"Their presentation and promotion is very good and they spend millions and millions of dollars on advertising," Arum said. "And their product stinks. It's just awful. Most of their participants come from wrestling, or karate backgrounds, and are just terrible boxers.
Arum does not blame the UFC and mixed martial arts for the decline in boxing. He blames fighters like Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather and Winky Wright, fighters who Arum says are more concerned with making a dollar instead of fighting.
He also noted that networks like HBO and Showtime have to take some of the blame as well.
"Our presentation has sucked," Arum said. "For 30 years now, we've become like a studio sport because of the insistence of the TV networks like HBO and Showtime and ESPN not to play loud music between rounds because it would interfere with the priceless words being uttered by their announcers."
"Their guys can't take a punch. They're wrestlers not accustomed to getting hit on the chin. Look what happened last week when their so-called champion (Chuck Liddell) got knocked out in less than a round. And that by a guy who can't even box well.
"There is no doubt we have a better product. We just have to present it better. And our top fighters have to be committed to fighting in an entertaining manner."
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