Todd DuBoef on ‘shame’ he feels being a promoter and relationship with Bob Arum as Top Rank launch behind the scenes documentary

Todd DuBoef has long been a significant yet somewhat understated force within the boxing world, standing as the president of Top Rank, one of the sport’s most influential promotional companies. His journey within Top Rank is deeply intertwined with the legacy of his stepfather, the legendary promoter Bob Arum.

Now, as DuBoef prepares to take over the reins of the company, his story transcends merely inheriting a role; it’s about the innovative strategies he has introduced and his forward-looking vision for the future of boxing. 

However, despite his instrumental role in orchestrating some of the biggest fights in boxing history, DuBoef harbors a surprising and lesser-known sentiment—a lingering sense of ‘shame’ about being a promoter. 

In a sit-down interview with Mail Sport ahead of the release of Top Rank’s new fly-on-the-wall documentary, ‘The Fight Life’, DuBoef said: ‘I think, unfortunately, over the years, it’s been chronicled by media and press that the promoters get in the way. Their obstructionists and the media are creating all this nonsense of of non-fluid behaviour and making matches. 

‘They go out there and they create narratives with no facts. Sometimes it’s true, but I just think there’s a stereotype, and I think it’s an unfair. So yeah, It’s the stereotype that bothers me.

‘I try to block out the noise because I think it’s a big distraction. I think getting into the social platforms, into X and Twitter, which is like anger-tainment, is a bad idea.

‘Everybody gets angry, and they start going there and posting, and you end up just going down a rabbit hole. It’s a distraction. I try not to go there, because we’ve got to go forward.’

Nevertheless, DuBoef remains deeply committed to the cause and is determined to continue advancing Top Rank’s legacy. In time, DuBoef will fully assume the reins from Arum, continuing the vision while bringing his own innovative approach to the future of the organisation. 

The relationship between DuBoef and Arum – who shaped the careers of icons like Muhammad Ali, Marvin Hagler, and Manny Pacquiao – is both personal and professional. While Arum has been the public face of Top Rank for decades, DuBoef has often operated behind the scenes, focusing on the strategic and operational aspects of the business. 

‘First of all, I went to school with him, right? I got taught everything from him. And I think one of the beauties of that is, is you learn, you observe, you see results. At some time, I always said that I learned, I observed, I saw results, and then I also was able to identify failures, right? And also build off of that. 

‘I think the greatest asset that Bob gave me, or greatest benefit he gave me was being heard. There was a point that what he said was gospel, and we lived by it. But if you notice that our company and the way we’ve structured it, has changed. 

‘We have gotten young, we have stayed young. We have been on the cutting edge of embracing things that were so unconventional to him in his day, in the 60s and 70s, right? And he’s like, I’ll never forget five years ago when I’m hiring more and building out of base and getting social guys. He was thinking why do we need social? But look, it’s all social media now.   

‘It’s amazing the power of it. But he gave us the ability to do it, and as a result of that, his legacy and the Top Rank legacy builds as he’s handed to us and let us hold it for him. So I give him a lot of credit in helping that.’ 

Yet, DuBoef’s journey has been far more than just following in Arum’s footsteps; it’s been about redefining those footsteps for a rapidly evolving sports landscape. 

One of his most significant contributions has been his forward-thinking embrace of digital technology and new media. Recognising that the sport needed to adapt to stay relevant, DuBoef led Top Rank’s expansion into the digital arena, identifying early on the power of streaming platforms and social media to connect with a global audience.

This vision was realised in 2017 when Top Rank secured a groundbreaking deal with ESPN, bringing boxing back to mainstream television while also capitalising on the burgeoning demand for live sports streaming. 

Now, DuBoef is pushing the boundaries even further with something previously unthinkable for Top Rank: pulling back the curtain on the inner workings of the company through a new ESPN original series, ‘The Fight Life,’ which chronicles a year in the world of Top Rank Boxing.

When asked why now was the right time for this unprecedented move, DuBoef said: ‘You know, I kind of made the decision that we’ve been so formulaic, and we’ve been concentrating on fight event specifically and just the fighters. 

‘I noticed that every time that we would go out and people wanted to hear Bob’s stories. They’d be saying take me back, what happened with Hagler. Take me what happened with Leonard? Tell me this. And I’d be sitting around talking to people about my day, and they’re like, that is so interesting. Tell me more. How does that happen? 

‘So, we thought let’s open up the curtain and let people in. That’s how it happened. And we just went to the greatest minds in producing which was Connor Shell and and Aaron Conan and they were like, I’ve been waiting for this for 20 years to do. So let’s go.’

The new documentary DuBoef is referring to offers an in-depth look at some of boxing’s most compelling figures, highlighting the sport’s current landscape through the lens of Top Rank’s biggest stars.

The series kicks off with Tyson Fury, the charismatic heavyweight champion, as he prepares for a historic bout against Oleksandr Usyk. This episode, airing on ESPN+, takes viewers behind the scenes with Top Rank executives ahead of Fury’s high-stakes showdown, which comes on the heels of his narrow escape against MMA fighter Francis Ngannou. 

In the second episode, attention shifts to Teofimo Lopez, once hailed as the future of boxing. After losing his lightweight title to George Kambosos Jr., Lopez faces skepticism from within his own camp as he gears up for a pivotal fight against WBO junior welterweight champion Josh Taylor. 

Josh Taylor, the focus of the third episode, finds himself in a similar position. Having lost his WBO belt to Lopez, Taylor is now forced to contemplate his future in the sport. With age and injuries catching up, his rematch against Jack Catterall becomes a make-or-break moment.

The fourth episode turns to Seniesa Estrada, a trailblazer in women’s boxing, as she aims to become the first undisputed minimumweight world champion. The episode delves into Estrada’s personal and professional struggles, including her battle with injuries and the pressure of facing her former promoter’s company in the ring.

The series concludes with Naoya Inoue, a fighter widely regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world. The episode explores Inoue’s rise to prominence, particularly in the context of his fight against Luis Nery at the Tokyo Dome. 

For many Western fans, Inoue remains an enigma, but this episode aims to shine a light on the Japanese star as he prepares for what could be his defining moment on the global stage.