Bob Arum brought to book!  WBC Talks Round 52

This was Round 52 of the WBC Talks to foster, boost and inspire unity in the midst of the Pandemic, but December 8th, marks Round 90 of Bob Arum`s life!

Bob has been quoted as saying Roberto Duran can be a rascal. But the gravel voiced promoter also and occasionally also deserves this epithet, as he`s not yet produced a voluminous volume of his extraordinary memories covering six decades in Boxing.  Sitting alongside Carl Moretti, who`s a match maker supreme and a shrewd, experienced boxing judge, Bob acknowledged that it is time, but tried to parry by saying that even with the help of a skilled ghost writer, the book project is complicated. Yet he conceded that all of many incredible memories he`s lived will die with him unless pen is put to paper and he has resolved to find the time, giving thanks that his memory is still strong, keen and sharp.

It`s finding the time….”Every time things start to go easy, then something bites me in the ass!”

It was 1931 that Bob, Don King and Jose Sulaiman were born. Bob reflected: “Everyone says that it was 1931 in which God punished mankind!” He laughs as a photo comes up on the screen of him standing between Hagler and Hearns wearing a pair of square glasses: “I was so thin!  And I was wearing a double breasted blazer!”

Duran…”The kind of guy, who would give you the shirt off his back. Great fighter, competitor and person.” But himself a rascal, posting a spy outside Sugar Ray Leonard`s hotel, prior to fight one so that when Ray`s then wife Juanita went shopping, Roberto could drive close to her car, with some choice verbal barbs, which would faithfully be reported back, enticing Ray to lose his cool in the ring and get enticed into a brawl.

World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman says that 2021 is going to be dubbed Year of Boxing, filled with celebrations and the birthdays of Bob Arum and Don King are going to feature prominently in the build up.

Bob and Carl explained that they`re now starting with boxing shows initially without spectators. Initially with fighters in the USA, who`ve managed to stay in shape.  The Moloney brothers have somehow made it across from Australia with all the travel permits and been tested negative for Covid 19 will be fighting.  In the fall there will be Lomo Vs Lopez and the plan is for an audience of 25,000 to 30,000 fans, safely and properly spaced to maintain proper distance.

Despite his maturity Bob Arum is young at heart, not a one man band  and forward looking. He said: “My whole philosophy is that you have to adapt to what the situation is. And look to the future of how people view events. You have to bring in the right people to implement this. Young people to keep this going.  This is true of any business.  You need those young people to say, OK that worked thirty years ago. But that`s not longer going to work now.”

Appearance wise the Lockdown has changed Bob Arum. As Carl noted: “The one thing that hasn`t worked for Bob is his razor.”  The hippie has surfaced in Bob, who retorted: “I save ten minutes per day!”

Time has lapsed for the Postol Vs Ramirez fight, but that`s because of the Pandemic.  Bob had to cancel the event in China because of reported cases and the owners of the twelve golf courses resort concurred. Bob stressed: “We were the canary in the tunnel and called the alarm.” Bob praised Jose Carlos Ramirez’s extraordinary life of fighting for the agricultural communities and refereed to him  as: “The poster boy for Mexican people in this country.” Hopefully the championship defense can be in the second week of August.

Out of all problems come opportunities. This is the right time to experiment with judges for fights sitting on elevated platforms to gain an overall panoramic view of the fight, instead of being jammed alongside the photographers and “Her Majesty`s Press,” gazing up.  So in the coming bouts it could well be done. No time like the present. It`s high table time!

Putting aside the Ali extravaganzas which The Greatest carried himself, Bob`s greatest promotions include: Hagler Vs Hearns, Hagler Vs Leonard, Leonard Vs Hearns, the two fights of Chavez Vs De La Hoya, Foreman`s incredible age defying fight against Moorer, all the great Pacquiao fights. Great nights that got everyone standing up.

And the best to last, concerning qualities of fighters:

Power:  Bob- Inoue and wilder in this era. Before that Tyson, Shavers and Joe Louis.   For Carl it`s Mike Tyson and Julian Jackson.

Jab:  Bob- Ali and Leonard. While for Carl- Larry Holmes.

Chin:  for Bob- Ali and Duran, apart from the Hearns fight.  For Carl- Hagler.

Heart:  For Bob a difficult category as the vast majority of fighters are so brave…Pac, Duran, Chavez, Hagler, Marquez, Barrera and of course Ali.

For Carl…Gatti and Ward can`t be separated.

Hand Speed. For Bob- Manny and Sugar Ray Leonard. For Carl- Ali and Meldrick Taylor.

Defense.  For Bob- Andre Ward….AND THEN DAMMIT THERE WAS A BREAK IN TRANSMISSION.

For Ring Generalship. For Bob- Ali, by far!    For Carl. Sugar Ray Robinson and Willie Pep. Is Carl really old enough to have seen these two in the flesh????!!!