Boxers Will Be Tested for AIDS, Arum Says

Boxing promoter Bob Arum said Thursday before a fight card in Bozeman, Mont., that beginning in January, Top Rank, Inc., will require all fighters on its cards to be tested for the AIDS virus.

Arum said that mandatory testing will be written into all of its contracts, and that he doesn’t expect any boxer to challenge the stipulation.

“Like everyone else, we didn’t focus on the problem,” Arum said. “We can’t avoid the problem because it isn’t very pleasant.

“The Magic Johnson incident has crystallized and focused everybody’s thinking so we now realized what was apparent before, that this was a major, major problem to be dealt with.”

Laker star Johnson revealed last week that he was infected with HIV, which causes AIDS.

Top Rank puts on 60 to 70 boxing shows a year. Only Nevada requires AIDS testing for boxers. Arum’s plan calls for boxers to be tested within six months.