BoxRec

If like them to get Paulie M as a permanent replacement.

Hope he enjoys his retirement. I've spoken to him a couple of times and seems a really good bloke.

When I've watched old fights back thought he was excellent. In very recent years he has been really honest then the next the opposite and in Halling mode.

It's always been Halling I can't stand on commentary . I really hope Paul Smith is not a commentator his comments during the Campbell Mendy fight were disgusting Ia ctually thought he was quite good when he did some work on allegedly.

Personally think Macklin has been good recently.

Who is going to score the fights for Joe Gallagher?

Jim Watt's a top commentator in my book. Wish him the best.

jonp wrote:Richie woodhall should get the job but wont as doesnt seem to be in fashion at sky

This ^^^^^^

He should have retiref years ago. Watt has a terrible habit of exhaggerating shots (particularly with British fighterd) and oftrn declaring that fighterd are "hurt".

Then later contradicts himself by saying that a cettsin boxer was never hurt.

Good commentator. Very knowledgeable and always a class act. Well deserved retirement

Killer Blow wrote:Anyone with half a brain will be delighted.

And those with a full one won't be

iam glad but i stand by a person , and he was our commentator on sky for a number of years, didn't agree with him alot . good luck on his retirement

I`ll miss the old sod (even though he has driven me mad on more than one occasion) Sure, he got stuck in a rut far too often and was overly negative at times, but he knew his onions and seems like a top bloke as well.

He called the Crolla v Barossa fight spot on for me, so even at the late stage of his career he knew his boxing.

He has faced some terrible personal adversity in his time and I hope he lives out the remainder of his life happy and contented. For me he was the voice of British boxing for many years. He`s paid his dues.

I have nothing but admiration for him, he overachieved as a boxer back in the days when there were only 2 world titles and is a much, much better commentator than he's given credit for (on here, anyway), good luck Jim.

On the bingo "ahgoodshot" has to be the winner, run close by "the gymnasium"

After years of anyone commentating you run out of phrases.
Jim is a good man who's had a rough time in life and I wish him well.

"and that was a backward butt Reg, a backward butt, Eubank's in trouble!"

cbellshaw wrote:Good commentator. Very knowledgeable and always a class act. Well deserved retirement

Slightly off topic but when are you next putting on a show in Greenock?

forcefraser wrote:I`ll miss the old sod (even though he has driven me mad on more than one occasion) Sure, he got stuck in a rut far too often and was overly negative at times, but he knew his onions and seems like a top bloke as well.

He called the Crolla v Barossa fight spot on for me, so even at the late stage of his career he knew his boxing.

He has faced some terrible personal adversity in his time and I hope he lives out the remainder of his life happy and contented. For me he was the voice of British boxing for many years. He`s paid his dues.

I remember thinking Watt and Halling were overestimating how well Crolla was coming on against Barroso,but they were bang on,Barroso just imploded

BigDoofus wrote:Who is going to score the fights for Joe Gallagher?

Brilliant

Regrettably, Jim has been way off the pace for a good few years and that's a real shame because all the good stuff he's done in the past tends to get a wee bit overlooked/disparaged as today's fans got frustrated by some of the more recent poor calls he has made.

Worth recalling that the guy did plenty of quality work and overall his account should be in credit.

Reg Gutteridge who was the supreme live commentator always kept Jim on a tight editorial leash....he'd call the action and then 'frame' exactly the right question for Jim to show his knowledge but also kept him away from waffling or making calls when the fight was in the balance.

A top editor-journo like Gutteridge allowed Jim to shine but also limited his input in a positive way; ITV boxing was often world class.

forcefraser wrote:On the bingo "ahgoodshot" has to be the winner, run close by "the gymnasium"

Not a big fan of Jim and think sky could get someone bettter but I wish him well. Had a tough personal life over the years. Thank you for your service.

Bodyshot3 wrote:Regrettably, Jim has been way off the pace for a good few years and that's a real shame because all the good stuff he's done in the past tends to get a wee bit overlooked/disparaged as today's fans got frustrated by some of the more recent poor calls he has made.

Worth recalling that the guy did plenty of quality work and overall his account should be in credit.

Reg Gutteridge who was the supreme live commentator always kept Jim on a tight editorial leash....he'd call the action and then 'frame' exactly the right question for Jim to show his knowledge but also kept him away from waffling or making calls when the fight was in the balance.

A top editor-journo like Gutteridge allowed Jim to shine but also limited his input in a positive way; ITV boxing was often world class.

Yes, as good a commentary team as there ever was. Gutteridge was the governor in my opinion, more incisive than Harry Carpenter, and less prone to bouts of hyperbole or bizarre and pointless comments.

Yes, as good a commentary team as there ever was. Gutteridge was the governor in my opinion, more incisive than Harry Carpenter, and less prone to bouts of hyperbole or bizarre and pointless comments.

Agreed, Reg had the real advantage of having come from boxing a family and had grown-up around the sport but had opted for journalism as a career which he also excelled at. A pretty unique combination of a boxing guy who could write and broadcast with the best.

I think he understood where, when and how to give Jim the microphone and wanted to get the best out of him...and when those two went on the road to call some of the more obscure fights ITV were prepared to show us, they were often brilliant.

Would like to think that they had a few beers and were good mates....pity Jim is seen by some as a bit of an old wally...fans of Central TV will remember when he was sharp and bouncing off Reg as they made a light- flyweight fight in Japan somehow really matter

The gutteridge/watt combo on Chavez - Rosario was the best calling of a single fight I have ever seen, it was simply perfect

Barker tweeted something about Jim being one of the funniest guys he knows which is not something that comes across on TV

Also see all over twitter last night that Sky are getting rid of Halling too. Would be great with these two gone from the commentary from now on.

Reece_D wrote:Also see all over twitter last night that Sky are getting rid of Halling too. Would be great with these two gone from the commentary from now on.

That would be good. Would also be worth considering putting Adam Smith as the main commentator with Froch, Jamie Moore or Malignaggi next to him. He's actually a decent enough commentator and with him in the commentary box it would mean we were spared the horror of looking at his face

I think Ed Robinson and Froch would make a good pairing as well.