To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Bob Arum Launches Scathing Attack On Dana White For Trying To Run UFC 249

Bob Arum Launches Scathing Attack On Dana White For Trying To Run UFC 249

The Top Rank boss exploded on the UFC president.

Nasir Jabbar

Nasir Jabbar

Legendary boxing promoter Bob Arum says UFC president Dana White "ought to be ashamed of himself" for trying to run UFC 249 amid the coronavirus crisis.

The 88-year-old has postponed his boxing events because of the global pandemic, but White insists UFC 249 will go ahead despite the disease spreading across America.

A decision which hasn't been well received by Arum who launched a scathing attack on White.

"[White] ought to be ashamed of himself," the Top Rank boss said.

"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. But the truth is Dana White is somebody with a flawed intelligence.

"He's not going to move forward with the card, and if the card happens with people dying in hospitals all over the United States, he ought to be ashamed of himself."

Image: PA
Image: PA
Image: PA
Image: PA

Arum, who promotes heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury and lightweight king Vasyl Lomachenko, added: "The message should be stay home and stand down until this is over.

"Let's not spread the virus, let's control the virus and do what we can to staff these hospitals and take care of people who go into intensive care.

"Let's all be big people and big boys about it and stop the grandstanding. This will end when it ends, and it will end quicker if we all stick together and do what we are supposed to do, not go and shout from the rafters that, 'I'm not a p**sy and I'm going to put this fight on. I don't care.' That is absolutely the wrong message to send."

UFC 249's original main-event between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson appears to be off with the UFC lightweight champion stranded in Russia.

Reports suggest the promotion are working on replacing his void with lightweight contender Justin Gaethje.

A clash between UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal has also been mooted for the show.

UFC 249 is slated for April 18 with a location and venue still to be determined.

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Tyson Fury, UFC News, Bob Arum, Coronavirus, Fight News, MMA, UFC 249, Dana White

Nasir Jabbar is a journalist at SPORTbible. He graduated from Bath Spa University with a BA in Media Communications. He's a combat sport aficionado, and has contributed to MMA websites AddictedMMA and CagePotato. Nasir has covered some of the biggest fights, while interviewing the likes of Conor McGregor, Darren Till, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. He's also an avid Bristol City fan.

X

@https://twitter.com/NasJabbar