Top 25 Most Influential Boxing Promoters of all times

Top 25 Most Influential Boxing Promoters of all times

Originally published by Ian S in September 2023 and Updated by Ian S in May 2024.

Prizefighting can be found anywhere there is a large population, from East to West and everywhere in between. Boxing is unquestionably one of the world’s most popular sports. A significant pay-per-view boxing event can generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. The boxers later become famous by amassing a huge fanbase throughout their career.

Because of this, boxing places a specific emphasis on its stars and the people who control their puppet strings and command the largest fan base. For budding boxers to get a true bearing in the boxing world to command a large payment purse, they need to have an influential promoter by their side.

A boxing promoter organizes and publicizes boxing bouts and fights between several boxers. The promoter ensures that fights are held in a way that the general public can readily observe and attend. They are often in charge of locating talented boxers, signing them up for a fight, locating a venue for the fight, publicizing the fight, and ensuring that people attend the event. The following are the top 25 most influential boxing promoters of all time.

1. Don King

Don King speaking at FreedomFest in Las Vegas, Nevada. photo by Gage Skidmore – Wikimedia commons

Donald King is a boxing promoter from the United States who has been involved in several famous boxing matches. Don King is without a doubt the most well-known boxing promoter of all time, making him the finest as well.

The guy behind “The Rumble in the Jungle,” Muhammad Ali’s epic heavyweight clash with George Foreman. He also orchestrated “The Thrilla in Manila,” a fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. This was just in the 1970s.

Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Tomasz Adamek, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Chris Byrd, John Ruiz, Julio César Chávez, Ricardo Mayorga, Andrew Golota, Bernard Hopkins, Félix Trinidad, Roy Jones Jr., Azumah Nelson, Gerald McClellan, Marco Antonio Barrera, and Christy Martin are among boxers who have promoted King.

2. Bob Arum

Boxing promoter Bob Arum at the Kelly Pavlik-Sergio Martinez post-fight press conference at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, April 18, 2010 photo by Robert Brizel – Wikimedia commons

Robert Arum is a boxing promoter and lawyer from the United States. He is the founder and CEO of Top Rank, a Las Vegas-based professional boxing promotion firm. Arum worked as an attorney in the tax section of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York before becoming a boxing promoter.

Since establishing his company in 1973, Arum has helped launch the careers of several of boxing’s most prominent stars, including Oscar De La Hoya, Roberto Duran, George Foreman, and Manny Pacquiao.

Top Rank produced classics like Marvin Hagler vs. Tommy Hearns and Hagler vs. Leonard in the 1980s. George Foreman defeated Michael Moorer for the World Heavyweight Championship while under Top rank promotion.

3. Oscar De La Hoya

Oscar De La Hoya at Fight Night Club event photo by DEWALT POWER TOOLS FIGHT NIGHT CLUB 2010 – Wikimedia commons

Oscar De La Hoya is a former professional fighter and boxing promoter from the United States. While still a full-time boxer, De La Hoya founded his own company, Golden Boy Promotions, in 2001. Since then, Golden Boy has been able to legitimately claim to be one of boxing’s few promotional groups with no scandal in its dealings.

What sets Golden Boy apart from other organizations is that it is (mainly) controlled by boxers. The 2007 battle between Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Oscar De La Hoya was the most lucrative fight in boxing history under Golden Boy.

He was once the star that carried the entire promotion on his back, but his creation has grown to become the most influential promoter in boxing.

4. Tex Rickard

Tex Rickard. Coloured photograph. photo by Bain News Service – Wikimedia commons

George Lewis “Tex” Rickard was an American boxing promoter and the architect of the third incarnation of New York City’s Madison Square Garden. Tex Rickard was the leading promoter throughout the 1920s.

According to sports journalist Frank Deford, Rickard “first recognized the potential of the star system.” Rickard was able to persuade Jim Jeffries out of retirement to face Jack Johnson for the heavyweight championship in 1910, resulting in the largest match-up of the time.

When he promoted Jack Dempsey’s Heavyweight Title defence against Georges Carpentier in New Jersey in 1921, he was able to generate boxing’s first million. It was also the world’s first title bout aired on the radio.

5. Frank Warren

Frank Warren photo by Vintagekits – Wikimedia commons

Frank Warren is a boxing promoter and manager from England. Warren and his son George own and run Queensberry Promotions. Warren is often regarded as the most successful British promoter in history.

Naseem Hamed, Frank Bruno, Tyson Fury, Josh Warrington, Joe Calzaghe, Nigel Benn, Billy Joe Saunders, Steve Collins, Chris Eubank, Amir Khan, and Ricky Hatton are among the world champions and top-ranked fighters Frank Warren has promoted and managed.

His most famous accomplishments include directing the growth of two of Britain’s top fighters, Joe Calzaghe and Ricky Hatton.

