About our founder

Bob Arum, Founder and CEO of Top Rank

Bob’s History

Bob Arum’s promotional career began with The Greatest of All Time. Before linking up with Muhammad Ali, Arum, a native of Brooklyn, New York, and a graduate of Harvard Law School, was a federal prosecutor then-U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. In 1962, as head of the tax division for the Southern District of New York, he oversaw the seizure of the proceeds of the Floyd Patterson-Sonny Liston heavyweight championship fight.

From the Courtroom to the Ring with Muhammad Ali

After hiring NFL legend Jim Brown as a color commentator for the Ernie Terrell-George Chuvalo fight in 1965, Brown introduced Arum to Ali. Arum became Ali’s lawyer and promoter, and following Ali’s outspoken opposition to the Vietnam War, he searched far and wide for a city that would welcome the then-controversial heavyweight champion. After being turned away in Chicago and Montreal, Ali defended his crown against George Chuvalo on March 29, 1966, at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto.

And so began Arum’s nearly six-decade career in boxing. Since that evening with Ali in Toronto, Arum has promoted nearly 2,500 fight cards and launched the careers of dozens of Hall of Famers.

Major Milestones

1

PROMOTION OF MUHAMMAD ALI

Arum promoted 27 Ali fights, beginning with the Chuvalo fight in 1966 and culminating in his final victory, the 1978 rematch against Leon Spinks that saw him become the first three-time heavyweight champion in history. Arum also promoted the legendary “Thrilla in Manila” at Araneta Coliseum against Joe Frazier in 1975, the trilogy battle against Ken Norton at Yankee Stadium in 1976, and Ali’s memorable 1966 knockout of Cleveland Williams at the Astrodome.

2

Boxing’s Four Kings

In the 1980s, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns, and Marvelous Marvin Hagler elevated boxing with their sublime skill sets and larger-than-life personalities. Arum promoted eight of the nine fights featuring the “Four Kings,” including the historic “No Mas” fight between Leonard and Duran, the three-round war of attrition between Hagler and Hearns, and Leonard’s stunning 1987 split decision over Hagler.

3

Manny The Global Phenomenon

In the 1990s, Arum was the mastermind behind George Foreman winning the heavyweight championship at 45 years old and Oscar De La Hoya’s rise from Olympic “Golden Boy” to international superstar. In the 2000s, he joined forces with Manny Pacquiao, promoting the Filipino icon for 20 fights. Pacquiao engaged in storied rivalries against Juan Manuel Marquez and Erik Morales, became the sport’s first eight-division champion, and achieved global icon status with his knockouts of De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Miguel Cotto. Arum co-promoted Pacquiao’s 2015 welterweight title unification showdown against Floyd Mayweather Jr., which is still the most lucrative event in boxing history.