Poor commentating?

Old bones Ian · Post by **Old bones Ian** » 08 Nov 2005, 13:03

I liked Marvin Hagler when he called the Lewis v Rahman fight, he got his obversations spot on, said Lewis had to get his left hand up and stop going on the ropes, about 10 seconds later Rahman landed the right hand.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 08 Nov 2005, 14:09

I always quite like Colin Hart on the radio as a secondary (Colour) commentator. Him and Rawling made an excellent team.

I think there are loads of very decent colour commentator's analyser who are not doing that much work - Woodhall, Oliver, Colin Jones, and a few others. Bremmer and McDonnell were a great team on Screen Sport and Bremmer still had it on the Lynes Bravo bill.

I do think the fighting talk section on ITV, although getting better I just feel it should be just Rosenthal - or Matt Smith or someone interviewing McGuigan. I don't think they need McKenzie there, McGuigan is the more famous name and the better analyser, they should just stick to him with it. Don't have McGuigan doing the colour commentator stuff he was never was the best at that.

Remember the "glory" days of ITV, when McGuigan was very much in the ring and not out of it. ITV just had Jim Watt doing the lot - commentating with Reg and analysis with Dickie Davies. That worked, nice and simple and Jim is great at both jobs.

I'd like to see ITV sign Woodhall as the co-commentator and just have Jim and Barry doing the analysis stuff. Who will do the interviews?.... Why not the "voice of boxing" as Don King called him..... Gary Newbon. Although not sure what is relationship is with ITV, gone from head of sport to freelance with Sky Sports news.

He's had his criticisms but the last few shows Jim Rosenthal seems to have got his touch back with the boxing. He's been almost as good as Paul Dempsey in the anchor role and has asked some great questions in the interviews. Looking back at old tapes he is clearly passionate about the game and knows his stuff.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 08 Nov 2005, 16:49

Lenny Albert wrote:Bunce and McGuigan both on ITV, that would be entertaining, esp after the little war of words they had when BBC first started back into boxing if my memory serves me right.

Say what you will about Bunce as a person but he is good in front of the camera and explains things well for the general sports fan, as does McGuigan. Duke has never been gifted with the best speaking skills in the world and as much as I respect him for what he did in the ring, favours the home fighters too much and comes out with his own soundbites for too often.

Nelson is good in both analysis and commentating, Bunce is still good also and I don't mind Rawling. Holdsworth is the best though and as was said his habbit of saying what he thinks will keep him from a top job on Sky or ITV

Adam Smith is crap. Not everything needs to be shouted with big pauses after every third word. What Woodhall up to now days, didn't his job with the amatures go tits up?

Steve Holdsworth god bless him is like the Terry Wogan of boxing commentary, whenever I watch Eurosport, as I am now, it always feels like I'm watching tezza gently poking fun at the Eurovision contest. Not suitable for big fight bills at all.

TheRiverCityHippy · Post by **TheRiverCityHippy** » 08 Nov 2005, 18:58

i think for all his faults jim watt is by far the best commentator, he actually spots things like if a fella`s hand is injured or a certain flaw in a boxers style really quickly - most of the others just seem to roll off platitudes and old chesnuts.

WayoftheCass · Post by **WayoftheCass** » 08 Nov 2005, 20:45

GARY NORMAN.....Don't remember him but he sounds brilliant (in small doses.)

John Inverdale (used to host BBC 1 boxing) is a right git but I respected his ''by the way I don't have a fornicating clue what is going on and to be honest ,as a rugger bugger, I don't really give a shit'' attitude. He wasn't trying to kid anyone on like Adam 'Jumpers for Goalposts' Smith.

Gary Newbon is another twat. I phoned into the BBC 1 radio coverage of Michael Brodie vs Drew Docherty years ago to pose a question to Glenn McCrory and Ian Darke. I am a big fan of the game and rattled off a few names of American Heavyweight prospects that might be able to upset then reigning champ Lennox Lewis. Newbon responded ''Well your certainly showing a lot of knowledge here but my mate Ian Darke (the three start laughing like sherry drinking toofs in a gentleman's club) knows all that there is to know about Boxing, the fighters you have mentioned and probably even their records." So I'm on the other end of the line thinking "eh Newbon you twat this isn't a fornicating pub quiz. I want the guys to answer my actual question which you have completely overlooked because I can actually string a few sentences together. And I already know their records dickhead."
Anyway the names I mentioned would have been common knowledge to any actual Boxing fans and Darke went on to agree with me (didn't give the records as asked) whilst McCrory commented 'I agree with Ian.'

