Want a quick crash course in global economics and the boxing business? In this video interview, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum details how Brexit effectively nixed the Kell Brook-Jessie Vargas fight while allowing Golovkin-Brook to take its place. Check out what he had to say.
On his thoughts about Golovkin-Brook being made instead of Brook-Vargas:
"You have to understand what happened. [Matchroom] made an offer to us [for Brook-Vargas], which we accepted, and we indeed had Vargas sign the contract...And then they had a political situation in England where because they opted to to leave the EU, the British pound went into the toilet. And so they were paying us in US dollars, and the fight became almost 20% more expensive and Eddie [Hearn] was having a hard time making out numbers so that he wouldn't lose his shirt.
"And then at the same time he was trying to make Eubank and Golovkin, and Eubank was acting a little squirrely, so when Brook said 'look I'll take the fight against Golovkin' Eddie's problems were solved and he went in that direction. So I don't fault him for what he did, I think if I had to estimate the situation I would say that Kell Brook has a big set of balls to go in with Golovkin but hey, it's Kell that's gonna take the punches, not me."
On if these kinds of fights will become the new norm:
"I think a lot of English fighters have a reputation for being masochists. So Amir Khan got himself knocked out pretty good by Canelo, and I think Kell Brook wants to do Amir Khan one better."
On If he gives Brook a better chance against Golovkin than Khan against Canelo:
"No. I didn't give either a chance."
On what's next for Jessie Vargas:
"We're working on a fight for Jessie Vargas. He's in the Pacquiao sweepstakes now. He's a welterweight champion, he'll be okay. We'll have a big fight for him before the end of the year."
On if he would be willing to revisit the idea of a Jessie Vargas-Danny Garcia fight:
"Absolutely. I mean Danny Garcia is a very good fighter, and now that I'm talking with Al Haymon - no reason why Garcia can't be in the mix."