Worst Call - Pundit / Commentator

[stujones]

We've had IMO enough threads slagging off fighters - what is the worst commentator / pundit call you can remember - whether this is a bad call in the fight, bad prediction or just bad "inside" information. Jim Watt saying that Gerald McClellan "quit" is exempt I am sure Jim regrets that and he didn't know what would happen - indeed lets not make it when a fighters health is on the line - I remember ITV did a post fight review of McClellan vs Benn about 3 hours after the fight and all through the review it was "Gerald is fine" - its harrowing when Jim R gets the call in his ear about 5 minutes before the end of the show that no - all isn't right - Jim was fighting back the tears. Lets just keep it about actually fighting.

Here are a few

1 - Bunce on 5 Live- Ruiz vs Joshua 2 after the weigh in - Ruiz in his t shirt and Bunce claiming "I saw him sparring, nothing is moving - he's in shape he's just bulked up, its muscle mass" - I didn't have access to the TV and changed my call based on Bunce's claims! Cheers Steve!

2 - Glenn McCory - Giving the Last Round of Fury vs Klitchsko to Fury so Fury would be ahead on the cards - probably the clearest round (of any fighter) in the fight. Every pundit / fighter / promoter who has called it a schooling since.

3 - Commentating of Chisora vs Helenius - all through the fight it was "razor tight" - I think Rawling even had it a draw. Then Helenius gets the nod and its the worst decision in boxing history.

4 - Jim Watt - yes, he's not exempt - strange score card of a David Burke EBU fight and then claiming he's scoring it as an Italian official - a rare off night for Jim.

[THEBUTCH]

Some moaned about Chisora losing to Pulev too. Both that and the Helenius decisions were fair IMO.

[fizzjambo]

I’d need to watch the Helenius fight again but from memory I thought Chisora won it pretty handily. I might rewatch sometime though as it’s a fair while ago now.

I haven’t watch a fight with the commentary on for a long time though, especially on Sky as there is an avalanche of bullshit that it’s hard to see past. The option of watching fights with the background and no commentary would be perfect!

[dookus]

Watt had a bad one towards the end in the Froch-Groves rematch. As if to make up for the first fight, he ignored everything Groves did in what was a cagey first six rounds and had Froch 5-1 up after 6, "dominating behind the jab". In reality it was nip and tuck and Groves was up 3 rounds and down 1 round twice on the scorecards when he got nailed a couple of rounds later.

What made it funnier was when Sky cut to Khan after 6 and asked him how he saw it. He said Groves was easily controlling it with his jab and was 5-1 up. The interviewer tried to correct: "Don't you mean Froch?" "No, no, Groves is controlling it, easy."

[margaret thatcher]

Some moaned about Chisora losing to Pulev too. Both that and the Helenius decisions were fair IMO.

Pulev handily beat Chis but no idea how anyone could legit think Helenius beat him

With the Pulev fight, I've seen most people having Pulev winning, but there are always some people who obviously have only just looked at Boxrec, and then slagged Pulev for 'only' winning a split....he dominated that fight

[margaret thatcher]

Anyone remember that circle jerk pundit party they had for Haye before he fought Wlad? Basically a bunch of them in suits, with their birds, sipping champagne, and wanking off each other about how Haye will win. Kalle said that Haye beating Valuev showed that he'll beat Wlad or something like that. Wee Spen Oliver was full blown gobbling Haye's balls and didn't even need to kneel, basically everyone was.

At the end they all toasted 'TO DAVID HAYE!!'

Oh what a legend he was going to be....

[Coco]

Anyone remember that circle jerk pundit party they had for Haye before he fought Wlad? Basically a bunch of them in suits, with their birds, sipping champagne, and wanking off each other about how Haye will win. Kalle said that Haye beating Valuev showed that he'll beat Wlad or something like that. Wee Spen Oliver was full blown gobbling Haye's balls and didn't even need to kneel, basically everyone was.

At the end they all toasted 'TO DAVID HAYE!!'

Oh what a legend he was going to be....

They were all talking about how easily Haye was winning against Thompson too!

[stujones]

Anyone remember that circle jerk pundit party they had for Haye before he fought Wlad? Basically a bunch of them in suits, with their birds, sipping champagne, and wanking off each other about how Haye will win. Kalle said that Haye beating Valuev showed that he'll beat Wlad or something like that. Wee Spen Oliver was full blown gobbling Haye's balls and didn't even need to kneel, basically everyone was.

At the end they all toasted 'TO DAVID HAYE!!'

Oh what a legend he was going to be....

The Haye vs Klitchsko fight wasn't Rawling's finest commentating hour - how many times did he refer to Haye's effort as "brave".... I do think the toe thing gives Haye a bit of a disservice - I don't know the punch stats but looked like he threw and landed more than Tyson Fury did. ... but Rawling went way over the top, even suggesting it might have been close on the cards at the end and suggesting Klitchsko was practically out in the last.

I'd like to see the American commentary of that fight though - they had it close according to Rawling.

[stujones]

I’d need to watch the Helenius fight again but from memory I thought Chisora won it pretty handily. I might rewatch sometime though as it’s a fair while ago now.

I haven’t watch a fight with the commentary on for a long time though, especially on Sky as there is an avalanche of bullshit that it’s hard to see past. The option of watching fights with the background and no commentary would be perfect!

Yes it is not that Chisora didn't win - it is just they went from "this is Razor tight" - to "this is the worst robbery I've seen" in the space of the announcement of the cards. I personally thought Chisora won but it was fairly closish. I think I had it 116-113. It wasn't the shut out that people seem to think it is now.

[stujones]

Watt had a bad one towards the end in the Froch-Groves rematch. As if to make up for the first fight, he ignored everything Groves did in what was a cagey first six rounds and had Froch 5-1 up after 6, "dominating behind the jab". In reality it was nip and tuck and Groves was up 3 rounds and down 1 round twice on the scorecards when he got nailed a couple of rounds later.

