Shotime's commentary of Froch v Jonson

[whiskey]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdvT5V9a ... er&list=UL Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpMzemYGkLs Part 2

- they portray the fight far more effectively.

Commentators far more upbeat and excited. Not so fecking miserable and panic stations.

[allahsnackbar]

Its no contest. I loved when they were saying how ridiculous it was that Froch hasn't been broadcast in the UK much.

[whiskey]

I seriously believe if they put mega Watt on the S6 final we shall get 25 minutes of Watt moaning about his low left, amongst other assorted complaints. Seriously click the link and just look how Sho put their event coverage together. They capture the essence of a boxing fight really well. Especially getting Andre Ward too commentate to gives it a great angle.

[statmanjohn]

I muted the commentary last night. Sky teams panicking was making me on edge! Watched the fight on mute again this morning and synced showtimes commentary - what a difference! So refreshing to hear the praise and also hear more of the corners

[whiskey]

I muted the commentary last night. Sky teams panicking was making me on edge! Watched the fight on mute again this morning and synced showtimes commentary - what a difference! So refreshing to hear the praise and also hear more of the corners

Absolutely, it felt like a rather unsatisfying fight. I was told to re-watch the Sho version, which I did and it was miles better - especially how Tarver talks about how to fight Johnson, what Ward thinks of the fight between each round, plus other facts and interesting angles.

Compared to "his defence his terrible, its in his DNA, that low left....it's in his DNA, it should have been sorted 10 years ago." - is Watt paid to commentate on the action, or just sit at his mic and criticise something not once, not twice, but constantly ?

Whilst i'm pleased for HD quality, he ruined more Cobra fights previously on Sky it was a joke. During Froch vs Magee, he was like a broken record, instead of discussing what was actually happening, he just repeated himself again and again about how terrible Froch is, that he is this, that and the other. I was 5 foot away and it was a cracking dust-up, when i pressed play the next day it was like I'd seen a completely different event altogether.

[whiskey]

Adam Smith and his team read this forum.

They should watch the showtime version in a meeting room and discuss why their broadcast sucked so badly in comparison.

A wooden plank from a bygone age anchoring the event, Barker unable to get a word in edgeways over rubber Johnny. Then two lemon-suckers at ringside.

Trust me, Watt is going to ruin the Haye vs Klitschko fight too if he gets that gig. He will make the viewer think David Haye is the biggest crock of poo to ever lace up. He is like a bad salesman.

When the fight begins I'm a 9 out 10 for excitement.... give it a couple of rounds and I'm a 5 out of 10.

If a fighter lands a great shot - rather than call it a beautiful punch, he will heap blame on the recipient "terrible, he needs to get that hand up" - you listen to any other broadcaster they recognise the boxer doing the good work. "Great right hand ! he's got him rocked and making him pay!"

His approach is sh*t.

[WelshDevil]

Watch a fight with Russian commentary then you can make your own mind up rather than worry about what the commentators say.

It was a poor performance against an oldman who had trouble making weight - Johnson gasping for air in the last few rounds. Still, it was johnson initiating the action and pushing the fight.

I don't need Showtime or Sky to tell me what I'm watching. Poor performance and I expected better. Carl froch struggled with Johnson - close fight, right man won but was far from convincing.

[whiskey]

Watch a fight with Russian commentary then you can make your own mind up rather than worry about what the commentators say.

It was a poor performance against an oldman who had trouble making weight - Johnson gasping for air in the last few rounds. Still, it was johnson initiating the action and pushing the fight.

I don't need Showtime or Sky to tell me what I'm watching. Poor performance and I expected better. Carl froch struggled with Johnson - close fight, right man won but was far from convincing.

So what relevance is that to the point of the thread ? its a discussion about the performance of the commentary team.

Have you even watched the showtime version Rob ?

[WelshDevil]

Watch a fight with Russian commentary then you can make your own mind up rather than worry about what the commentators say.

It was a poor performance against an oldman who had trouble making weight - Johnson gasping for air in the last few rounds. Still, it was johnson initiating the action and pushing the fight.

I don't need Showtime or Sky to tell me what I'm watching. Poor performance and I expected better. Carl froch struggled with Johnson - close fight, right man won but was far from convincing.

So what relevance is that to the point of the thread ? its a discussion about the performance of the commentary team.

Have you even watched the showtime version Rob ?

I was commenting on commentary in general in a topic about commentary and Yes I have listened to both versions.