6. Eddie Hearn

Eddie Hearn during an interview in 2015. photo by Be Real TV – Wikimedia commons

British sports promoter Edward John Hearn serves as the chairman of both Matchroom Sport and the Professional Darts Corporation. Hearn is the son of Matchroom Sport’s founder and promoter Barry Hearn OBE.

Since joining Matchroom Sport, Hearn has promoted numerous world champions, including Anthony Joshua, Canelo Alvarez, Gennady Golovkin, Oleksandr Usyk, Vasyl Lomachenko, and many more.

 Hearn has worked to promote some major events, such as Carl Froch vs. George Groves II in 2014 and Anthony Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko in 2017, both of which were held at Wembley Stadium and drew 80,000 and 90,000 spectators, respectively.

Hearn unveiled the first-ever $1 billion boxing deal in May 2018 when Matchroom and streaming provider DAZN agreed to stream events in the US. Jerry Dyer, the mayor of Fresno, California, proclaimed October 16 to be “Matchroom Boxing and Eddie Hearn Day” after Hearn promoted a boxing event in Fresno in 2021.

7. Kathy Duva

Kathy Duva of Main Events photo by Sławek – Wikimedia commons

Kathy Duva is an American boxing promoter and the current CEO of Main Events, a boxing promotion firm based in New Jersey. Kathy and her husband Dan established Main Events in 1979. Former Light-Heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev is perhaps Duva’s most well-known client and current Main Events competitor. After KOing Darnell Boone in the second round in 2012, Duva signed Kovalev.

Evan Holyfield, the son of ex-world-champion boxer Evander Holyfield, is also represented by Duva and Main Events.

She also promoted two events on NBC, including a fight between Tomasz Adamek and Steve Cunningham that drew 3.2 million viewers.

8. Al Haymon

Al Haymon is a businessman and boxing manager from the United States. He was Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s manager and has earned the Boxing Writers of America Manager of the Year Award five times. Haymon dabbled in boxing in the early 2000s, when he managed Vernon Forrest.

Over the next decade, he grew in prominence in boxing, owing primarily to his connection with Floyd Mayweather Jr. He received the Al Buck Award (Manager of the Year) from the Boxing Writers Association of America in 2005 and 2013.

Premier Boxing Champions, which Haymon established, hosted its first tournament in 2015. Haymon is rarely seen and never interviewed. His most notable clients include Dominic Breazeale, Joe Joyce, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Manny Pacquiao, Andy Ruiz Jr, Errol Spence Jr, Deontay Wilder, Danny García, Amir Khan and Julio César Chávez Jr.

9. Akihiko Honda

Japanese professional boxing promoter Akihiko Honda was chosen for induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2009 and the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 2008. Since 1964, Honda has presided over Teiken Promotions and the Teiken Boxing Gym in Tokyo, Japan.

Honda assisted Masao Ōba to win the world title in 1970 at the age of 22, and in 1988 and 1990 he promoted two of Mike Tyson’s matches. In Japan in 1998, he also organized the first tripleheader for a world title. Jirō Watanabe (Osaka Teiken Boxing Gym), Tsuyoshi Hamada, Genaro Hernandez, Eloy Rojas, Edwin Valero, Jorge Linares, and Román González are some of the boxers Honda has so far promoted.

Jorge Linares, Takahiro Aō, Akifumi Shimoda, Shinsuke Yamanaka, Toshiyuki Igarashi, Takashi Miura, Yoshihiro Kamegai, and Ryōta Murata are currently under his management.

10. Kalle Sauerland

German boxing promoter Kalle Sauerland photo by Sports Media / Viasat – Wikimedia commons

In Germany, where Sauerland is the top promoter, boxing is extremely popular. He is intelligent and was a driving force behind the Super Six Boxing Classic, a competition that was broadcast on Showtime in the United States.

He pursued boxing as well, eventually rising to the position of junior manager at his father’s business, Sauerland event, a resident of the Berlin Boxing stable and the largest German boxing promoter as of 2014. He restructured the business and expanded its media and global reach.

As David Haye’s co-promoter, he was crucial in setting up the July 2011 World Cup bout between Haye and Vladimir Klitschko after more than two years of negotiations between the two camps failed to result in a contract. He has a wide range of superstars, such as Nikolai Valuev and Arthur Abraham, that he can deploy to draw sizable crowds throughout Germany.

11. Bernd Boente and Tom Loeffler

Boente has worked in every aspect of boxing you can think of, from management to broadcasting, and is a partner in the Klitschko Management Group with the Klitschko brothers.

The managing director of K2 Promotions is Loeffler. Since middleweight Gennady Golovkin just became a true celebrity to stand beside the Klitschkos, the group of fighters has gained fresh recognition.