What made it funnier was when Sky cut to Khan after 6 and asked him how he saw it. He said Groves was easily controlling it with his jab and was 5-1 up. The interviewer tried to correct: "Don't you mean Froch?" "No, no, Groves is controlling it, easy."

It is certainly another fight that has seemingly been revised by history, much like Fury vs Klitchsko. Whilst I had Froch one round up, I thought Groves was pacing the fight much better and was starting to take control before boom.

[Old bones Ian]

Nearly everything Larry Merchant said, to me he was a very bitter man, who seemed to celebrate in a boxer failing.
His knowledge of boxing was poor, and he would be constantly showed up by others.

[Onetimeonly]

Nobody can out crap teddy Atlas.

[Old bones Ian]

Nobody can out crap teddy Atlas.

He's next on my list

[Coco]

Generally Smith has a script written for him pre fight and it usually takes him 6 rounds to notice if the fight is not going to script!

Maybe he does notice but he is proud of his script and is determined to use it whatever!

Comes from the mean streets of etc

[banjo]

Nobody can out crap teddy Atlas.

That c*nt is so over dramatic.

[handsofstone]

Nobody can out crap teddy Atlas.

That c*nt is so over dramatic.

I reckon he thinks Rocky was a fly on the wall documentary, cringe as fvck,

[banjo]

That c*nt is so over dramatic.

I reckon he thinks Rocky was a fly on the wall documentary, cringe as fvck,

[Delta Jay]

Here’s a few:

Teddy Atlas is, to me, the worst talker in boxing. I don’t slag fighters and rarely slag coaches but I really take exception to his punditry work. His finest hour was the Pacquiao/Horn fight, he really lost his rag and chatted a load of bollux. Close fight and potential to be wider depending on what you liked And he acted like it was the plainest robbery in history. I sometimes feel a lot of sadness for some of his poor fighters who have to listen to him between rounds.

Adam Smith is a tit, we can all agree.

Emanuel Steward so very rarely ever put a foot wrong, but when he was on comms for Sergio Martinez vs Paul Williams he seemed to think Williams was pissing it and was ultimately proved very wrong. I can’t remember specifics but I’ve watched the fight with sound on and thought he just wasn’t seeing what everyone else could see. Granted, it’s easy to make predictions when You know exactly what’s gonna happen in a fight.

Edit: I’ll rewatch both Williams v Martinez fights today and come back to you with the specifics, I think he says Martinez is about to get knocked out by the much taller man, just before the KO in the rematch BUT I don’t remember exactly.

[mickey1975]

Generally Smith has a script written for him pre fight and it usually takes him 6 rounds to notice if the fight is not going to script!

Maybe he does notice but he is proud of his script and is determined to use it whatever!

Comes from the mean streets of etc

Dewsbury Moor..... which, in fairness, is a s hithole.

[Wee Tommy]

Nearly everything Larry Merchant said, to me he was a very bitter man, who seemed to celebrate in a boxer failing.
His knowledge of boxing was poor, and he would be constantly showed up by others.

Agreed very negative guy. Horrible at times.

[banjo]

I always found HBO's team terrible, Merchant was so negative but Lampley? F*ck me could that man talk utter shite, remember him losing it during a Pacquio fight? "BANG BANG BANG BANG"

[fizzjambo]

I’d need to watch the Helenius fight again but from memory I thought Chisora won it pretty handily. I might rewatch sometime though as it’s a fair while ago now.

I haven’t watch a fight with the commentary on for a long time though, especially on Sky as there is an avalanche of bullshit that it’s hard to see past. The option of watching fights with the background and no commentary would be perfect!

Yes it is not that Chisora didn't win - it is just they went from "this is Razor tight" - to "this is the worst robbery I've seen" in the space of the announcement of the cards. I personally thought Chisora won but it was fairly closish. I think I had it 116-113. It wasn't the shut out that people seem to think it is now.

Aye I think I had it similar at the time, although from memory I thought it was pretty easy to score and it was hard to paint Helenius as the winner. Was it a bit wide on the cards to Helenius as well?

[dookus]

Yes it is not that Chisora didn't win - it is just they went from "this is Razor tight" - to "this is the worst robbery I've seen" in the space of the announcement of the cards. I personally thought Chisora won but it was fairly closish. I think I had it 116-113. It wasn't the shut out that people seem to think it is now.

Aye I think I had it similar at the time, although from memory I thought it was pretty easy to score and it was hard to paint Helenius as the winner. Was it a bit wide on the cards to Helenius as well?

I'd long heard about this fight so watched it yesterday with Russian commentary while scoring. I found 4 rounds at best for Helenius, none of them clear. For me it was a total robbery. They completely ignored Chrisora's body work.

A real shame, because I think it is the best Chisora has ever boxed. Patient, controlled, great double jab to close distance (where has that been since?), great head movement (Helenius can barely touch him with the jab), switching head to body, and even getting on his toes at points and outjabbing the taller man.

PS: Compubox had Chisora outlanding Helenius 2 to 1 over the whole fight: https://www.BS.com/forums/view ... a-compubox

[Stuarty]

Nearly everything Larry Merchant said, to me he was a very bitter man, who seemed to celebrate in a boxer failing.
His knowledge of boxing was poor, and he would be constantly showed up by others.

Agreed very negative guy. Horrible at times.

Watch out! If he was 50 years younger he'd be coming for you

[Stuarty]

Paul Smith's comments and general cuunty attitude after Callum's fight with Ryder really got on my nipple ends! Obviously he needs to back his brother but he shouldn't have been involved in the first place as he was never gonna be impartial. Very unlikeable guy!