Richard Schaefer was in rare form on this Wednesday afternoon, taking particular offense to some disparaging remarks made by Top Rank promoter Bob Arum in direction towards bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire. Last month Donaire seized the biggest victory of his career under Arum’s Top Rank umbrella but a month later news broke that he has signed an exclusive deal with rival Golden Boy Promotions.
Arum took offense to Donaire’s move and stated that he fully plans to settle the matter in court after stating his belief that his contract with the 28-year old is still binding. In a recent interview with MPBoxing.com, Arum went on to criticize Donaire’s star appeal and even took a few shots at his wife Rachel.
Giving a statement on the situation to BoxingScene’s Lem Satterfield, Schaefer called Arum’s actions ‘disgusting’ while also calling him a ‘low life’ and a ‘dinosaur’ that has lost touch with reality. Satterfield reached out to me yet again moments ago and explained that Schaefer was far from finished with his spiel.
Schaefer again defended Nonito and Rachel, claiming of just how happy he is to be working with them.
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“The bottom line is that Golden Boy Promotions is very happy and really excited to have the opportunity to work with and to work for Nonito Donaire and Rachel Donaire,” said Schaefer. “They are first-class people and they come across very well. And, you know, the people who have met them and who know them see how sweet and nice that they are. They really don’t deserve the sort of vicious and uncalled for attacks from Bob Arum.”
As far as the status of Donaire’s contract, Schaefer believes that everything lies in Golden Boy’s favor.
“I mean, we have the attorneys dealing with it, but the facts are the facts, and I’m sure that the facts will come out. You know, Bob Arum realizes that he has nothing with Nonito Donaire, and that’s why he is making those comments. If he can’t have the fighter, or if he loses something, this is the way Bob Arum reacts. Again, this is not the first time. Bob Arum trashes people like there is no tomorrow because he knows he has nothing,” an outspoken Schaefer continued.
On an interesting note, Schaefer brought up the name of Juan Manuel Marquez, one of Golden Boy’s biggest attractions in recent years. The Mexico City fighter went from Top Rank to Golden Boy and now appears headed for free agency to go after a third fight with Manny Pacquiao, Arum’s biggest star.
Schaefer can’t help but to see similarities between Donaire and the proud Mexican.
“Nonito Donaire actually reminds me a little bit of Juan Manuel Marquez,” said Schaefer. “Because, you know, Top Rank and Bob Arum never believed in Juan Manuel Marquez. They never gave him an opportunity, and, in fact, made him go and fight in Indonesia for $30,000 against Chris John, and, Marquez lost. So, Marquez finally had had enough and realized that in order to be appreciated that he had to team up with a real promoter and a company which will give him the opportunities which he deserved, and look what we’ve done for Marquez.”
If Marquez does end up leaving Golden Boy and signing on for a third go-round with Pacquiao he will be following the footsteps of Pomona’s Shane Mosley, who had a recent split with the company and is now eyeing a May 7th date against Pacquiao. Schaefer is obviously disappointed with how things played out with Shane but not heartbroken.
“When Shane Mosley became a free agent and decided that he wanted to pursue the Manny Pacquiao fight on his own without Golden Boy Promotions, it obviously had repercussions on him as it relates to his partnership with Golden Boy Promotions. After everything that we had done for Shane Mosley, was I disappointed? Yes I was disappointed. But you know what? Life goes on. That doesn’t mean that I’m going to go in public and trash Sugar Shane Mosley. I’m just not going to do that. I mean, that’s just a low-life who does that. And that’s what Bot Arum really is.”
