By Edward Chaykovsky
Top Rank's CEO, Bob Arum, has over five decades of experience in boxing and promoted many of the biggest stars in the history of the sport.
He's witnessed just about everything - so he's not surprised with the latest set of career moves being made by UFC champion Conor McGregor.
On Wednesday, it was revealed that McGregor had obtained a license to box in the state of California - and he's trying to get licensed in other states as well.
McGregor is by far the biggest superstar in the UFC, but over the last year or so the relationship with the company has been very strained at times.
The UFC has a near monopoly in sport of Mixed Martial Arts. They are a 600-pound gorilla compared to their nearest competitors. A few months ago, the company was purchased by investors for over $4 billion dollars.
While the UFC is doing tremendous business and their monthly pay-per-view events are even outperforming most boxing pay-per-views - most of their biggest stars are not coming close to the money being earned by most top boxers.
In recent years, numerous UFC fighters have complained about their compensation - including McGregor.
Because of the UFC's dominance in MMA, it's very difficult for a fighter to leave them and make it on their own - especially in the United States.
Arum believes McGregor is using his newly acquired boxing license as a calculated tool to gain some leverage over the UFC - so he could obtain better compensation for his upcoming fights.
“The kid is very, very smart,” Arum told USA TODAY. “He knows what he is doing and he is trying to change the game.”
“McGregor is dealing with a monopoly situation with the UFC. He has got to have leverage if he is going to get paid what he wants. He is not going to go out and become his own promoter and stage his own fights in mixed martial arts, so his only leverage is to say he is going to be a boxer and try to panic the UFC into a better deal.”
McGregor has been making a lot of noise about securing a fight against the retired Floyd Mayweather Jr. - but Arum says he would be crazy to face someone like Mayweather in his first boxing match.
“They are two different sports and based on past experience it is madness to think he could step right in without any problem,” Arum said. “However, if he could listen to reason and come in and fight at an entry level then there could be something to work with. To think that he could come and fight one of the best fighters ever in Mayweather right away would be ludicrous.”
