Veteran boxing promoter Bob Arum has taken aim at Dana White over the UFC president’s dogged determination to go ahead with UFC 249.
While most of the sporting world has gone into temporary shutdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, White has remained steadfast in his commitment to keep the UFC’s April 18 pay-per-view event alive.
That approach has led to criticism from some quarters, with 88-year-old Arum telling CBS Sports’ “State of Combat” podcast that White “should be ashamed of himself” for continuing to push for the show.
“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,” he said. “But the truth is, Dana White is somebody with a flawed intelligence.”
While White is persisting with his plans to keep UFC 249 going, Hall of Fame boxing promoter Arum has completely shut down his events and says he won’t make any firm plans for his next slate of shows until he knows what’s happening with the ongoing coronavirus situation.
“People ask me what plans I’m making for these fights when we will get the all clear. Because I don’t know when the all clear is going to be and I have no idea whether it will be two months, three months or even the rest of the year, I’m not making any plans right now,” he said. “When this thing looks like it’s clearing up, we will start making plans.”
It remains unclear what form UFC 249 will take, with no news confirmed on either the fight card or the location of the event.
As things stand, it seems unlikely the planned UFC lightweight title fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson will form the headline act on the card, with Nurmagomedov currently stuck in Russia. However, a host of fighters have since made public their willingness to step in and fight on the card, with Dustin Poirier, Tyron Woodley, Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal all throwing their hats into the ring for a possible spot.
