Bob Arum and Eddie Hearn discuss boxing careers in Saudi Arabia

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RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - OCTOBER 28: Bob Arum, Promoter of Top Rank boxing looks on during the Heavyweight fight between Martin Bakole and Carlos Takam at Boulevard Hall on October 28, 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) | Getty Images Two of boxing’s most prominent promoters in Bob Arum and Eddie Hearn, of Top Rank and Matchroom, respectively, sit down for an chat about their standing in the business while also fielding some media questions about their intertwined stories. Check out some quick excerpts from both promoters with the full feature in the link above. Hearn on his best Arum story “We did Anthony Joshua against Joseph Parker in Wales. And the night before the fight we did like an evening with Bob Arum and Eddie Hearn, the two promoters of the fighters, and the question was ‘what was your greatest moment in boxing?’ and I stood up and I was like ‘I did Anthony Joshua against Vladimir Klitschko at Wembley, 90,000,’ blah blah blah,’ and Bob just stood up and went ‘it was either the Rumble in Jungle or the Thrilla in Manila,’ and I just evaporated into my seat. I was like ‘I’ve got a long way to go.’” Arum on what most stands out about Hearn’s career thus far “You have to understand that I go back many years with Eddie’s father. We did a lot of great fights back then and I considered Barry a really good friend. So now to see Eddie emerge and the first time was when we were in with the Joshua fight against Parker and his father came over to me and said ‘look what my son has done.’ So he was very proud and I thought it was great. So, again, there is a whole connection.” Arum on what has made him stay in the game for so long, well into his 90s “I really never thought that I would stay in boxing after Muhammad Ali. I only went into boxing because Jim Brown had me meet Ali and his people and I became his promoter, but I was a lawyer essentially, and I never really looked at myself as being a boxing promoter. But one thing happens after another, you meet guys like Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler and Hearns and Duran, and that leads to George Foreman coming out of retirement to fight, Oscar De La Hoya. So, again, it’s like the mafia [laughs], you try to get out but they drag you back in.” Arum on promoting back in the day to present time “It was a different world, you know. First of all, it’s not so different from the UK to today, because the UK still has its newspapers and its boxing writers. But we don’t have newspapers here in the United States very much, and we don’t have boxing writers for newspapers. Yeah, they write for the internet or whatever [shots fired!], so it’s different. “And it’s much more difficult to publicize a fight, particularly in the United States than it was so many years ago when we had so many outlets to publicize the fights.” Both on what separates good fighters from great fighters Hearn: “For me, you know when guys are special. There’s talent, there’s work ethic, there’s guys that live the life day in and day out. But, you know when there’s a special fighter. You look at guys like Anthony Joshua, who probably isn’t as gifted as Canelo Alvarez or Oscar De La Hoya, but dedicates his entire life to the sport, works day in and day out, doesn’t go out drinking, doesn’t stray in any way. “Bob must’ve seen so many fighters that have more ability than some that have become pound-for-pound greats, that have slipped by the wayside. And it’s really that ability to stay in the gym.” Arum: “[For Leonard] he was disciplined and he loved the sport and it wasn’t just a game to him, it was an occupation. Same with Marvin Hagler…he was tough, he was dedicated, and he worked like a son of a gun in the gym. I mean, he was a machine that way. But you’re absolutely right, he didn’t have the technique of a Sugar Ray Leonard or probably even like a Tommy Hearns, but Marvin was a hardworking, blue collar, New Englander and I loved him for that. “[Duran was not crazy]. Fun! Duran was one of the best guys that I ever promoted because there was always a great laugh in there. He was a hardworking guy, but he made you laugh and he never took himself, as a person, that seriously.” Arum on what made him a good promoter “Look, I’m 94. I’m still doing it. So I don’t know how great I was, how great I could’ve been. But at least I got the opportunities as I got older to do some great fights. Now Eddie is looking for a way to get out [laughs], but I hope he stays in because he’s a helluva promoter.”