Bob Arum on GGG-Brook announcement: "That is absolutely f-ckin' crazy”

Most of the boxing world was taken aback when it was announced that welterweight titlist Kell Brook would jump two weight classes to take on middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin. And count promoter Bob Arum among those in disbelief as he had been working to finalize a fight between Brook and his fighter Jessie Vargas leading up to this new announcement. Here's his reaction as reported by RingTV.com.

"Golovkin is fighting who?" Arum finally said after a few moments of silence shortly after the announcement. "I don't believe that. That's crazy. I mean, Golovkin is fighting a welterweight? Alright, that's something. You hear something crazy every day. I'm not surprised I'm a little shocked. Is that even a fight?"

After taking a few moments to let it sink in, Arum followed up by saying:

"That is absolutely f-ckin crazy," he told RingTV.com in his gravelly cadence. "That is absolutely f-ckin crazy."

Arum then says he had been working on the Brook-Vargas deal, waiting for Brook's side to finalize the agreement. But although Arum hadn't heard back from Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn for about a week, he had no clue that they were about to go in a stunningly different direction. And Arum wasn't even upset by the change of heart, he just has a hard time comprehending it -- essentially labeling it nonsensical.

So, what does all this news mean for Jessie Vargas' future? Well, Arum says he'll have a big announcement on that front this week. Stay tuned.