Bob Arum: The End of ESPN Era, Pacquiao-Barrios PPV Numbers, Teofimo Lopez & More

But it is always worth it, because he is a one and done character, iconic and irreplaceable. “I’m an old f*ck now, well into my 90s,” he said at the end of a Wednesday late morning phone chat. “They roll me out when they need me.” No, I responded, realizing ok, maybe here is a hint of “that side” of the pragmatist who knows the Saturday card in NYC is the last hurrah of a deal that will not ever be eclipsed.

Times have changed, and austerity is the norm now as the entertainment delivery system continues to morph. Oh, maybe it was I showing sentimentality toward Arum, my favorite interview subject in this sphere where we’ve toiled. Yeah, we.

I started really writing boxing in 1995, Arum has been knee deep since the mid-60s. Was I protesting my own arc path, which has me at 55, trying to adapt to new norms (like the presence of job-killer AI) and old ones (where experience becomes a detriment when trying to obtain employment and gigs)? Rhetorical question, one I won’t toss to ChatGPT, my new best-ever therapist/career coach.

Go With The Flow, Or Risk Getting Run Over

But here is how Chat answered my query about the terms of the ESPN deal with TR:

Thanks, Chat. (By the way, I asked, Chat confers all rights for me to use the above material. If I want to “co-write” a book with Chat, I can have at it, “they” won’t seek credit.)

Xander Zayas Tops Last TR/ESPN Card

Saturday is the last hurrah for a marriage. Xander Zayas (21-0, 13 KOs) is the featured performer, and Arum won’t say it, but symbolic of the negative changes the sport has seen overall. Zayas has been nurtured, over managed and underperformed, frankly, versus the hype. He will fight a guy who I think is competent, but I confess I do not know, because of dilution. Jorge Garcia (33-4, 26 KOs) is the foe, and ok, now I know the name. He upset Charles Conwell in his last outing, so it seems the Mexican is here on merit.

Bob Arum All Love To ESPN

Arum likes the scrap. “The last ESPN fights… It’s been a really good partnership, an enjoyable 8 years. I have nothing but good things to say about ESPN. Now though everything is headed towards streaming. Over the air is very hard to make ends meet.” As far as a re-up might be concerned, with NBA and football packages commanding big loot, that can leave niche sports outside looking in.

I asked Arum, any update on where Top Rank pitches tents next? “Details will be announced, could be a week, or in a month,” Arum said.

Is there a company vibe of excitement/anticipation of what comes next? “We’ve been together eight years, good times, so there’s a degree of sadness,” he said.

Also resignation: “I think many of the promoters will be aligning with streaming services,” Arum continued. “Very little for over the air. Haymon, PBC, Oscar, people don’t have those deals.”

What Does Arum Think Of Turki?

Time to talk Turki. The Saudi titan has gone from unknown to premier power broker in three years. What does Arum think of the controversial figure, boxing’s latest whale, after Len Blavatnik, to reset the playing field? “What I know of Turki, he’s a delightful guy, fun to be with,” he said.

And, I noted, not unlike Arum, he will say (or post) inflammatory material. (Like his taking a whack at already downed Tim Tszyu.)

In terms of the overall wellness of the sport, is Turki good? “Nobody is one hundred percent good in any sport,” Arum said. “Weighing it, it’s been more good than bad. We work with him on certain big fights.”

Turki is like Arum contending with market rates that were set by the presence of other whales and entities. For fighters wanting juicy purses, it’s been great, I noted. Yep, that money lured in Jared Anderson, Arum pointed out.

Bob Arum Talks Manny Pacquiao PPV

Big picture, we should not expect the American heavyweight scene to be restored to a certain level. “American scene will never ever be strong like it was,” Arum said. Too many other better safer options for physical specimens, as compared to England, say.”

More from the Arum: “It’s the end of PPV. The Pacquiao-Barrios card died if it even did 50,000. In a household where there’s a ten-year-old kid, they’re not gonna get the PPV. So, until there’s some other way to do that, you can forget PPV.”

And fighters not seeing that new reality? “The alternative is to sit on your a$s and do nothing,” Arum said. “Teofimo (Lopez), he is still with us, he has to come down to reality.”

The old f*ck will be meeting sponsors in the city this week. No streaming partner meetings, that, he hinted, is West Coast dealing. “They roll me out when they need me.”

Nope; not a kicker leaning sad/bitter over sweet, or more so, properly resigned to how relationships (and existence) usually play out. “We’re looking forward,” Arum said, “to the years ahead.”