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After backing down a bit, Philadelphia celebrity boxing promoter Damon Feldman finally announced that the match between rapper DMX (Earl Simmons) and George Zimmerman has been cancelled.
Once a surge of vocal opposition flooded in, including petitions on Change.org and WhiteHouse.gov, Feldman said that he was "done" with Zimmerman and the "major payday" was not worth it. "I know no one else would walk away like I did." It was my decision to cancel the George Zimmerman fight. It was worth a lot of money to me, but people's feelings meant more to me," he announced Saturday on Twitter.
The change of heart came as a particular surprise in light of his Feb. 7 interview with Philadelphia Magazine where he stated, "I'm not quitting this. People want me to quit, I would never do that. This is the opportunity of a lifetime. It's entertainment, man." The matchup quickly ignited controversy when Feldman announced it just three days earlier. DMX, famous for both his music and criminal record, has openly expressed hostility toward Zimmerman who was found not guilty for shooting and killing 17 year-old Trayvon Martin in 2012.
The move to cancel the fight was wise, but won't save Feldman's now public reputation for attempting to put a tasteless spin on a serious civil rights issue.
