Close ties to fighters has Arum torn

Dean Juipe

Friday, Nov. 15, 2002 | 9:54 a.m.

Boxing promoters are notorious front-runners, as evidenced by their inevitable presence whenever the winner of a fight is announced or has his hand raised in victory.

But don't look for Top Rank's Bob Arum in the ring Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Events Center as the dust is settling following the Paulie Ayala vs. Erik Morales fight.

Arum, feeling too close to each fighter, says entering the ring would make him uncomfortable, and, hence, he's not apt to do it.

"It's awkward for me personally," he said of a situation in which he not only promotes both of the featherweight main-event participants, but enjoys their company as well.

"I don't think I'm going to go into the ring," he said. "I'd almost rather not even go to the fight.

"I have real misgivings. They're both such nice kids."

Ayala, 34-1, and Morales, 41-1, were matched in part because they are two of the world's finest fighters at 126 pounds. They'll be fighting with the vacant World Boxing Council featherweight championship at stake.

But both men have been promoted by Arum since beginning their professional careers, which puts Arum in the somewhat unique position of knowing he'll have both a winner and a loser once the fight is decided.

"I can't see myself in the ring exalting with the winner and then trying to console the loser," Arum said. "I'll absolutely feel sorry for the loser."

Ayala vs. Morales tops a pay-per-view card that also includes a second featherweight fight, Bones Adams (41-5-3) vs. Guty Espadas (35-5). Because Arum also promotes both Adams and Espadas, he intends to match the winners of the two fights next year.

"That would be the next logical step," he said.

As for featherweight kingpin Marco Antonio Barrera, Arum said it's a wait-and-see situation.

"No question Barrera is a terrific fighter and that ultimately one of these guys should fight him," Arum said, referring to whoever emerges from his informal round-robin featherweight tournament. "If it's Paulie, that won't be a problem. But if it's Erik, it may very well be harder because he and Barrera have such animosity."

Morales and Barrera have already split a pair of fights that each went to a close decision.

But, first things first, there's Ayala vs. Morales.

"As a promoter, my goal is to put on the best possible fights," Arum said. "Winning and losing is for the fighter and his manager to worry about.

"In this case, this fight was the best possible fight for each of these guys, and because they're both promoted by me it was easier to put it together."

This isn't the first time Arum has agreed to such a scenario, as he also promoted both men when junior lightweights Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Diego Corrales fought Jan. 20, 2001, at the MGM.