Veteran promoter Bob Arum has sharply criticized top fighters Canelo Alvarez and Devin Haney, lambasting their recent ring appearances.
The 93-year-old head of Top Rank, speaking in a media scrum, slated Canelo`s recent unanimous decision victory over William Scull for the undisputed super-middleweight title, calling it one of 2025`s most forgettable fights.
Commenting on the possibility of a September super-fight between Canelo and Terence Crawford, Arum stated: “If they`re truly going to fight, I think it`s terrific, very interesting. But frankly, if I had to pay to watch that fight, I wouldn`t. Canelo has shown in his recent bouts that he behaves like a businessman, not a fighter. He`s not there to entertain the crowd, just to collect a large payday.”
Asked about Crawford`s chances against Canelo, Arum questioned: “Which version of Canelo will we see? The one focused on a big payout or the one willing to fight like a true competitor?”
Arum further criticized Canelo`s apparent lack of willingness to engage. “Why take risks? That`s detrimental to the sport. In the past, fighters like Sugar Ray Leonard or Oscar De La Hoya had a strong incentive to give the crowd an entertaining fight because their next fight was already agreed upon, and they earned extra money from pay-per-view and gate receipts. There was always a reason for them to look impressive. That incentive is gone now, as they are guaranteed huge purses for future fights, and the safest way to ensure that is by avoiding difficult exchanges in the ring.”
Devin Haney, who won a decision over Jose Ramirez in a dull Times Square contest, also drew Arum`s criticism. “Devin Haney is a very good fighter. That fight against Ramirez was frankly a disgrace, an absolute embarrassment. But if you`re Devin Haney and you`re getting paid well for fighting Ramirez, and you`re set to get even more money to fight [Ryan] Garcia (assuming Garcia would win [against Rolando Romero]), then why would he take any chances? That`s bad for boxing,” Arum exclaimed.
