Where is Arum in terms of booking Top Rank shows in bigger venues, outdoors or indoors?
“(UFC’s) Dana White is moving forward with fights with fans in the building, he’s done it very proactively,” Arum said. “Maybe it’s because we both program for ESPN.”
Top Rank has events set April 10 in Oklahoma and April 24 in Florida.
“Our two shows in April will have some spectators, but there will be very, very strict protocols,” he added.
As I admitted to Arum, I have had fears about some of the events I’ve seen the last few months. Arum said he’s liking the direction of the vaccination push and figures we’ll see some of that progress when on May 22, for the Jose Ramirez-Josh Taylor 140 unfication scrap, Top Rank will show some innovative wrinkles in their pandemic-dampening protocol.
“With safe seating, we are in constant touch with state medical authorities. We could see a deal where you can buy a little section, and be able to carve out a decent nook of space, as long as your crew had proof of vaccination. There’s ample evidence that vaccinated people can be around each other sans mask, so hopefully in the next four-to-eight weeks we see more and more of that.
“Now in Texas, because of the Governor of the state being what he is, if they can shove as many as people as they can in they’re happy to do it,” Arum said. “I’m not gonna do it, it’s not for me, it’s not right. C’mon, in a another few months, we can go back to full stadium baseball. I caution patience now. If they want to take full advvantage of the law, who am I to say they’re wrong? Maybe I’m wrong.”
Source: badlefthook.com/ Michael Woods
