By Chris Cwik Wed, January 12, 2022
Source: Yahoo Sports
Photo: Mikey WIlliams, Top Rank via Getty Images
Welterweight champion Terence Crawford is seeking nearly $10 million in a lawsuit filed Wednesday against his former promoter Bob Arum. The lawsuit alleges Arum engaged in "revolting racial bias" that prevented Crawford from booking big fights, according to the New York Post.
Arum and Crawford worked together for a decade before splitting up in 2021. At the time of the breakup, Crawford criticized Arum for failing to book a fight with Errol Spence Jr. Crawford's lawsuit alleged that was intentional, and that Arum, "Simply does not care about, support, or know how to promote Black fighters." The lawsuit — which was filed in Nevada — also accused Arum's stepson, Todd DuBoeuf, and Arum's company, Top Rank, of failing to promote Black fighters.
Crawford's lawsuit claimed boxers called out Arum's behavior for years, according to the New York Post.
“For years, professional boxers and others in the sports world have called out Top Rank’s owner Bob Arum for his disparate treatment of Black boxers, including those very same Black boxers that Top Rank is contractually obligated to promote."
The lawsuit stated Arum gets a free pass for alleged racist comments and actions due to his age and boxing's "checkered history." It also alleged boxers in Top Rank are afraid to speak out because they fear they will lose out on fights.
Arum told the Post the lawsuit was "absurd," and that he is not racist. He blamed Crawford's lack of success on Crawford's "own failures."
“Absurd. My whole career — I may have made mistakes — but one thing I cannot be accused of is being a racist. I have promoted scores of top Black boxers.
“We have promoted a number of pay-per-view fights for Terence, all of which have lost money, a lot of money, then to claim we purposely and deliberately lost money because we are racist is nonsense. It is part of what is wrong with our culture.
“I am flabbergasted. If he believes I didn’t do a good job he [Crawford] can plead that [in his suit], but don’t call a man a racist when really this is because of your own failures." Arum also claimed the fight between Crawford and Spence did not happen because both fighters wanted too much money.
Floyd Mayweather made similar comments about Bob Arum Floyd Mayweather — who also worked with Arum — made similar comments after ending his relationship with Arum. Mayweather claimed Arum was "biased against Black fighters" in a 2009 interview with Fight Hype. Mayweather also said he earned less when working with Arum, and that Mayweather's profits increased a significant amount once he left.
That same year, Arum claimed Mayweather was not an entertaining fighter. Arum claimed Mayweather was "soft," and that he "shoots up cars" away from the ring.
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