Arum Agrees to State Panel’s Sanctions

Boxing promoter Bob Arum, who admitted in a New Jersey courtroom that he’d made illegal payments to a sanctioning body, has reached an agreement with representatives of the California State Athletic Commission on disciplinary action.

If the California commission, meeting Thursday in closed session at Sacramento, approves the deal, Arum will be fined $2,500, the maximum allowed under California law, and will be put on probation for the rest of the year.

Appearing voluntarily without the promise of immunity in June during the New Jersey racketeering trial of former International Boxing Federation president Bob Lee, Arum admitted to secretly paying $100,000 in 1994 to get unranked Axel Schulz sanctioned for a title fight against George Foreman, then promoted by Arum.

“I think the California commission has handled this appropriately,” Arum said, “The intent on my part [in making the payment] was bad. Therefore, I have to be disciplined. I never said I should get off scot-free. But the fact that I came forward to testify should be taken into account.”

In August, the Nevada State Athletic Commission took stronger action against Arum, fining him $125,000 and forbidding him from entering the ring before or after fights, entering the dressing rooms of the fighters or attending weigh-ins for six months. Arum also pledged $50,000 to a sports-related Nevada charity.

Arum may also be disciplined in New Jersey, where prosecutors have asked that state’s Casino Control Commission to revoke the licenses of both Arum and fellow promoter Cedric Kushner, who also agreed to make illegal payments to Lee’s organization.