Henry VIII knew a thing or two about problems with partnerships. And from the Tudor king's former hunting lodge in Essex where Frank Warren now lives, the boxing promoter yesterday held court about the break-up of his professional marriage to Don King. Someone's head will roll, said Warren, and it would not be his.

Warren is furious that King, with whom he signed a three-year partnership in September 1994, is putting it about that Warren is finished, that a court ruling last week means that King now owns half Warren's promotion empire and that he may go bankrupt because of it. All rubbish, says Warren.

"Don King once told me that, if you're in trouble, spread confusion, because out of confusion you'll get something," said Warren yesterday, "and that is what he is trying to do".

Warren says the major part of the deal was that King would help get Naseem Hamed exposure in the United States but this never happened and King preferred to see his own boxers on prime slots on the Showtime network. The pair will be back in court to fight that one out later this month. If Warren wins, then last week's legal ruling would be irrelevant as the original contract would be null and void.

Warren will also claim in court that a hand written note on the contract, extending their deal by three years from September 1997, was added fraudulently by King, who denies this.

"I've got documents I can bang on the table and even Stevie Wonder would see this is a fraudulently changed document," said Warren.

The Englishman is also demanding that King reveal financial details of his business to prove Warren was being properly recompensed by King for business done on his behalf.

"We have given them everything, bank statements, the lot," said Warren. "Now they must do the same." Correspondence between the two over the past three years amounts to 40,000 pages, according to Warren, and it is estimated legal costs of the falling out will nudge £2 million Stg. "The costs are astronomical," he agreed, "but what are you going to do? You either roll over and let it happen or you fight your end. Someone's going to end up with costs, if it's me I'll pay them. I'm not skint." Warren says he can pinpoint the moment his partnership with King broke down.

They were sitting in the Dorchester Hotel in London after Frank Bruno had beaten Oliver McCall for the WBO heavyweight title. "He (King) gave me a bill for £3.3 million saying the show had run at a loss," said Warren. "I was supposed to pay it. I got a feeling then, saw a look in his eye and knew things weren't right."

Now Warren wishes he had never set eyes on King, who also faces a £18,750,000 court battle with Mike Tyson over allegedly unpaid fees.

"King is probably one of the hardest workers I've ever met," said Warren. "He's so intelligent. He has tremendous vision. He could have been one of the best and most famous black men in the world and a credit to his race. But he has a death wish. He can't help himself."