Jim Rosenthal. Now there is a frontman. It always looks like he being controlled by someone off stage. Never in a million years would he quip in with a personal opinion like that brash up and comer Paul Dempsey. Nope he just sticks to the script. Brilliant.

As for 'Big Daddy' Bunce (he calls himself that...no one else does) does anybody remember the time after a Fraudley fight on the Beeb he said "If they do make Audley-Skelton I think it will end with Skelton reduced to a pile of ruble at the end of Audely's fist" and basically rubbished Skelton's chances. Then Richie Woodhall grabbed his arm as Bunce's rant escalated and said "Calm down Steve. Matt's sitting over there and can probably hear you." Shock horror Bunce shut the hell up and swiftly whipped his head round to see if there was a big angry black man behind him. Class. Sheer class.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 08 Nov 2005, 21:08

headhunter wrote:i think for all his faults jim watt is by far the best commentator, he actually spots things like if a fella`s hand is injured or a certain flaw in a boxers style really quickly - most of the others just seem to roll off platitudes and old chesnuts.

Watt is one of my faves, he does make his mind up early on, and can be blinded by his own opinions, but I don't mind that so much. He knows his shit, and as you say usually spots things early on.

His commentary on such classics as Hagler v Hearns added immeasurably to the drama of the event, Watt obviously just loves watching a big fight, and his excitement levels during that fight were off the scale, and he rightly predicted the beginning of the end of Hearns when Hagler was cut.

"Hagler is cut, I dannae thaenk that Hearns wantaed tae dae that, it's just made him angry."

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 08 Nov 2005, 21:13

boxingchat wrote:
Coconut wrote:Bunce only looks good because he's trying to be quirky next to that dull-as-dishwater half-man half-giraffe.
Spot on....Bunce is a Prick who alway's seem to suggest everything is crooked. Talks out of the side of his mouth and never looks you in th eye. Talks complete Bollocks most of thie time but comes across as clever. He is not.

Worst of the lot - Adam 'Polish a Turd' Smith. Makes a shit fight sound like Barerra V Morales every time.

For me Duke is good and getting better and Rawlings is, as he was on R5, the best of the lot.

Darke, GMC and Smith are becoming tired and boring. Jim Watt is good when he get's a word in

Rawling is ok, but he's a bit bland in my opinion doesn't bring any excitement to the table, he obviously knows his shit, but I would prefer having him in the studio to commentating.

. I would like to see someone with a little more oomph. Duke McKenzie is a nice enough bloke, but his command of the language is pretty poor, and he gets overexcited and fluffs what he is saying all the time.

Jim Watt is the guvnor in my opinion. But what is needed is a consistent commentary team.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 08 Nov 2005, 21:13

WayoftheCass wrote: As for 'Big Daddy' Bunce (he calls himself that...no one else does) does anybody remember the time after a Fraudley fight on the Beeb he said "If they do make Audley-Skelton I think it will end with Skelton reduced to a pile of ruble at the end of Audely's fist" and basically rubbished Skelton's chances. Then Richie Woodhall grabbed his arm as Bunce's rant escalated and said "Calm down Steve. Matt's sitting over there and can probably hear you." Shock horror Bunce shut the hell up and swiftly whipped his head round to see if there was a big angry black man behind him. Class. Sheer class.

Yes, I'm not sure if he would be that good an acquisition to be honest, people who are pro him have been saying "at least he will speak his mind"... Will he? Did he really classify Audley Harrison as a world champion as he kept reminded us. Apart from around the 3-4 Audley fight, how many BBC fighter did he slate? Did he say Walker didn't warrant the EBU shot.

I don't think it will be long before he toed the company line, not that I blame him - its the natural thing to do.

Old bones Ian · Post by **Old bones Ian** » 09 Nov 2005, 04:57

Lost a bit of respect for Bunce, one reason anyone that calls themselves Bigdaddy (with the exception of Wrestling Bigdaddy) has got to be a bit of a twat.

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 09 Nov 2005, 06:04

WayoftheCass wrote: As for 'Big Daddy' Bunce (he calls himself that...no one else does) does anybody remember the time after a Fraudley fight on the Beeb he said "If they do make Audley-Skelton I think it will end with Skelton reduced to a pile of ruble at the end of Audely's fist" and basically rubbished Skelton's chances. Then Richie Woodhall grabbed his arm as Bunce's rant escalated and said "Calm down Steve. Matt's sitting over there and can probably hear you." Shock horror Bunce shut the hell up and swiftly whipped his head round to see if there was a big angry black man behind him. Class. Sheer class.

I missed that one