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Home » Exclusive: Bob Arum talks Covid, Eddie Hearn eyes ‘hotel takeover’

Exclusive: Bob Arum talks Covid, Eddie Hearn eyes ‘hotel takeover’

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  • 2 min read

Head pugilistic honchos Bob Arum and Eddie Hearn are looking into how the sport comes back alive after a two-month delay.

Arum is considering his options. Hearn has revealed plans to ‘take over a hotel’ to create an environment to stage live boxing events shortly.

The Matchroom boss has been sitting at home racking his brains as his company loses the opportunity to make money by the day.

In his latest brainwave, Hearn outlined attainable conditions for moving the sport again.

Hearn’s words come on the same day the British Boxing Board of Control stated a July date could be possible if the lockdown were eased by then.

“I want to build a fight camp, a different kind of environment, more dramatic,” Hearn told the BBC. “It will look spectacular on TV. We need to dramatize it.

“It’s about taking over a hotel, testing all the teams, creating a sterile fight camp where no one goes in until we know they’ve had a negative test.

“It’s about creating changing room areas, ring walks. It will add to the story.”

The BBBofC confirmed crowds would not be able to be present at any shows – in the beginning.

“Initially, it is unlikely that crowd-attending promotions will be permitted,” the Board pointed out.

“In that situation, the emphasis will be on minimal numbers of Officials, Licence Holders, members of the Promoter’s team, and broadcasting personnel to facilitate a tournament that meets all BBBofC safety requirements.”

BOB ARUM

Speaking exclusively to World Boxing News, Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum outlined his intentions on the problem.

“People say, ‘well, the fights are nothing to the crowds,’ but what’s the alternative? That would certainly mean no fights,” Arum told WBN.

“So, fights without crowds are better than no fights at all. There will be a lot of innovation, but we’re uncharted territory. We’re going to figure it out.

“I mean, promoters, whether they are American promoters or your excellent promoters in the UK. They will figure it out.

“We have to. We have no other alternative,” added the 88-year-old.

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