Hall of Fame Promoter of 10 Thousand Bouts Don Elbaum, King of Atlantic City, Dies at 94
By Robert Brizel, head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Atlantic, City, NJ (July 31st, 2025)– Hall of Fame boxing promoter, matchmaker and manager Don Elbaum, who promoted over 1000 boxing cards and over 10 thousand bouts, primarily in Atlantic City, New Jersey, died on July 27, 2025, in his native, Erie, Pennsylvania. His career as a matchmaker began at age 18. His career in the boxing business became full-time over six decades.
BoxRec lists Elbaum as 0-3-1 as a fighter. Unbelievably, on one card Elbaum promoted at Palisades Rink in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, on April 14, 1969, Elbaum had to use himself as the last minute opponent to save a preliminary bout. Elbaum lost the four round split decision to 11-15-4 light heavyweight club fighter Tommy Shaffer of Uniontown. Elbaum never fought again.
A who’s who of famous fighters Elbaum worked with at one time or another included Willie Pep, Sugar Ray Robinson, Roberto Duran, Nicolai Valuev, Muhammad Ali, Sonny Liston, Aaron Pryor, Tony Tubbs, David Telesco, Maurice Blocker and Simon Brown. Elbaum was known for staging cards with unique and whacky themes to sell tickets, such as one show which featured a match between two winless heavyweights which was billed as an attempt to crown the best Worst Heavyweight in the World.
This reporter frequently enjoyed Don Elbaum’s company at ringside, which covered fights in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Don would always talk about his boxing adventures and experiences, and was good company ringside, always the perfect low-key gentleman. Don really left his mark and echo on boxing in Atlantic City, putting it on the map and keeping it there. Don promoted 196 shows in Atlantic City at The Tropicana over a five year period of professional boxing. He knew his stuff.
Promoter Lou DiBella, a friend of Elbaum’s, said on X Don was “A master storyteller and a self-admitted scoundrel, Donnie was a lovable relic of a time gone.”
“From boxer to matchmaker to promoter, there was no more colorful personality in boxing than Don Elbaum. His promotional creativity was second to none. The International Boxing Hall of Fame offers our condolences to the Elbaum family, and joins the boxing world in mourning his passing, “noted IBHOF Executive Director Edward Brophy.
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