Top Rank CEO Bob Arum has been on an anti-Al Haymon kick for a bit and he took to Everlast’s “Talkbox” podcast to make that clear.

Arum is turning 87 on December 8 and clearly isn’t losing his ferocity fastball. He said Haymon “won’t cooperate with anyone,” and that he sees Haymon as a “cancer on the business.” He can do deals with an Eddie Hearn, Arum said, but Haymon is in a league by himself – for himself.

“Just look at his actions over the last three years. He won’t deal with anybody, he won’t make fights with anybody, he’d rather sacrifice business and deprive his fighters of millions to keep everything close to his vest like a miser. Other promoters are not like him,” Arum said. “so don’t categorize other promoters like Al Haymon. They’re not!”

Team Haymon counterpunched. Spokesman Tim Smith offered the following in response:

“Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury,” Smith referenced. “Who did Al make the fight with, the Tooth Fairy? Was it a big promotion? Did it energize the sport and the heavyweight division? I don’t see Frank Warren complaining that he got shortchanged on the Fury side or he couldn’t locate Al to help work out the deal. And it seemed relatively easy for Warren and Fury to make the deal for the fight. All parties seemed satisfied.

“Arum has a massive deal with ESPN,” Smith continued, “and he has a nice roster of boxers and he should concentrate on that and making the fights that he can make. Al has always been willing to make fights that make sense and money for the fighters he manages. That isn’t going to change. We’ll continue to make good fights that are entertaining for the fans with our broadcast partners at FOX and Showtime the same way that Arum wants to do at ESPN. He’s got the two pound-for-pound best boxers in the sport, according to the boxing experts, and quality boxers under his umbrella with which to make matches. Not to tell him how to run his business but he should go make those matches and don’t concern himself with what anyone else is doing. I wish him all the best in those efforts and in his future endeavors.”

Heavyweight action, this time out of the ring.

Readers, talk to me; weigh in…On whose side of the street are you, Arum’s or Haymon’s?

You can follow Michael Woods on Twitter @Woodsy1069.

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