Bob Arum 'disgusted' by Thurman-Garcia fight

[Ruthless-RKO]

The Top Rank promoter wasn't fan of what he saw last weekend.

https://youtu.be/p0QWA_bhN40

Bob Arum talks to Marcos Villegas of FightHub about the Keith Thurman vs. Danny Garcia title unification this past Saturday. Here's what he had to say about his thoughts on unifying welterweight titles:

"That's totally for boxing schmucks. It means nothing to me. I mean when two guys get in a ring and they have a big audience because it's on network television and they fight, each of them, the most cautious fight I've ever seen - who the hell cares about unification, no unification!

"I mean I go from an era where Hearns and Leonard fought and boy they didn't hold back. They let go, both Tommy and Ray. And that's what fighters owe to the public - not to fight these bullshit cautious fights where nothing happens and their sort of boring. And the worst is it's [huge] platforms. So there were millions of people watching two guys who were more cautious than your neighborhood banker...I just was disgusted."

[caldo2025]

Bob Arum, you must be joking. You had a huge hand in putting together the biggest prizefight in the history of boxing between Floyd and Manny and that was so much worse of a fight than Garcia/Thurman.

Thurman and Garcia did a lot of posturing but every single punch was a power punch it seemed. Thurman threw a few setup jabs but both guys were thrown bombs.

Manny and Floyd was the worst big fight in history so thanks Bob.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Whoever agreed with Robert Arum on the poll, please stand up and explain?

[lazboy]

I did. Thurman did a runner in the last third it was horrid. Hit and not be hit yes, completely disengage, not pleasant viewing.

[Tanzio]

Arum is just setting the stage for not matching Manny with Thurman.

[Shirow]

I did. Thurman did a runner in the last third it was horrid. Hit and not be hit yes, completely disengage, not pleasant viewing.

At the end of the fight only after seemingly taking a wide lead from very aggressive boxing. I was surprised Thurman took it to Garcia from the first bell seeing as he is technically inferior. I was expect him to cirle the ring constantly throwing straight shots and trying no to engage. So it was a better fight to watch than i expected and i'd give it a B- overall.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Arum is just setting the stage for not matching Manny with Thurman.

He did say today, he has no plans of matching Manny with Thurman and a few others.

[magwitch]

Arum’s a lawyer isn’t he? He must be a very smart man. Unless he’s a lawyer like Nancy Del’Ollio is a lawyer - then he probably knows this is just horsesh*t.
That line “boxers owe it to the public....”

[Enlightened-One]

A promoter “disgusted” at a rival promotion achieving 5.1m viewers for a non-PPV fight.

When was the last time Top Rank achieved those sort of figures for non-PPV bouts?

[montrealsuper]

Pac vs Floyd would have been exciting if Floyd tried to win the fight decisively instead of knowing Haymon had the judges bought off - All blame for Pac vs FLoyd being boring goes on Floyd who spoiled the fight - Arum is right in that Thurman vs Garcia looked like yet another Haymon choreograph

[IKSRTFO]

If you expected guys to just bash heads in, then this was the wrong one. for that, you want to watch two brawlers like Maidana and Matthysee. Neither Thurman nor Garcia are strictly blood and guts brawlers. They show heart when they want to win, but both are high level boxers.

That said, it was a tense match, which satisisfies both boxing purists and fans who just want a fight. For a boxing fan, Ward Kovalev was entertaining for me as it was very very tense.

[Ruthless-RKO]

If you expected guys to just bash heads in, then this was the wrong one. for that, you want to watch two brawlers like Maidana and Matthysee. Neither Thurman nor Garcia are strictly blood and guts brawlers. They show heart when they want to win, but both are high level boxers.

That said, it was a tense match, which satisisfies both boxing purists and fans who just want a fight. For a boxing fan, Ward Kovalev was entertaining for me as it was very very tense.

Ward-Kovalev - the KD in round 2, helped and kept me on the edge throughout the rest.

[boxing_rocks]

Arum is right. The fight was OK from a standpoint of hardcore fans, but it wasn't so good for casual fans to say nothing of a couple million of random viewers.

[Jip]

yeah bob is right on that one.

[jockpunk]

So if Spence beats brook in a war then we can assume bob will match pac with him?

[Thomastearns]

If you don't agree with him, then you should ask yourself if you would feel OK about paying top money for fights such as Pacquiao/Mayweather or that other action packed big drama show, Klitschko/Fury.

If boxing enthusiasts were not happy, then how do the casual fans feel? As they say, styles make fights. If the fans demand more action then it would be a simple matter for judges to award close rounds to the more aggressive fighter.

