1962
While in the tax department at the U.S. Justice Department, Arum’s first contact with boxing comes when he is assigned to examine $5.5 million in payouts from the Sonny Liston-Floyd Patterson fight at Comiskey Park in Chicago.
1965
Joins Phillips, Nizer, Benjamin, Krim & Ballon, a New York law firm known for its entertainment practice. During his stint with the firm, Arum meets Muhammad Ali and later promotes the first of 27 bouts with the fighter.
1973
Arum, Fred Hofheinz and Ali adviser Herbert Muhammad start boxing promotion company Top Rank.
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| Photo by: Top Rank |
1978
Stages his first fight at a Las Vegas hotel, pitting Ali against Leon Spinks at the Las Vegas Hilton.
1979
Becomes promoter for Marvelous Marvin Hagler.
1980
Launches the Top Rank Boxing series on ESPN from Atlantic City.
1989
Agrees to promote George Foreman’s comeback.
1992
Nineteen-year-old Olympic gold medal winner Oscar De La Hoya enters into a multiple fight deal with Top Rank.
1996
Leading up to the Julio César Chavez vs. De La Hoya fight, Arum says: “The big [boxing] events will be shown on closed circuit from now on because the promoter has no choice. With insufficient guarantees from the major cable companies, this is the only way to go.”
2002
On a trip to Big Bear Lake, Calif., for a De La Hoya news conference, Arum and six other people survive a plane crash when their twin-engine Cessna Citation skids off the runway. Later that year, De La Hoya leaves Top Rank to form his own company, Golden Boy Promotions.
2006
Arum signs a four-year deal to promote Manny Pacquiao. That same year, Floyd Mayweather Jr. leaves Top Rank.
2010
A bout at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium draws more than 50,000 fans to watch Pacquiao fight Joshua Clottey.
2015
Arum files a $100 million lawsuit against Premier Boxing Champions creator Al Haymon for violating antitrust laws and the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act. The two sides would reach a settlement in May 2016.
Source: SportsBusiness Journal research
