Bob Arum revealed why Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk wouldn’t fight in April but refused to be drawn on Conor Benn or Manny Pacquiao.
The timeless Top Rank boss discussed all things boxing. Arum spoke during the Devin Haney vs Vasiliy Lomachenko press conference to announce their May 20 undisputed battle.
First, Arum was asked to air his thoughts on the collapse of Fury vs Usyk, which he stated was down to the almighty dollar.
The question came on the seventy-thirty split that Fury was adamant he wanted. However, the fight ended up falling apart as Fury wanted an equal split of any rematch, even if he lost.
Bob Arum on Fury vs Usyk
“I don’t know who offered that as so forth, but yeah, we were talking about seventy-thirty. But that wasn’t what destroyed the ability to do that fight at the end of April,” Arum told Fight Hub TV.
Arum added that there could be more money in the coffers if Fury and Usyk held off fighting until the end of the year.
“That was just when we were trying to do it. I think they both realized that the Saudis were putting up so much money. But only if the fight could be held off until November or December.
“So you know, I think when they looked at the Saudi offer. Whatever you could offer them to fight in April was a pittance compared to what they could make in November or December.
That’s not good news for boxing fans who wanted the fight now. It’s another clear sign that boxing is entirely motivated by money, not glory.
Conor Benn and Manny Pacquiao
The questioning continued with the interview heading towards more controversial subjects. Conor Benn, the British welterweight, is facing a long exile from the sport due to a pair of failed drug tests.
In a WBC ruling, the organization stated its belief that eggs may have caused both failures for Benn. Not many in boxing agree with this notion.
After being quizzed on the matter, Arum gave a comical answer.
“So Conor Benn failed that drug test. He said it was because he was eating a lot of eggs,” stated Arum.
“What the f*** do I know about Conor Benn failing a drug test? – What kind of question is that for me?”
Finally, asked about his former superstar Manny Pacquiao possibly coming back to face Benn, Arum concluded: “Oh, I don’t promote him [anymore], but I love Manny.
He is a good friend of mine. I don’t promote him anymore, so I’m not even going to talk about anything in the future.”
