Bob Arum, the Top Rank CEO and Hall of Fame boxing promoter, has worked with many of boxing's biggest stars during his long career. In a recent chat with Sky Sports Boxing, he shared some interesting thoughts about the fighters he's dealt with over the years.
Arum's journey in boxing started back in 1962. He was working as an attorney in New York when the Department of Justice asked him to handle the money from the Sonny Liston vs Floyd Patterson heavyweight fight. This led to him working on Muhammad Ali's early fights and kicked off his career in boxing promotion.
Over the years, Arum has been behind some of the sport's biggest events. He promoted fights like Marvin Hagler vs Roberto Durán, Marvin Hagler vs Thomas Hearns, and the huge Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather bout. He's also worked with stars like Miguel Cotto, Tyson Fury, and Oscar De La Hoya.
In his interview with Sky Sports Boxing, Arum shared some interesting tidbits about the fighters he's worked with. He said Tyson Fury was the hardest to negotiate with, while Manny Pacquiao was the biggest crossover star. When it comes to intimidating fighters, Arum pointed to current undisputed light heavyweight champ Artur Beterbiev.
But when asked about the hardest fighter to manage, Arum didn't hesitate to name Floyd Mayweather Jr. The two had a long history together, with Arum promoting Mayweather from 1996 to 2006. At first, things were good between them. But over time, their relationship soured.
"Floyd Mayweather was the hardest to manage," Arum said. "He was very difficult."
Mayweather started accusing Arum of underpaying him and taking advantage of his talents. Things got so bad that Mayweather ended up buying himself out of his contract with Top Rank. After that, he started promoting his own fights.
The split between Arum and Mayweather was a big deal in the boxing world. It showed how a talented fighter could take control of their own career and become a massive success on their own terms. Mayweather went on to become one of the highest-earning athletes in sports history.
Arum's candid comments give us a peek behind the curtain of boxing promotion. They show that even for a seasoned pro like Arum, dealing with big personalities and egos in boxing can be a real challenge.