12. Cameron Dunkin

Nonito Donaire won the 2012 Fighter of the Year title under the management of Dunkin, one of the greatest in the profession. Although his list of adversaries reads like a boxing who’s who, it’s the up-and-comers that set him apart. He has a keen sense of talent, which will help him continue to be a dominant force in boxing.

13. Leonard Ellerbee

Ellerbee the CEO is a complex figure. At least for the time being, Mayweather Promotions isn’t that big. Floyd Mayweather, a boxer who is arguably on his final run to the top, is the only notable product it has. Ellerbee, on the other hand, is a vital part of Team Mayweather, running his business operations and keeping everything on track.

He is also Mayweather’s strength and conditioning instructor in addition to being one of the boxer’s seconds often. He excels at playing a variety of roles. Ellerbee’s position on this list could quickly rise if he can eventually have the same success he has had with Floyd with one or two other fighters.

14. Fernando Beltran

Beltran, who is based in Tijuana, collaborates with Top Rank and other organisations to promote Juan Manuel Marquez and other top fighters from Mexico. He has a track record of identifying and nurturing high talent and producing competitors ready for the American ring. For Bob Arum and his group, he is a valuable resource.

15. Lou DiBella

Robert Brizel, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

To truly appreciate the sport of boxing, one must acknowledge the influential figures behind the scenes – the promoters who make the biggest bouts possible.

Louis John DiBella Jr. stands among the Most Influential Boxing Promoters of all time. As the head of DiBella Entertainment, he has promoted some of the biggest names in the ring, including former champions like Sergio Martínez, Jermain Taylor, Bernard Hopkins, Paulie Malignaggi, Andre Berto, and Deontay Wilder.

DiBella’s commitment to the sport extends beyond just the marquee names, as he actively supports women’s boxing and promotes rising prospects like Regis Prograis, Tevin Farmer, and Amanda Serrano.

With his keen eye for talent and unwavering dedication, DiBella has left an indelible mark on the boxing world, shaping the careers of countless fighters and ensuring fans witness the most exciting matchups possible.

16. Richard Schaefer

Bryan Horowitz, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

One of the most influential figures in the world of boxing promotion is Richard Schaefer. The Swiss national has left an indelible mark on the sport, currently serving as the president of Anthem Sports Group.

Schaefer’s journey began in the banking industry, but he took a bold step in 2000 when he left his lucrative career to join Oscar De La Hoya‘s fledgling business organization.

This decision paved the way for his rise as one of the Most Influential Boxing Promoters of all time. Schaefer has been instrumental in lining up deals for numerous major boxing matches over the past 15 years.

His entrepreneurial spirit led him to found his own promotional company, Ringstar Sports, in 2016, which later merged with David Haye’s Hayemaker Promotions.

Schaefer’s impact extends beyond promotion, as he announced the World Boxing Super Series in 2017 and launched Probellum, a boxing promotion and media company, in 2021.

17. Kellie Maloney

Derek Bennett, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Very few individuals have left as indelible a mark on the world of boxing promotion as Kellie Maloney. 

The English manager and promoter is among the Most Influential Boxing Promoters of all time, guiding the illustrious career of Lennox Lewis, who became the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world under Maloney’s tutelage between 1989 and 2001. 

This feat made Maloney the first Briton to manage a British heavyweight champion in nearly a century, solidifying her place in boxing history.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Maloney’s journey as one of Britain’s most well-known transgender individuals has also garnered widespread recognition, after she publicly announced her gender reassignment in 2014.

With her unwavering determination and trailblazing spirit, Maloney has left an indelible mark on both the world of boxing and the LGBTQ+ community.

18. Wilfried Sauerland

Pasi Taavitsainen, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

It fits to call Wilfried Sauerland one of the Most Influential Boxing Promoters of all time. The German boxing promoter and manager’s impact on the sport is undeniable, earning him induction into the prestigious International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2010.

Sauerland’s influence extended far beyond his homeland, as he oversaw boxing camps in various locations, including Frankfurt (Oder), Cologne, and Berlin, nurturing talents under renowned trainers like Manfred Wolke, Rudi Fink, and Ulli Wegner.

His legacy continues through his sons, Kalle and Nisse, who now work for the esteemed Wasserman organization.

With his profound contributions to the sport, Sauerland has etched his name among the greats, leaving an indelible mark on the annals of boxing promotion and management.

19. Mickey Duff

Exceptional individuals are what shape the landscape of any industry, and in the world of boxing promotion, Mickey Duff stands tall as one of the Most Influential Boxing Promoters of all time.

The Polish-born British boxer turned matchmaker, manager, and promoter left an indelible mark on the sport, breaking monopolies and establishing new powerhouses.

With partners like Jarvis Astaire, Harry Levene, Terry Lawless, Mike Barrett, and the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), Duff’s efficient cartel reshaped the boxing scene in the UK and beyond.

