BoxRec

What was he on tonight? He started with the idea that Murray was unprofessional and tight at the weight and wouldn't be able to last. Then he kept saying, "Murray is gambling", "he can't last", by round three he was saying "he's only throwing arm punches", and kept overplaying everything Lawton threw, while ignoring all the punches Murray was landing. Even when Lawton was barely holding on near the end, he was saying "Murray needs to stop him". What was he on?

He even said referee could have given Lawton a standing count - in what rules is that?

I thought Murray looked fantastic, shame we had to put up with Duke's ridiculous remarks. Rawling was good, though, made a point of gambling for an early stoppage, but at least he saw the way the fight was going and called it straight.

i like mckenzie he say's how he reads into it,the man is probably one of our finest champions. & is intellectual & knows alot more then me & you,& yes does get it wrong at times.
i like how he's not all praise & talk for the house fighter.
it did look like murray was in a hurry & was lightly to shoot his bolt.

I also like McKenzie he normally speaks a lot of sence but last night he definetly overplayed Lawtons punches some were good punches but didnt have much force behind them

duke mckenzie-great fighter lousy commentator, sorry guys i really thought he spoiled the card last night

You could almost hear McKenzies brain chugging away in confusion when Rawlings said (in reference to their assumption that Murray would be weight drained) "Murray may need the stoppage.." ... there was a few seconds of silence from Duke - and I fully expected him to say "Yes John, Murray is falling behind on my card"

I think it is possible that they were directed to play up this bout as a "competative fight," when in reality it wasn't. I mean this with no disrespect to Lawton, but Murray was something like 16-1 on to win.

Most ITV main events have been much more competative than this, so perhaps (espeically considering the late Fury pull out) they needed to present this to give the impression that it was more of a fight than it was.

whicker wrote:I think it is possible that they were directed to play up this bout as a "competative fight," when in reality it wasn't. I mean this with no disrespect to Lawton, but Murray was something like 16-1 on to win.

Most ITV main events have been much more competative than this, so perhaps (espeically considering the late Fury pull out) they needed to present this to give the impression that it was more of a fight than it was.

probably so. but some of mckenzies outbursts where lame like when he kept saying murray was throwing arm punches on the inside when it was clear he was wearing lawton down gradually.Theres ways to talk up a match but last night was not it.

mckenzie needs to watch some ESPN and HBO maybe he could learn something from the pros

caffrey wrote: some of mckenzies outbursts where lame like when he kept saying murray was throwing arm punches on the inside when it was clear he was wearing lawton down gradually.

Yeah, I do agree that the commentry was "off the mark", but possibly he was just "following instructions."

hurlock wrote:i like mckenzie he say's how he reads into it,the man is probably one of our finest champions. & is intellectual & knows alot more then me & you,& yes does get it wrong at times.
i like how he's not all praise & talk for the house fighter.
it did look like murray was in a hurry & was lightly to shoot his bolt.

How exactly do you gauge his intelligence??...because he wears glasses (it cant surely be on the basis of what he says!!)?? Commentating on a fight is about observing the fight and relaying what is actually taking place. Without fail his commentary often makes me think that he's watching a different fight completely.

The bloke may have been a world champion and with that certainly comes great insight into the fight game. But lets not forget he’s also taken more punishment to his brain than me and you, which has clearly affected his ability to interpret what he sees and be able to communicate it affectively.

The amount of times he gets a cle-shay completely wrong is embarrassing and nothing short of cringe worthy. To me, he often comes across as confused. Ian Darke is a top drawer commentator (who pisses all over McKenzie in respect of commentary) and to my knowledge he hasn’t boxed in his life. Great fighters don’t necessarily equate to great commentators and to suggest that fight fans cant criticise the short-comings in McKenzie's commentary because of his ring achievements is nothing short of ridiculous.

liamlion wrote:

hurlock wrote:i like mckenzie he say's how he reads into it,the man is probably one of our finest champions. & is intellectual & knows alot more then me & you,& yes does get it wrong at times.
i like how he's not all praise & talk for the house fighter.
it did look like murray was in a hurry & was lightly to shoot his bolt.

How exactly do you gauge his intelligence??...because he wears glasses (it cant surely be on the basis of what he says!!)?? Commentating on a fight is about observing the fight and relaying what is actually taking place. Without fail his commentary often makes me think that he's watching a different fight completely.

