“Cancellation for “security reasons” is code for something else. You figure it out!” Bob Arum – CEO Top Rank

Not much has been disclosed at this moment, but what I have read and seen is that Bob Arum, CEO of Top Rank is seriously upset about the UT Regents decision, to cancel the Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., vs Andy Lee fight scheduled for later this June at the University of Texas at El Paso Sun Bowl.

The boxers were at a press conference on the field of the Sun Bowl to disclose the details of the much anticipated fight when officials from UTEP informed the promoter and fighters, that the fight had been cancelled.

According to TV interviews with boxing magnate Bob Arum, who was visibly irritated, the fight was cancelled for “security reasons”.  In the interview he states “it is code for something else. You figure it out”.  Arum also stated that the UT Chancellor called UTEP to inform them of the decision ONE HOUR before the press conference.

This is problematic for many reasons.  If  UTEP was in a contract with Arum, you can bet he will seek legal damages for breach of contract.  In addition, we are trying to justify that El Paso is a “progressive” and safe city but I hate hearing this because I believe it is a matter of time before we have more crossover violence (talk to some “progressive” police and they will say it has already crossed over). Rumors that the regents had concerns with “stray bullets” have surfaced, giving El Paso a big black eye in the national and international sports world (not good when you want to pass a gagillion dollar bond for all these sports arenas). A successful event at the Sun Bowl, could have justified the argument for the gagillion dollar sports arena bond package (the cancellation sounds fishy to me). Further Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., son of boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez, is Mexican (is it because he’s Mexican that stray Mexican bullets are more likely to cross over into the US and in the Sun Bowl) and widely popular in Mexico and Latin American because of his boxing record and his handsome looks. He could have packed in an international crowd!!

And so I too, am perplexed at the first time ever decision, by the UT Regents and UT Chancellor to cancel, at the last minute, a premier boxing event that was scheduled at the Sun Bowl.  Bob Arum is one of the Kings in boxing.  He is a kingmaker and not someone you want to tangle with outside of the ring! I hope some real journalists investigate this further, find out what is REALLY going on, or as Arum says it “it is code for something else”.

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