Bob Arum prepares everyone on what to expect when boxing returns!
Throughout the boxing industry, the suits, fighters and fans alike are all giddy as crumb crushers on Christmas Eve due to boxing’s imminent return. Once word went out, matches immediately began being put together and specific dates announced. Now, the seasoned and crafty Bob Arum of Top Rank promotions has outlined a number of the protocols that will be in place for those staffing the events.
Within the items that Arum discussed with IFL TV some were what could be assumed while others will likely take the staff and fans off guard!
WELCOME TO THE BUBBLE!
Naturally when the fighting resumes all those on hand will have to be tested prior to coming to the event. However, testing someone then sending them home and allowing them to come back days later would somewhat defeat the purpose of these isolated quarantine sites. This is why along with strict testing measures we all will be introduced to fights in “the bubble.”
“First of all, everyone has got to be tested. So when the fighters come in they will be tested. There’s an area that they can sit and the test will take about an hour. They will wait for the result. Eventually they will cut it down to five or ten minutes, but right now it’s about an hour.
“They’ll get their results, they’ll be escorted to their rooms which will be on a separate floor at the MGM. It will be the bubble.
“They will stay in that bubble. They will train at the hotel. They will eat in a designated restaurant at the hotel and then either at the weigh-in or probably the day of the fight, they’ll be tested again just to be sure.
“Our test will be for the fighter and each fighter can have two corner men. They’ll be tested, and we are providing two very able and distinguished cut-men at our expense which the fight corner may be able to use if one of the two corner people is not a cut-man.”
EVENT STAFF ABOUT THAT BUBBLE LIFE TOO
Arum would go on to say that life would be no less stringent for the staff on hand. Similar to the fighters, for a period, the staff working these events will have to adapt to a training camp themed regiment.
“As far as the other people in the room, there will be the referee, the judges, the commissioners, the inspectors, the doctors all of whom will have been tested prior to the event to get in the room. That includes any of the Top Rank staff, as far as the camera crew. This will be an ESPN event for the telecast and we’ve worked together with Disney on their protocols.
“They will be in the bubble from the time they get there. They will be tested the day of the event. Disney/ESPN is talking about keeping the crew together at least two months in Las Vegas.
“In the bubble, continued testing will happen and the fight will be held in this big convention area room at the MGM, which will be set up and maintained at least two to three months.”
Clearly, boxing will have a drastically different feel and production when it returns and every fan around is waiting on the edge of their seat to see what it’ll look like! These first batch of bouts can’t get here quick enough!
By: Bakari Simpson
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