By Steve Kim
So is there any light at the end of the tunnel between Top Rank and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, who are the midst of a promotional dispute that has seen Chavez Jr. languish on the sidelines since March?
"Nope, not that I know off," said Arum, who's well aware of the talk surrounding a Carl Froch-Chavez Jr. clash in Las Vegas for the upcoming spring. But the veteran promoter stated - "all I know is that Carl Froch is talking about retiring."
Froch recently told the Telegraph - “It’s 60/40 against that I’ll fight again. I want the fight in Vegas. It’s not that it has to be against Chavez. My heroes all fought there and it’s the box I’ve never ticked. The Vegas dream is there, but if it doesn’t happen, I’ll probably retire. By May I’ll have been out a year – and the longer it goes, the less likely I’ll ever fight again.”
When asked what this might mean, Arum opined - "I'm saying that they're not going to do the fight. Nobody wants to get sued."
Eddie Hearn, who promotes Froch has been actively trying to make this fight a reality. Things got complicated - and they always seem to be complicated with 'Junior' - when he recently signed with adviser, Al Haymon, who simply doesn't do business with Arum.
Top Rank's position is that they are owed one more fight under the promotional pact with Chavez Jr.
"Absolutely, not even a question [that he owes us one more fight]," said Arum, who celebrated his 83rd birthday on Monday.
Steve Kim is the news editor for BoxingScene.com.
