WHEN BRITISH COMMENTARY WAS RESTRAINED, REFINED, STYLISH...

[Tuan_Jim]

Does anyone remember what British boxing commentary used to sound like? Before the days when fat-tongued amateur Ronald McIntosh and his gibbering stream-of-unconsciousness gave boxing fans shooting pains in their heads? Or the likes of Adam Smith, Nick Halling, John Rawling et al forced many of us to strip all the atmosphere from the big fights and watch them on mute?

Listen to this masterclass by old Harry Carpenter on the BBC broadcast of the one-round Bowe/Dokes blowout. No forced theatrics, no bias or propaganda, no shrieking and yelling. No bombarding the viewer with interminable trivia or "technical" insight. And no fear of dead air! But rather an appreciation that less is more and often the action speaks for itself. I think this is a perfect fight call, and I miss the dignified mood this style of commentary gave to boxing. No wonder they knighted him.

Starts at 6.10 if you're interested:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPmLcT_Ah28

[TheGingerBomber]

I like it when Rogan goes mental on the UFC, but I agree it'd be nice to hear a calm voice in commentary.

[BitPlayer]

I'm not sure when it's actually from, but the added commentry here is very entertaining.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6WEPBJ7pTM

[Jackson328]

Harry was a great commentator and that Sportsnight music was very nostalgic

Also used to like Reg Gutteridge on ITV, Jim Watt was never the same after Reg retired, they were a good foil for each other and Gutteridge used to keep him in check by only bringing him into the comms when he needed to.

Ian Darke was very good when Sky started to take over in the 90s but todays shower of commentators make me hit the mute button, hysterical drama queens most of 'em.

[rd350lc]

Harry C was a legend , the youth of today probably wouldn't like his calm demeanor though .

As an aside you still had a version of Ron in the olden days , I don't know how many times I heard Reg Gutteridge spill the "three falls and a submission" line . Even worse was Gary Newbon who regularly got boxers mixed up !

[Tuan_Jim]

Harry, Reg Gutteridge and Ian Darke are the holy trinity of boxing commentary.

[Counter-puncher]

Harry C was a legend , the youth of today probably wouldn't like his calm demeanor though .

As an aside you still had a version of Ron in the olden days , I don't know how many times I heard Reg Gutteridge spill the "three falls and a submission" line . Even worse was Gary Newbon who regularly got boxers mixed up !

You're comparing Reg Gutteridge with Ron McIntosh?

[rd350lc]

Harry C was a legend , the youth of today probably wouldn't like his calm demeanor though .

As an aside you still had a version of Ron in the olden days , I don't know how many times I heard Reg Gutteridge spill the "three falls and a submission" line . Even worse was Gary Newbon who regularly got boxers mixed up !

You're comparing Reg Gutteridge with Ron McIntosh?

In a way , I think he said stuff for the sake of saying them at times

Not in the same league as Carpenter .

[Noxy]

Aaahhh that music!

[boxingknockout]

Aaahhh that music!

Yes. What a buzz it was to hear that!!!

[TheGingerBomber]

Don't know how many of you are footy fans but I think commentary has went the same way on MOTD, etc. They lose their shit.

[Sklar]

Commentators now are salesmen, so much competition for viewers attention and money, they've been forced down the hard sell route. There was fornicate all else to watch back in the day, viewers were easy to get and easy to hold on to.

[mickey1975]

Don't know how many of you are footy fans but I think commentary has went the same way on MOTD, etc. They lose their poo.

Guy Mowbary trains at our gym.

[KiwiRider]

Who's that Shelia that does the ringside chats with the guests at the Sky Sports big shows?
She looks nicer with her hair down.

[Boxerbeetle]

Harry C was a legend , the youth of today probably wouldn't like his calm demeanor though .

As an aside you still had a version of Ron in the olden days , I don't know how many times I heard Reg Gutteridge spill the "three falls and a submission" line . Even worse was Gary Newbon who regularly got boxers mixed up !

Gary Newbon was fvcking atrocious.

[samwbr]

Who's that Shelia that does the ringside chats with the guests at the Sky Sports big shows?
She looks nicer with her hair down.

Anna Woolhouse

[KiwiRider]

Who's that Shelia that does the ringside chats with the guests at the Sky Sports big shows?
She looks nicer with her hair down.

Anna Woolhouse

I was dubious about her to start with. But she seems to just direct the questions. Then at the Burns Crolla fight it slipped out that she actually had some knowledge.

[nobleart1978]

Takes me back to Wednesday night's when i was a schoolboy watching Sportsnight.

Des Lynam presenting and Harry commentating. No histrionics. Great journalists and broadcasters.

No dolly bird presenter who trys to be blokey and no Adam Smith getting hysterical. Sky Sports is going down real quick in my opinion.

Seeing this reinforces that.

[rd350lc]

Harry C was a legend , the youth of today probably wouldn't like his calm demeanor though .

As an aside you still had a version of Ron in the olden days , I don't know how many times I heard Reg Gutteridge spill the "three falls and a submission" line . Even worse was Gary Newbon who regularly got boxers mixed up !

Gary Newbon was fvcking atrocious.

Do you remember during the mayhem in the ring after the Benn McClellan fight he called McClellan Mike McCallum ?

Whatamistakatomaka !

[bigjack]

Legend,his voice barely changed pitch when Bowe was all over Dokes,not like the racket we get now,oh the good old days

[TheGingerBomber]

Don't know how many of you are footy fans but I think commentary has went the same way on MOTD, etc. They lose their poo.

Guy Mowbary trains at our gym.

I like Guy, he's one of those I respect.

[mickey1975]

Don't know how many of you are footy fans but I think commentary has went the same way on MOTD, etc. They lose their poo.

Guy Mowbary trains at our gym.

I like Guy, he's one of those I respect.

I don't know him, goes in every morning with his wife.

[funso banjo baby]

Harry was the best.

Reg was great but slightly ITV down market (unnecessary clichés and puns etc)

there were some other funny ones in the 80's. Anyone remember when Jim Rosenthal had to fill in on the Andries v Hearns fight ?

what a crazy night all round that was?

[MightyWarrior]

Harry & Reg pure class compared to the godawful crap long suffering Brit fight fans have to put up with now, lead by one of the most genuinely awful commentators of all time, Adam Smith. And yes, Ian Darke would be such a godsend to get back, he's right up there with the best of all time as well.

Also the Bowe/Dokes fight was one of the most barbaric mismatches in heavyweight history. Dokes was an absolute dynamite fighter in his prime, check out his sensational knockout of the British heavyweight champ John L Gardner.

But he was a ghost 10 years past his prime when being served up as a sacrifice to Bowe here, he'd been to hell and back, ravaged by cocaine & almost decapitated in a fight three years previous against razor Ruddock.

[lillywhite14]

Different class.

Not just the commentator either. I'm a Joshua and Fury fan. Big Daddy in his pomp would make mincemeat out of the pair! He was a seriously top heavyweight on his night.