Legendary boxing promoter Bob Arum believes UFC President Dana White should be ashamed of himself for putting on events during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Top Rank boss has taken bold steps to combat the virus, postponing all of his upcoming events and refusing to make concrete plans for future events until the coronavirus crisis is over.
Although White has postponed three events himself, he seems intent on pressing ahead with his April 18 show at all costs.
Speaking on the “State of Combat” podcast on Tuesday, Arum accused White of having a flawed intelligence for trying to organise fights during a global crisis and expressed his belief that the UFC boss should be ashamed of himself, he said.
“[White] ought to be ashamed of himself. What’s going on in this country and the world with this virus, the last thing we need is for an event to take place with no spectators just to get the event to take place. But the truth is Dana White is somebody with a flawed intelligence.”
“He’s not going to move forward with the card, and if the card happens with people dying in hospitals all over the United States, he ought to be ashamed of himself. The message should be stay home and stand down until this is over. Let’s not spread the virus, let’s control the virus and do what we can to staff these hospitals and take care of people who go into intensive care.
“Let’s all be big people and big boys about it and stop the grandstanding. This will end when it ends, and it will end quicker if we all stick together and do what we are supposed to do, not go and shout from the rafters that, ‘I’m not a p*ssy and I’m going to put this fight on. I don’t care.’ That is absolutely the wrong message to send.” (Transcribed by CBS Sports)
Do you agree with Bob Arum? Is Dana White wrong to press ahead with UFC 249