‘I was completely wrong’: Bob Arum apologises for outburst at Kate Abdo over Fury vs Wilder face-off

The veteran promoter was left furious after the British broadcaster encouraged the heavyweights to face off at the final press conference

Bob Arum admits he was “completely wrong” for his furious outburst at Kate Abdo for encouraging Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder to face off at their final press conference.

The veteran promoter’s expletive-ridden rant was also fuelled by his belief that Abdo was bias towards the American heavyweight.

“They bring this woman in from the UK and she’s slanting all the press conference to Wilder,” the 89-year-old said last week. “Like, I don’t give a damn but it’s obvious that that’s what she was doing.

“And then she knew that the understanding was no face-off. [Wilder’s promoter] Tom Brown argued with Fox for no face-off, we said no face-off, and what does she say? ‘Now we’re gonna do a face-off.’ F*** her and f*** them, there was no face-off and we saved the fight.”

Fury dismantled Wilder in the 11th round of their third fight last weekend, retaining his WBC world heavyweight title.

And after reflecting on an instant classic in Las Vegas, Arum has walked back his comments that Abdor described as “entirely inappropriate”.

Kate Abdo attempts to make Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder engage in a face-off (BT Sport)

“As far as Kate is concerned, I was completely wrong,” Arum told IFL TV. “We had made a deal with the FOX producer that was televising the event and the deal was made on behalf of Top Rank and PBC.

“And the producer agreed; no stare-down. When she called for a stare-down, particularly after seeing the animosity verbally at that press conference, I exploded but it wasn’t her fault.

Top Rank Founder and CEO Bob Arum took exception with Kate Abdo (Getty)

“The producer reneged and she gets the instructions in her earpiece and she was told to order the stare-down.

“She is a terrific commentator, terrific reporter and she wasn’t the one to whom I should have directed my ire, so I was completely wrong.”