Thankfully, it can't be long before the judging, outside stoppages, is taken out of human hands. Almost everyday some new sporting corruption scandal emerges.

Luckily boxing has always been clean. Well, almost always. OK, sometimes. Occasionally. Rarely. Hardly ever?
Who cares? We do, don't we?

[lazboy]

If you expected guys to just bash heads in, then this was the wrong one. for that, you want to watch two brawlers like Maidana and Matthysee. Neither Thurman nor Garcia are strictly blood and guts brawlers. They show heart when they want to win, but both are high level boxers.

That said, it was a tense match, which satisisfies both boxing purists and fans who just want a fight. For a boxing fan, Ward Kovalev was entertaining for me as it was very very tense.

No one said it needed to be a gatti ward blood and cuts war. Just a little less self preservation and more fighting passion from both men, in particular thurman. Look at the example arum actually uses, Leonard Hearns, that fight is timeless, this one, not at all.

[Badhusker]

So if Spence beats brook in a war then we can assume bob will match pac with him?

If you look at the last several opponents that pac has had, the answer is a clear no. Its been years since Manny has been matched up with someone that has a big punch. The last 5 for sure were not big punchers. I doubt he will even match with Thurman, or Brook if he wins. We can only hope for an in-house fight like Crawford.....as long as it isn't Horn.

[jockpunk]

So if Spence beats brook in a war then we can assume bob will match pac with him?

If you look at the last several opponents that pac has had, the answer is a clear no. Its been years since Manny has been matched up with someone that has a big punch. The last 5 for sure were not big punchers. I doubt he will even match with Thurman, or Brook if he wins. We can only hope for an in-house fight like Crawford.....as long as it isn't Horn.

I was being sarcastic but I agree with you. Thurman Garcia could have been fight of the year and arum wasn't going to put pac in with them.

[IKSRTFO]

If you expected guys to just bash heads in, then this was the wrong one. for that, you want to watch two brawlers like Maidana and Matthysee. Neither Thurman nor Garcia are strictly blood and guts brawlers. They show heart when they want to win, but both are high level boxers.

That said, it was a tense match, which satisisfies both boxing purists and fans who just want a fight. For a boxing fan, Ward Kovalev was entertaining for me as it was very very tense.

No one said it needed to be a gatti ward blood and cuts war. Just a little less self preservation and more fighting passion from both men, in particular thurman. Look at the example arum actually uses, Leonard Hearns, that fight is timeless, this one, not at all.

Leonard had to go for the KO in Hearns because he was obviously down. Thurman wasn't losing the fight like Leonard was.

[IKSRTFO]

If you don't agree with him, then you should ask yourself if you would feel OK about paying top money for fights such as Pacquiao/Mayweather or that other action packed big drama show, Klitschko/Fury.

If boxing enthusiasts were not happy, then how do the casual fans feel? As they say, styles make fights. If the fans demand more action then it would be a simple matter for judges to award close rounds to the more aggressive fighter.

Thankfully, it can't be long before the judging, outside stoppages, is taken out of human hands. Almost everyday some new sporting corruption scandal emerges.

Luckily boxing has always been clean. Well, almost always. OK, sometimes. Occasionally. Rarely. Hardly ever?
Who cares? We do, don't we?

Thurman Garcia wasn't like neither of the fights you mentioned.

[BAD INTENTIONS]

90% of Bob Arum's promoting career has been disgusting.

[lazboy]

If you expected guys to just bash heads in, then this was the wrong one. for that, you want to watch two brawlers like Maidana and Matthysee. Neither Thurman nor Garcia are strictly blood and guts brawlers. They show heart when they want to win, but both are high level boxers.

That said, it was a tense match, which satisisfies both boxing purists and fans who just want a fight. For a boxing fan, Ward Kovalev was entertaining for me as it was very very tense.

No one said it needed to be a gatti ward blood and cuts war. Just a little less self preservation and more fighting passion from both men, in particular thurman. Look at the example arum actually uses, Leonard Hearns, that fight is timeless, this one, not at all.

Leonard had to go for the KO in Hearns because he was obviously down. Thurman wasn't losing the fight like Leonard was.

That was a hell of a fight and that was the 14th round with plenty of back and forth and exchanges prior. Punching exchanges, traditional boxing. None of this new age Andre Ward holding, hitting smothering, none of this Erislandy Lara/Thurman disengagement. The Garcia/Thurman fight was average, Thurman is nothing special.