BoxRec

Not sure, obviously I had a tough time with him.
I dont make excuses , but I will say that I ran my Bakery truck route that day and fought that night.
Dumb move.
Anyway , I think he fought Gerald McClellan right before me and maybe he learned something in that 1 round he went with Gerald.
Cuz he sure as hell hit me with a few shots.

So far as the announcers go, I loved Howard Cosell.
In most any context, I prefer to listen to someone who knows their way around the language and can turn an interesting phrase.
I've never cared much for any of the boxers-turned-commentators. They're just never well-spoken. Er, well, Lewis is, but he's not really interesting to listen to.
Norton was decent, but not on his own. He had to be paired with someone more... well, you know, sports commentators are ALWAYS paired up in the same way: one excitable jock-type, and one calmer, more intellectual sort. (e.g., Commentator A: "Holy shit, look at that son of a bitch punch!" Commentator B: "Yes, Ronnie, he's landed 75% of his shots this round, and he's out-punching his man almost three to one.") As lampooned to great effect in Best In Show.
Also, Cosell did not have the problem that--who was it, Bert Sugar, I think--had when he was let near the mic during a fight. And that is, falling behind the action by trying to speak in 50-word sentences.
So, yeah. I don't know what makes an "expert" per se, but I really dug it when Cosell was rockin' the mic.

Expug wrote: I ran my Bakery truck route that day and fought that night.

Amazing. That's the way it goes in the real world.

Sadly just because you have to fight doesnt mean those bills
dont stop coming in.

edit

Dave , Robinson and Granberry, I appreciate the interest .
Obviously you guys know the sport .
Its really tough to try and do it full time if you dont have the financial backing.
Working and fighting at the same time is tough.
I took pride in always showing up to work come hell or high water and even when boxing it was no differint. Im still that way.
That said, the truth is , I wasnt gonna really get anywhere.
I had terrible defense and turned every single fight amateur or pro into an unneccesary war.
Best of luck to you three.

Did you guys know that Dick Enberg's first sports announcing job was broadcasting the fights from the Olympic Auditorium with match maker Mickie Davies in the mid 60's? I don't think Engberg felt comfortable doing the fights. When he finally got a major network job,Davies asked him who his favorite fighter was. He saw the likes of Chacon,both Ramoses,Laguna,both Lopezes,Quarry and Patterson to name a few,and who in the hell does he comes up with? A 4 round prelim guy by the name of Manny Lugo. I don't think Lugo won a fight at the Olympic. The poor guy shouldn't have been in the ring. He's the only fighter I ever saw who would throw a left AND A RIGHT AT THE SAME TIME. Everytime he did this the crowd would laugh. But they were laughing at him.

After Engberg said to Davies that Lugo was his favorite fighter,there was dead silence. The next week Engberg is doing NFL Football. Says something about qualifying to be an expert.

DaveV17 wrote:I couldn't name a fight that either of them worked now, but Jerry Quarry and Ken Norton were both good IMO when they were commentators.

Oh man, they were EXCELLENT!!!

Robinson wrote:So what makes Bert Sugar so special ?

He has a hat. And smokes a cigar. And he knows a few dates and details, some inaccurate. That's about it. He's a terrible analyst, also.

I was very surprised to find both Gene Fullmer and George Chuvalo as very well spoken and excellent commentators any time I heard them.

I never would have expected that from either.

Its funny you mention that, about Chuvalo.

My GF watched him fight Patterson with me and she thought
he was a rough brute. Then when she heard him commentating
she was shocked it was the same guy.

ray Leonard always came across as a good commentator as
did RJJ.

I have never heard Tyson, but have been told he is a good
commentator.

I found Norton, Whittacker and Lewis to be either to focused
on the fight and in turn never ran a commentary.

I think Tyson was a commentator in the Brown-Pettway fight, but I don't remember much about what he said.

I HAVE seen a few photos of him commentating a few years back
but never recall hearing him.

I always found Bob Sheridan annoying in his modern form.
He seemed alot better when he commentated back in the 1970s.

Sheridan is superb for adding excitement. None better.

I agree he certainly is pretty excitable.

I just prefer him when he was younger for some
reason.

