Bob Arum knows boxing inside out having started in the sixties and still helming one of the biggest promotional companies in the sport to this day.
He has stood beside the likes of Muhammad Ali and Manny Pacquiao in main events, brought many fighters up from debut and, at the other end, seen plenty retire.
That question of hanging up the gloves is a tough one for boxers to face, particularly when there are calls from others to do so. It’s something that has happened in the heavyweight division recently with both Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder – two former champions who could have once squared off for undisputed.
Wilder has recently lost back-to-back in Saudi Arabia, first to Joseph Parker on points and then to Zhilei Zhang by knockout. Joshua is coming off his fourth career defeat, this time at the hands of a destructive Daniel Dubois.
Asked by Fight Hub TV if Joshua had ‘an off night’ at Wembley Stadium against the 27-year-old, Arum said no, and added Wilder into the mix when saying it ‘was over’ for them at the top level.
“No, you don’t have an off night getting the s**t kicked out of you that way. I think AJ has been in a lot of wars. I think it’s over for him as well as over for Wilder. Maybe they can fight each other.”
Joshua confirmed immediately post-fight that he intends to fight on and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, believes he will want to go straight into a rematch with Dubois. As for Wilder, fans haven’t heard from him personally but trainer Malik Scott has ensured they haven’t seen the last of him in the ring.
Arum said there was a possibility of making an all-British clash between Joshua and his man Tyson Fury if the latter loses again to Oleksandr Usyk this coming December.