I found that the Sky team where trying to give rounds to Froch, almost making excuses to do so.

But as I already said. Best to forget the commentary and not be swayed by it. Who is winning, they all have agendas and favourites and that often comes across.

[TheCobra]

I agree that in general Watt could do with some positivity lessons in commentary. he is very much a 'critic' and seems to pick out faults in a fighter more than find the positives in the work or try and sell the fight. I must admit the commentary last night for Froch's fight really grated with me.

[Bricks]

I agree that in general Watt could do with some positivity lessons in commentary. he is very much a 'critic' and seems to pick out faults in a fighter more than find the positives in the work or try and sell the fight. I must admit the commentary last night for Froch's fight really grated with me.

who is the "moaning bastard" now.

gomez u are right if watt is doing the haye-klithko commentary he and his sky colleagues need to be told not to shout over the intros.

i think watt is the best thing on sky boxing coverage but i do agree nelson needs to be sedated, disgusting how rabid and rude he was around barker.

[mrbassie]

Wow. Glad I watched the shobox version (via torrent). They really do have a good team, better than sky or hbo. Sky for the reasons all you guys have listed, better than hbo mainly because I just hate Jim Lampley's constant babbling.
Again though, Showtime's team are excellent especially Tarver who is without doubt by far the best boxer turned pundit around.

[crusader]

Almost every commentary team I have come across in boxing has been biased or cringe worthy in some respect, and that's why I now watch fights with the sound off.

[Final round]

You're right Gomez there was an awful lot of moaning about what Froch was doing wrong from Watt. It's Carl's style he aint gonna change now and look at how far it has got him. I'll check out the shobox version later.
Froch did seem to be working in the wrong gear for much of the fight though.

[subsy]

I muted the commentary last night. Sky teams panicking was making me on edge! Watched the fight on mute again this morning and synced showtimes commentary - what a difference! So refreshing to hear the praise and also hear more of the corners

This - Tend to end up just laughing at Watt and his Watt-isms most of the night - hard not to get annoyed at times though

In fact, some of the repetition is almost on a par with The Gilf..... ever seen them in the same place at the same time???

[JC]

Al Bernstein is my favourite (active) commentator.

[keithmoonhangover]

Happy knowledgable commentators make all the difference. I've got oodles of respect for Jim Watt the boxer, but Jim Watt the commentator is biased and negative.

[bfchunk]

Al Bernstein is my favourite (active) commentator.

Me too. Whilst I understand many (probably more casual fans than die hards) probably would complain if there was no UK commentary, I'm happy for the US teams to do it. Showtime are a level or two up on HBO though.

[Lenny]

I like Watt. Sky made a mistake in cutting away to the studio when interviews were still ongoing and the ads are a constant pain. The worst thing, for me, is that the fact that every clean shot to the chin is classed as a shot that has hurt the fighter. Or in some cases when a solid shot lands they say a fighter is about to go when he clearly isn't.

If a guy gets hit and pauses for a sec then he's not necessarily hurt, just summing up his options and steadying himself. I don't believe that Froch was hurt by every right hand. Taylor hurt him when he floored him but Pascal hit him with bigger shots than Glen and didn't seem to badly stun 'The Cobra' so why do they suppose he was suddenly one shot away from disaster on Sun am? He wasn't, he just got caught clean and hit back pretty much every time.

Agreed, read on the CS thread that Froch was staggered by multipul right hands. Rubbish. He was caught clean many times but I wouldn't say he was ever staggered.

Anyway, when Sky decide to show that much boxing, I'm never going to complain about it

[dondada]

Jim Watt is quality you miserable bastards.

[lefthook82]

Commentary doesnt add a thing for me personally. Happily can watch fights on mute or

[junior pepa seed]

gus johnson is shit....proper twat.

[keithmoonhangover]

Jim Watt is quality you miserable bastards.

It turns out that not only am I miserable, but my parents conceived me out of wedlock.

[horndawg80]

American commentary is excellent! I like Showtime and HBO.

Jim Watt can get a little tiresome. He is always very biased.
Barry McGuigan talks a lot of sense.
They should recruit Jim Rosenthal without doubt!

I think Sky could do with some fresh blood. Darren Barker is a bit wooden but talks sensibly and gives a fighters perspective.

[banjo]

Showtime are great, HBO are like Sky, just hype and bullshit but like Macho I'd prefer a no commentary option.