Ali and Foreman got $5 million each.
Don King had just began his professional career as promoter and he managed to generate the $10 million by asking Zaire's president Mobutu Sésé Seko for the money and Mobutu asked for the fight to be held in his country, since he was eager for the publicity such a high-profile event would bring.
Don King had also pulled together a consortium that included a Panamanian company called Risnelia Investment, the Hemdale Film Corporation, a British company founded by film producer John Daly and the actor David Hemmings, Video Techniques Incorporated of New York and Don King Productions.
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Muhammad Ali was one of the most famous boxers that ever lived. He earned a total of 40 million dollars in his entire career.