If Don King were a city he would be Las Vegas, flamboyant, awake 24 hours a day, driven by money, routed in gambling and the mob. In March of 1991 reporter John Newfield went to Vegas searching for Don King, the man himself is bigger than boxing, he is a cultural phenomenon, he’s been on the cover of just about every national magazine and Newfields purpose was to get beneath the electrified hair and mesmerising personality, but after asking Don King his first question he exploded in anger. The public may see him as a benign rouge but his roots go back to a violent past in Cleveland, Ohio where intimidation was a way of life and where King, a numbers racketeer stomped a man to death.

This Frontline special originally released in 1991, examines the world famous boxing promoter Don King and the murky dealings that he seems to get wrapped up in. Reporter John Newfield investigates his criminal past, his great success and his handling of young fighters.