By Shaun La: Bob Arum is the media’s dream come true. He always has a response for a question, which can make a journalist day. Even when he is not suppose to say something, he will be upfront by stating that he can not go into details (he does not say the ‘no comment’ and keeps on walking on his way), because of this or that reason.
Yes, Bob Arum has had some shady business approaches and results in his 30 plus years as a professional boxing promoter. However, he has put together a lot of massive boxing bouts.
Arum is the promoter behind Evander Holyfield vs. George Foreman, he has been a part of matchmaking that involved the great Muhammad Ali and he has been instrumental in putting together significant bouts for Marvin Hagler; especially the mega bout between Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard that can still earn arguments about who really won this fight, between the two legendary boxers. Let us not forget his connection to Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto—lining up bouts for the both of them that were great, good and not so good.
So, here we have it. Some people will quickly say that Arum has a big mouth, and he should keep his mouth closed while the balance of this Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao bout is a day to day kind of delicate situation that has the recency of twists and turns that can be discovered in a soap-opera storyline. I kindly disagree with those who think that he should keep his mouth shut. If anything, Arum has actually been a somewhat reliable and clearly biased source. Arum does have a vantage point in knowing about this mega-bout’s construction and most likely he will always present it from his team’s side. He is not some “unnamed source,” who could be in Floyd Jr’s entourage or someone who heard some scattered information that came from a friend of a friend who is the cousin of Floyd Jr. If you listen closely to Arum responses, he is speaking strictly from a biased side, which is perfectly fine, because he has been trying to make this bout for (he is not the only one who has been trying, but he has been the most consistent on publicly speaking about the process within these negotiations), close to five years.
There has been excellently entertaining debates all over the place, about who is holding this mega bout between Floyd Jr. and Pacquiao back and away from a reality. Personally, I think that every one who stand to benefit (financially or competitive wise) want this bout to happen. Another thought of mine is that the profit margin is so large, every one involved are dedicating themselves to make sure that they are not left without a penny in their pocket. We are talking about two superstars in boxing who really do not need each other if they allow their egos to do the talking; nevertheless, when you look at boxing as a sport, they do need each other.
No, I do not think that Bob Arum is trying to sabotage this mega-bout and why would he? Most promoters would have zoomed to Miami & placed a stethoscope on the hotel’s room door that Floyd Jr. and Pacquiao met in, to hear every part of their conversation. Arum could have let his ego get the best of him and protest bout it being unprofessional to meet with his boxer without his physical body being there in the room, but he did not. This is not to say that Bob Arum is some angel. He is an old-school boxing promoter that fits the mold of trying to get over with a profit, and business wise, he want to stay relevant. Don King & Bob Arum has given to us boxing fans, good, strong boxing, as well as soft, weak boxing that only happened, because of the political powers that they are a part of. When you look at boxing as a sport that has lasted, you can see how the balance from both sides make it an industry and a world within its own world.
Let Arum continue to talk, because if anything, it pump the fuels into these intense debates that we have as boxing fans on every level; also, it makes the people vent, rant, and think. When I hear Arum in an interview, I take it with an understanding that this is only one side speaking, a peep into his team’s position. Boxing has always been a stage for a personality to come out and make the boxing bout appealing enough to sell it to whomever is willing to buy into it. Hence the meaning behind the term, “Promote”. It is showmanship that promoters should have the right to do. Boxing would not be entertaining, if we had quiet promoters, the sport accepts their hype, truths, lies, loudness, and business sense. Keep on talking and promoting Bob Arum.
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