Eddie Hearn: Bob Arum’s Comments ‘So Disrespectful’ To Terence Crawford
Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn was shocked with the recent comments of Bob Arum regarding Terence Crawford.
Before Crawford’s fourth-round TKO win over Kell Brook this past weekend, Arum claimed he had lost money promoting the WBO welterweight champion as despite the latter being arguably the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world, he wasn’t a major draw.
“I could build a house in Beverly Hills on the money I’ve lost on him in the last three fights,” Arum said (via The Athletic). “A beautiful home. Nobody questions Crawford’s innate, tremendous ability. By beating a naturally bigger guy (in Brook), decisively, that’s a big statement that he’s making.
“The question is, ‘Does it pay the bills?’ Look, you can have the greatest opera singer in the world. If the fans don’t support it, you’re out of business.”
Hearn reacted to those comments in a recent interview on The Ak & Barak Show (via BoxingScene) as he believes the relationship between Crawford and Arum is as good as over.
“I thought it was so disrespectful to Terence Crawford, to be honest with you,” Hearn said. “I mean you got this guy [Crawford] here, who is pound-for-pound one of the best fighters in the world. As far as I’m concerned, that relationship is over. You can see by that interview, that relationship is over. I believe his contract is up in October, or something like that.
“I don’t blame Bob because he’s too old to tell lies. He doesn’t care. He just don’t care. I just feel like… I don’t think what Terence Crawford is doing… does he need to do more media? Does he need to be more controversial?”
While Crawford has been selective when it comes to media duties and isn’t one to make bold statements like other boxers, Hearn believes that’s an aspect that can be worked on.
But even all that aside, “Bud” is just about the full package for Hearn.
“Let’s look at what we’ve got here,” Hearn added. “We’ve got a top three pound-for-pound in the world. We’ve got a guy with a great smile, who’s funny, who’s articulate, who’s a family man, an ambassador for boxing through and through, who’s American and is a world champion. It’s not even a glass half-full situation. It’s a glass 90 percent full situation. You just got to top the rest of the milk up and it’s full.
“I love Terence Crawford. I think he’s great. I just think he’s lost a little bit of his mojo. For me, the last thing you want as a fighter in an interview on ESPN is your promoter standing there and saying ‘Well, he’s not just really worth it.’ That’s the platform to stand up there and say ‘This guy is the best fighter I’ve ever worked with.’ You have to push it. Everyone watching this interview is now saying, ‘This guy isn’t much of a star. He’s finding it difficult getting fights because nobody recognizes him.’ Bad move.”
It should be noted that Arum made those comments in an interview with The Athletic and not ESPN. However, it’s hard to disagree with Hearn here regardless.
What do you make of his response to Arum’s comments about Crawford?
