SAN ANTONIO–He will be 76 on his next birthday, if memory serves, but Doctor Bob Arum has a prescription for what ails professional boxing. Arum says what a lot of people in the industry keep saying, that HBO’s ratings have been tanking, that MMA has been nicking away at the boxing audience and stealing a generation of young people who might be fight fans otherwise, etc., etc.
So what does Dr,. Arum proscribe? The Top Rank honcho said the industry needs to get rid of all the old guys who are trying to stay on top of the fistic food chain. His targets for removal from the boxing spotlight are Bernard Hopkins, Roy Jones and Winky Wright among others. In other words, the almost age 40s and the over 40 types.
“These guys are boring, boring, boring!” Arum said. “I call them the Snooze Patrol! They put you to sleep when they fight. They are dragging the whole business into the toilet. As far as Hopkins verus Wright (HBO July 21), my question is this, why would anyone pay to see that fight? Why, why, why?”
It was pointed out that HBO is funding the match and that Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas is the site.
“Who cares?” Arum said. “I bet Mandalay Bay is not putting up a dime for that fight.We need more young, exciting stars not the same old faces in the same old Snooze Patrol fights. Nobody cares!”
Arum went on to list his guys Manny Pacquaio, Jorge Arce, Kelly Pavlik and Miguel Cotto as “youngbloods” who can revive the business.
It takes a geezer to know one, I guess.