Goodnight, Irene wrote:Sheridan is superb for adding excitement. None better.

Worst commentator I have ever heard.

He knows nothing about boxing. Describes EVERY Fighter as great or terrific. Always hedges his bets when he scores fights. And he needs to as he has turned in some ridiculous cards. Isn't that why they brought Bontempo in to keep the fat buffoon in check?

I don't know anyone who enjoys his 'commentary'.

I think he seemed more inteligent when he was younger
less 'crazed'.

He definetly is excitable though.

I must concour with an early post that granberry made about
Don Dunphy, I have been watching alot of older fights and
enjoy his calls. I remember his voice bt never remembered
his name.

Kym

I always thought Muhammad Al was good,he was funny,like when he was helping cover the Foreman vrs Norton fight and especially Foreman vrs the Toronto Five.

Collins2000 wrote:

Goodnight, Irene wrote:Sheridan is superb for adding excitement. None better.

Worst commentator I have ever heard.

He knows nothing about boxing. Describes EVERY Fighter as great or terrific. Always hedges his bets when he scores fights. And he needs to as he has turned in some ridiculous cards. Isn't that why they brought Bontempo in to keep the fat buffoon in check?

I don't know anyone who enjoys his 'commentary'.

I think his energy (which is superior to most, if not all) goes some way to making up for the deficencies you correctly listed. The enthusiasm & the way he expresses it (Robinson is correct that he was better when younger, but many are) does more good than harm to a telecast. Also, consider he's more likely to bring a casual or non-fan around to the sport with that kind of commentary, which can't be a bad thing.

Acouple years ago Espn or one of those stations televised Lamotta- Robinson
(The Valentines day fight).with the radio call of that fight as the commentary.
I cant remember that radio announcers name but I really enjoyed his call.
Anyone remember that guy?

Expug wrote:Acouple years ago Espn or one of those stations televised Lamotta- Robinson
(The Valentines day fight).with the radio call of that fight as the commentary.
I cant remember that radio announcers name but I really enjoyed his call.
Anyone remember that guy?

Hey Buddy,ever since you asked that question,I've been racking my brain trying to think who that was. I'm pretty sure it was Ted Husing. That was a great blow by blow call on the Robinson/LaMotta fight. "Round 13. The hardluck round" A perfect voice for calling a fight. There's a thread running now on Unprofessional Broadcasting. Guys like Husing,Steve Ellis,Don Dunphy,and Clem McCarthy had the hardest broadcasting job in the world. Blow by blow descriptions of boxing matches on the radio. These guys today would be lost after 30 seconds.

British commentators are far better than Americans. The likes of Reg Gutteridge are far superior to any Larry Merchant or Max Kellerman, who simply to to promote their own place in the event they are "covering".

Knucklez wrote:British commentators are far better than Americans. The likes of Reg Gutteridge are far superior to any Larry Merchant or Max Kellerman, who simply to to promote their own place in the event they are "covering".

Yes,today British commentators are better than the Americans,but that's not saying much. Reg was very good. Does he still call the fights? The fellas' I mentioned though were excellent during their day.

Knucklez wrote:British commentators are far better than Americans. The likes of Reg Gutteridge are far superior to any Larry Merchant or Max Kellerman, who simply to to promote their own place in the event they are "covering".

OLD CHINESE SAYING:

THERE IS NO CHOICE BETWEEN STINKING FISH
.
.

Robinson wrote:Hey guys...I thought I posted this thread before, but maybe my PC froze or something.

I am curious to know what the credentials are of some of the sports leading authorities. Whether they are more or less sports journalists with a flare for boxing or if they had dabbled in the sport themselves etc.

I personally find an opinion to be more interesting and relevant from those who have been in there or amongst it. As opposed to some one who has spent a life time watching other men perform great things.

Guys like say...

Al Bernstein - one of my favourite commentators.

Thomas Hauser -
Larry Merchant

Etc

Thanks again guys

kym

I wouldnt worry about if a writer has an award or a qualification. If it is accurate, and you enjoy reading it, that is what matters. Everything is a matter of taste and preference, and the only thing one can insist on is accuracy.