By Rick Reeno

Earlier this evening, BoxingScene.com received a call from promoter Dan Goossen, who is usually in a good mood when we speak. Goossen, promoter of Chris Arreola and Paul Williams, took exception to some of the recent opinions from Bob Arum of Top Rank. The opinions in question were published in two separate pieces of content on BoxingScene.

Arum, during a conversation with BoxingScene's Robert Morales, gave his opinion on the low attendance figures for last Saturday's HBO main event that featured Paul Williams vs. Winky Wright.

"You do a Winky Wright-Paul Williams fight in Vegas and nobody comes," Arum said. "Well, why would anybody come? Who cares?”

Those comments were tame in comparison to Arum's conversation with The Ring Online [comments that also appeared in a BoxingScene news brief]. During that interview, Arum picked apart the heavyweight contest between Chris Arreola and Jameel McCline. HBO televised Arreola-McCline as the co-feature to Williams vs. Wright.

“Let me tell you something,” Arum said. “I really got sick to my stomach Saturday night with these two heavyweights who were obviously overweight and out of condition fighting on HBO and representing heavyweight boxing in this country. That to me was a disgrace."

"We in boxing criticize the UFC, but Dana White would never, ever allow athletes like that to fight on his cards, out of shape with ridiculous rolls of fat. I think it’s ridiculous. HBO is so worried about lights and camera angles; they should worry about the athletes they give time to."

Goossen, in defense of his fighters, issued a response to Arum.

"This is the man that brought us Butterbean, charging pay-per-view for Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, pay-per-view for Pavlik and Rubio, pay-per-view for Cotto and Jennings to name just his recent shows. To top it off, this is the self-confessed briber who is opening his mouth and that really makes me sick to my stomach," Goossen said.

"His actions were a disgrace to our sport.  Now a fighter who goes out there, gives it everything he has and puts his life on line and he wants to berate him?  My suggestion to Bob is to concentrate on what amends he is trying to make to our sport for bringing it down, rather than continue in his path of destruction. Quite frankly, I'm tired of Bob's constant denigration of our sport and it's athletes."

Arum, currently in the Philippines for Saturday's Nonito Donaire vs. Raul Martinez Top Rank pay-per-view, was unavailable for comment.