The bloke may have been a world champion and with that certainly comes great insight into the fight game. But lets not forget he’s also taken more punishment to his brain than me and you, which has clearly affected his ability to interpret what he sees and be able to communicate it affectively.

The amount of times he gets a cle-shay completely wrong is embarrassing and nothing short of cringe worthy. To me, he often comes across as confused. Ian Darke is a top drawer commentator (who pisses all over McKenzie in respect of commentary) and to my knowledge he hasn’t boxed in his life. Great fighters don’t necessarily equate to great commentators and to suggest that fight fans cant criticise the short-comings in McKenzie's commentary because of his ring achievements is nothing short of ridiculous.

x 2

do these ex fighters have like a job interview to become a pundit/commentator.Some are fantastic-lennox lewis,roy jones,bernard hopkins.but the ones forced down our throats such as mckenzie and mcguigan are teriible

I was always under the impression that Duke McKenzie was a comedy act, brought in to lighten the mood

Khaosai-Galaxy wrote:I was always under the impression that Duke McKenzie was a comedy act, brought in to lighten the mood

caffrey wrote: x 2

do these ex fighters have like a job interview to become a pundit/commentator.Some are fantastic-lennox lewis,roy jones,bernard hopkins.but the ones forced down our throats such as mckenzie and mcguigan are teriible

I find Lennox adds nothing to a broadcast, seems to say very generic responses. I find Roy hard to understand... Hopkins is good though.

I don't mind McGuigan, but some of McKenzie's comments are just baffling.

Jim Watt is the master, it sometimes hard to believe he was actually a boxer, thats how good he is.

liamlion wrote: Great fighters don’t necessarily equate to great commentators and to suggest that fight fans cant criticise the short-comings in McKenzie's commentary because of his ring achievements is nothing short of ridiculous.

Yes, but my old man often says to me "does this guy know anything about the sport"... well the obvious answer SHOULD be yes - 3 weight world champion.... but both me and the old man are often just lost for words with the things he says. Its not his presentation or communication skills we are questioning, but it appears his general lack of knowledge (and I aint talking facts and figures) about the sport... strategy, fight awareness etc..... surely such an intelligent boxer, I mean in the ring, cannot be that bad.

The worst display I've seen for McKenzie was for the PRE RECORDED (which I think is an important factor) Froch vs Taylor show. He just contradicted himself time and time again and I think even said that Taylor and Froch were stylistically similar but Froch the boxer

Duke and Rawlings should do us all a favour and step down.

What was that Northern Irish commentators name who was absolutely piss poor as a BBC commentator for a few years. I remember him calling William Joppy, William YOPPY.

I have said this before and will say it again, Duke is simply the worst commentator I have every heard, ever.

lirva wrote:What was that Northern Irish commentators name who was absolutely piss poor as a BBC commentator for a few years. I remember him calling William Joppy, William YOPPY.

gentleman jim neilly. DD

"amir khan is in the olympic final as sure as the turning of the earth"

Khaosai-Galaxy wrote:I was always under the impression that Duke McKenzie was a comedy act, brought in to lighten the mood

McKenzie and Rawlings are the modern-day laurel and Hardy of the boxing commentating world .. well maybe Cannon and Ball cos atleast people wanted to watch Stan and Olly

Anyone remember Rawling on the Khan - St. Clair fight? Khan won every minute of every round (120-108 on all three cards) and Rawling was rattling on at the midway stage like we were watching McClellan-Benn. I actually watched the second half of it with the sound off.

lirva wrote:What was that Northern Irish commentators name who was absolutely piss poor as a BBC commentator for a few years. I remember him calling William Joppy, William YOPPY.

Jim Neilly, and he def gets my vote as the worst commentator ever

To think BBC's dream team was once Neilly/McKenzie with Inverdale presenting.

Was Jim Neilly the one who said "He looked great until he got knocked out in the first round" :??

I think it was him who during the Barrera v Tapia fight said something like "Barrera has enourmous respect for Tapia which is why he has his name on his shorts"



Absolute prat.

banjo wrote:Was Jim Neilly the one who said "He looked great until he got knocked out in the first round" :??

I think it was him who during the Barrera v Tapia fight said something like "Barrera has enourmous respect for Tapia which is why he has his name on his shorts"



Absolute prat.

yeah I remember that. He was a real idiot. Couldn't even pronounce fighters names. "Evander Holly Field"