His participation and strong position in the sport as a promoter and matchmaker spanned over four decades, from 1953 through 1997, a testament to his enduring influence and impact on the sweet science.

Duff’s journey from a humble boxer to a vastly renowned promoter is a true rags-to-riches tale that cemented his legacy among the greats.

20. Lou Duva

Mike Lizzi, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Embodying the quintessential boxing promoter, Louis Duva stands among the Most Influential Boxing Promoters of all time. The Duva family’s impact on sweet science was felt across six continents, promoting events in over 20 countries and handling an impressive 19 world champions.

Duva’s induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame, the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame, and The Meadowlands Sports Hall of Fame is a testament to his unparalleled contributions. 

From crowning Joey Giardello as the middleweight champion in 1963 to guiding the careers of legends like Evander Holyfield, Pernell Whitaker, and Meldrick Taylor, Duva’s Midas touch was unmistakable. 

His innovative promotional tactics, including hyping shows with fabricated narratives, drew comparisons to WWE’s storytelling prowess.

Duva’s influence transcended the ring, appearing in TV cameos and even training wrestler Rowdy Roddy Piper at WrestleMania 2.

21. Bob Goodman

To be considered among the Most Influential Boxing Promoters of all time is a rare honor, one that Robert Goodman rightfully earned.

The American boxing matchmaker, publicist, and promoter left an indelible mark on the sport, earning induction into the prestigious International Boxing Hall of Fame, Florida Boxing Hall of Fame, and New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame.

Goodman’s contributions were recognized with the coveted Boxing Writers Association of America’s James J. Walker Memorial Award for Long and Meritorious Service to Boxing in 1980.

Following in his father Murray’s footsteps, who also achieved these accolades, Goodman served as Vice President and Matchmaker for the iconic Madison Square Garden from 1985 to 1994.

His influence extended beyond his ventures, as he spent 25 years with Don King Productions in various capacities, including Vice President of Boxing Operations, Matchmaker, and Director of Public Relations.

Goodman’s President role at Garden State Boxing further cemented his legacy as a driving force in promoting world champions.

22. Frank Palermo

Among the most influential boxing promoters of all time, Frank “Blinky” Palermo was an American criminal involved in fixing fights. He secretly owned prize fighters and rigged bouts, notably the 1947 Jake LaMotta-Billy Fox fight.

Affiliated with the Philadelphia crime family, Palermo ran the city’s largest numbers racket with partner Frankie Carbo. Palermo covertly owned or controlled top boxers like Virgil Akins, Clarence Henry, Johnny Saxton, Coley Wallace, and Ike Williams, fixing matches for illegal profits.

23. Aileen Eaton

Steve Fontanini, Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Standing out as one of the most influential boxing promoters of all time, Aileen LeBell Eaton was an American promoter who significantly impacted the boxing and wrestling scene on the US West Coast for five decades.

 In 2002, she became the first woman inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Born in Canada, Eaton got involved in her husband Cal’s boxing promotion business in Los Angeles in 1942.

After he died in 1966, she took over the company, staging over 10,000 boxing bouts and wrestling matches at the L.A. Olympic Auditorium, promoting famous fighters like Floyd Patterson, Joe Frazier, and George Foreman until her retirement in 1980.

Eaton was later inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and the NWA Hall of Fame alongside her sons.

24. Spencer Fearon

Fearon is among the most influential boxing promoters of all time. A former boxer himself, he became Britain’s youngest-ever black promoter when he promoted his first event in 2007.

Fearon manages and promotes notable fighters like Darren Hamilton, Larry Ekundayo, and Nathan Graham. He co-founded Hard Knocks Boxing Promotions in 2009, earning praise for arranging competitive matchups and reviving Choi Tseveenpurev’s career.

Under Fearon’s guidance, Choi won the 2011 Prizefighter featherweight tournament. Fearon has worked as a commentator for Frank Warren TV, and Setanta Sports, and conducted interviews with boxing legends like Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr.

He has also appeared in films and video games, showcasing his multifaceted impact in the boxing world.

25. Dmitry Salita

Devik Roitman, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

As a trailblazer among the most influential boxing promoters of all time, Dmitry Salita is an American promoter and former professional boxer of Ukrainian descent.

A practicing Orthodox Jew, he famously did not fight on the Sabbath or Jewish holidays and kept kosher during his boxing career. In 2011, Salita transitioned into promoting, founding Salita Promotions in Brooklyn.

He has promoted notable boxers such as Claressa Shields, Christina Hammer, Jarrell Miller, Otto Wallin, and Nikolai Potapov under his banner. 

Salita’s unique background and commitment to his faith while succeeding in the boxing world have made him an influential figure.

Be sure to also check out the richest boxers of all time.