Country and Boxing Collide as Don King Brings Title Bouts to Music City

Boxing promoter Don King plans to bring country music and big-time boxing together with Nashville's first major boxing event, set for January 11 at Nashville's as yet unfinished arena.
King got off to a good start, accepting a Gibson guitar at a press conference in Nashville today (Nov. 20) as he announced "Promises Made, Promises Kept," the unofficial name of the upcoming night of title fights
"The marriage of music and boxing is a reality," said the flamboyant King.
Tentative plans include a "country music festival, culminating in title fights," King said. Country star Hank Williams Jr. will be writing a song specifically for the event, entitled "I'm Gonna Knock You Out."
King described the event as an effort to raise Nashville to "world recognition," helping to bring major sports to Music City.
On hand for the press conference were WBC Super Welterweight/IBF Junior Middleweight Champion Terry Norris, former heavyweight champ Oliver McCall and IBF Welterweight Champion Felix Trinidad, all of whom will be defending their titles on the 11th.
Country stars Sammy Kershaw and Earl Thomas Conley attended the press conference.
Gibson Musical Instruments presented King with a black Gibson Landmark electric guitar.
"Gibson is the old favorite," King said, referring to Gibson's crucial role in the evolution of popular music and more recently as an important member of Nashville's growing business community. "Gibson was there."
King said the guitar reminded him of "that great, dead guitarist," although he never clarified the reference.
An Epiphone PR-200 guitar was also donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, but not before King and a variety of boxers had an opportunity to sign it.

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