Arum, Robert

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ARUM, ROBERT

ARUM, ROBERT (Bob ; 1931– ), U.S. boxing promoter, member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame. One of two dominant promoters of his era, Arum promoted more than 400 title fights. Arum was born in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn and graduated from New York University in 1953 and cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1956. He was hired by Attorney General Robert Kennedy to work for the Justice Department, leaving in 1959 to become a partner in a private law firm. Arum met Muhammad Ali in 1966 and set up a company called Main Bout, Inc. to promote his first fight: Ali's title fight with George Chuvalo, the first fight Arum had ever seen in person. On September 15, 1978, Arum promoted a then record four world title bouts in one night at the Superdome. The boxers he promoted include Roberto Duran, Julio Cesar Chavez, Oscar De La Hoya, George Foreman, and Larry Holmes.

[Elli Wohlgelernter (2nd ed.)]