asked him to give it to Pope Benedict XVI in a scheduled meeting at the Vatican on Wednesday.

“I am humbled and deeply appreciative to the great boxing federation of France,” King said. “This is truly a magical journey for me spreading goodwill, friendship and peace between the French and American peoples,” King said.

King is in France promoting the highly anticipated rematch between World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council cruiserweight champion O’Neil “Supernova” Bell, from Atlanta, and former unified world champion Jean-Marc Mormeck, from France.

The sold-out event in the Parisian suburb of Levallois-Perret at the Palais des Sport Marcel Cerdan will be televised in the United States live on MSG on Saturday at 4 p.m. with replays the following day (Sunday, March 18) at 12:30 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Mormeck and Bell met for this first time in January 2006 in a match named by the prestigious Boxing Writers Association of America as one of the five best fights of the year.