TWO INSTITUTIONS IN BOXING MARK MILESTONES
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 09 Dec 2009
Two outstanding men who are institutions in boxing marked separate milestones today (December 8 in the US.)
Promoter extraordinaire Bob Arum, by far the most astute gentleman in the business of boxing, celebrates his 78th birthday while his pre-eminent international matchmaker Bruce Trampler is to be inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame.
Arum who was in Manila last Thursday and left for Las Vegas on Sunday achieved two remarkable feats in his comparatively short visit.
1. He had pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao sign off on a March 13 WBO welterweight title defense against Floyd Mayweather Jr and 2. He signed a two-year deal with the Chairman and CEO of the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN, Gabby Lopez, to showcase Top Rank’s roster of great boxing promotions.
To mark the occasion, Lopez and ABS-CBN Vice President for Sports Peter Musngi staged an extremely entertaining birthday celebration to honor Arum after the contact signing which included some superb entertainment with attractive Sicy Aguila, Paw Diaz, Princess Ryan and Kristel Moreno in a dazzling dance number, songs by the lovely Sitti and the svelte Nina which was capped by the Las Vegas entertainer Martin Nievera who was with Arum on the Philippine Airlines flight to Manila.
Arum who graduated from the elite Harvard Law School and worked in the Attorney General’s Office during the administration of John F. Kennedy promoted his first fight in 1966 when Muhammad Ali fought Canadian George Chuvalo for the heavyweight championship of the world.
Arum also partnered Don King in staging the famous “Thrilla in Manila” between Ali and Joe Frazier on October 1, 1975 and put together several of the greatest events in boxing since then including the Marvin Hagler – Sugar Ray Leonard and Hagler-Tommy Hearns fights in a memorable era.
Today, his prized possession who has gone on to set a record by winning seven world titles in seven different weight divisions is Manny “Pac-man” Pacquiao who Arum claims is the greatest fighter of all-time.
Trampler who is Arum’s chief matchmaker and an extremely likeable and helpful individual will be in the Hall of Fame. The executive director of the International Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York, Edward Brophy made the announcement with the induction ceremony scheduled between June 10-13.
Trampler joins three other Top Rank personalities – Arum, matchmaker Teddy Brenner and publicist Irving Rudd in the Hall of Fame.
Arum who informed us of the impending elevation of Trampler during his Manila visit said Trampler “represents the best of the best” adding that there is no one in the history of boxing who has “developed talent and put together the most exciting matches” like Trampler has.
Boxing is his life having started off as an amateur fighter followed by stints as a trainer, ring announcer, promoter and later publicist and matchmaker. He worked with such boxing legends as brothers Chris and Angelo Dundee in Florida and with Teddy Brenner at the famed Madison Square Garden. He joined Arum at Top Rank in 1981.
Among the boxing greats Trampler helped develop and who became world champions after they started off their careers with Top Rank were “The Golden Boy” Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr, Miguel Cotto and Kelly Pavlik among others.
In learning of his induction Trampler said “I’m thrilled and honored to join so many of my heroes, friends and associates in the pantheon of boxing. I owe my inclusion to everyone I worked with at Top Rank and all the people who helped me over the past four decades in the sport.”
Top photo (L-R): Top Rank President Bob Arum, ABS-CBN's Gabby Lopez and Peter Musngi during Top Rank and ABS-CBN's contract signing last week in Manila.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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