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Boxing promoter Don King campaigns for Donald Trump


Hall of Fame boxing promoter Don King urged women voters to disregard those who “ridiculize” Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump at a campaign stop in Cleveland on Wednesday.

“Every white woman should cast their vote for Donald Trump,” King said. “Not for Donald Trump the man, but to knock out the system.”

King introduced Trump at a church in Cleveland Heights, one of three events King was scheduled to join Trump at in Ohio. What King opened with at the first stop could be cringe-worthy for those close to Muhammad Ali, whose legendary fights “The Rumble in the Jungle” and the “Thrilla in Manila” were promoted by King.

“Forty-four years ago, I brought a young man to town here to save a hospital,” King said. “It was the only hospital in town that serviced black people and poor whites. His name was Muhammad Ali. Today, I come to you 44 years later to bring you a great American, an American to save the nation in Donald J. Trump. “

Ali died in June at age 74, a life Ali spent as a crusader for human rights and who fought against the demonization of the Muslim religion he adopted. In December, Ali issued a statement after Trump’s plan to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. was circulated.

“Our political leaders should use their position to bring understanding about the religion of Islam and clarify that these misguided murderers have perverted people's views on what Islam really is,” Ali said in the statement that did not mention Trump by name.

King also lobbied black voters --- whose support of Trump is in single digits in several polls --- to back Trump.

King, 84, told Paste BN Sports after Ali’s funeral in June why he supported Trump.

“Whether he becomes president or not, he has brought out all the hidden back-room, under-the-table conversations,” King said at the time. “If they would vet our politicians and leaders who are trying to be president like they vet Trump, they wouldn’t have none of these problems.

“What I said is that with Trump calling all these people out, he (is showing he) can’t be bought, he can’t be controlled, the party can’t control him, he works for the will of the people. They are the only ones he has an obligation to. Because through the primaries, he was self-funded. They say he’s dividing and polarizing. No, it’s already polarized, it’s already divided. What he’s doing is exposing, he’s not polarizing.”