Top Rank’s Bob Arum awaits boxing’s bounceback

By Nick Giongco

Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum is looking forward to the day when boxing gets back on its feet.

With all major events, sports and otherwise, on hold owing to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Arum is eagerly awaiting the resumption of activities.

The Top Rank chief, who is 88 years old, was all set to stage two major events in April featuring Filipino world champions.

Jerwin Ancajas was supposed to risk his International Boxing Federation super-flyweight crown on April 11 at the Cosmopolitan Hotel.

Two weeks later at Mandalay Bay, John Riel Casimero, the World Boxing Organization bantam ruler, was penciled to wage war with World Boxing Association and IBF titlist Naoya Inoue in what was expected to be a firefight and sure Fight of the Year candidate.

Speaking to the Manila Bulletin, Arum could not even give a hint as to when boxing is going to wake up from its comatose state but guaranteed that he will prioritize the “postponed events as soon as we get the all clear.”

Some other boxing promoters believe everything should get back to normal by August but others are not that optimistic with October as the more likely bet.

But there are those who say the pandemic could wipe out everything planned for 2020.

Still, despite the conditions, there is hope that the fight game will rebound strongly.

Cases in point are Ancajas and Casimero.

The two remain in training mode: Ancajas in Cavite and Casimero in Las Vegas.

“The instruction is for them to keep in shape so they can easily get back to training camp when this is over,” said US boxing man Sean Gibbons, who represents the two premier punchers.

Arum, who also promotes Tyson Fury, Terrence Crawford, Vasyl Lomachenko and many of boxing’s rising stars, isn’t biting when told if there is a possibility that Top Rank can resume doing shows as early as August.

There was just a curt reply.

“Hopefully.”

These are indeed extraordinary times.

Source: Manila Bulletin