PRESS RELEASE: Bob Arum celebrates his 75th birthday on Friday. He is the founder and CEO of Top Rank which promoted its first fight -- Muhammad Ali vs. George Chuvalo -- in 1966. Bob has promoted hundreds of championship bouts. His favorite champion - Muhammad Ali. "Ali is definitely the greatest person I ever met in sports," Arum said. "He was always the most charismatic and most promotable. He was always a true delight and being around him was like being with a flame on the center of the world's stage." Top Rank promoted or co-promoted 27 of Ali's fights.
Here is a statistical update on Arum's amazing career:
18,600 - Approximate number of boxers who have fought on Top Rank cards.
1,585 - Fight cards promoted by Top Rank
480 - World title fights promoted by Top Rank
185 - American cities in which Top Rank has promoted
38 - Michael Carbajal fightsÂ
36 - Oscar De La Hoya fights
35 - Floyd Mayweather Jr fights
32 - Erik Morales fights
28 - Miguel Cotto fights
27 - Muhammad Ali fights
20 - Marvelous Marvin Hagler fights
15 - Antonio Margarito fights
14 - George Foreman fights
13 - Thomas Hearns fights
10 - Alexis Arguello fights
1 - Snake River Canyon jump by Evel Knievel promoted by Bob Arum
Top Rank has promoted thrilling, historic events including many Muhammad Ali championship matches; Leonard vs. Duran, 1980; 'The Fight' with Hagler and Hearns in 1985; 'The SuperFight' with Hagler vs. Leonard in 1987; 'Battle of the Ages' with Holyfield vs. Foreman in 1991; 'Ultimate Glory' with De La Hoya vs. Chavez in 1996; 'Fight of the Millenium' with De La Hoya vs Trinidad in 1999; Morales vs. Barrera I, II and III; Morales vs. Pacquiao I, II and III.
Bob's bio is available on Toprank.com