Today’s standard of commentary

[jameswilson]

I posted this on my Facebook a few years ago. It was after Mayweather v Pacquiao which obviously was a bit of a disappointment of a fight and basically said here’s a highlight video that’s pretty well made of a fight that exceeded expectations. I’ve just watched it back and what struck me is the standard of the commentary that we had back 20-25 years ago. If we had today’s lot covering this fight the first round would have just been ‘OHHHHHhHhG!’ ‘OHHHhHhhH!’ Repeated over and over. I have always thought shouting ‘oh’ was a cardinal sin of a commentator and have always thought that surely the bosses of the broadcasters would say to their team ‘look guys it sounds shit and doesn’t add anything to the drama you shouting like a tit.’

Are people with me on this?

Anyway enjoy.

[TheLeprechaun]

The HBO era commentating team will always be unmatched. As for UK commentary, Ian Darke stands head and shoulder above the rest and I have to say that Glen McCrory was an excellent pairing with him. These days we get Adam F*cking Smith ruining every single fight with his absolute BS commentary. The day he's finally out of boxing for good will be a day where me and my mates have an all day drinking session in celebration as the pr*ck has just ruined too many fights for the last few decades. An absolute pr*ck of the highest order to consistency do a job that he is awful at.

[gilgamesh]

To me the HBO commentary is the Gold Standard. The whole HBO Sports production for that matter with the buildup to the fights, and the stories leading into the matchups is definitely 2nd to none.

[Coco]

Smith has been around for years and usurped Darke a good while ok.
Poor commentary here isn't a recent thing.
We had Jim Neilly on the BBC too

[CaptainSpacerod]

Smith is atrocious and that US comm on the Bena v Zurdo fight was equally bad.

Those two aside though I think we’ve had some ok comms in recent years. Rawlings wasn’t bad, Costello too. The C5 guy is good. I quite enjoy Christina Poncher and Algieri when they’re on too.

[lookingaround87]

The HBO era commentating team will always be unmatched. As for UK commentary, Ian Darke stands head and shoulder above the rest and I have to say that Glen McCrory was an excellent pairing with him. These days we get Adam F*cking Smith ruining every single fight with his absolute BS commentary. The day he's finally out of boxing for good will be a day where me and my mates have an all day drinking session in celebration as the pr*ck has just ruined too many fights for the last few decades. An absolute pr*ck of the highest order to consistency do a job that he is awful at.

Agree 100% about HBO and the old British commentary. I used to like Smith but he can be a bit jarring as he over-pronounces too many words and is just too aggressive. If he calmed down a bit, he'd be alright. I like Macklin and Barker on co-commentary. Jim Watt was really good too. Darke's a great football commentator too.

Everything about HBO's boxing coverage was sublime. It felt like you were watching a film. Jim Lampley could make a boring fight fun.

[lookingaround87]

Showtime had some great commentary. Al Bernstein was great and Paulie M on co-com. DAZN is the absolute worst. Todd Grisham is the main one. Just an awful voice with no redeeming qualities. Andre Ward is garbage too and thankfully no more Bradley. I like Mauro Ranallo. I suppose he's the best of the bunch now.

[lookingaround87]

Also agree about shouting OHHHH!! during commentary. It's the equivalent of a comedian retelling a story and having to add 'but you had to be there'. Just a big no-no. I suspect Joe Rogan may have had an influence on them as that's his 'style', which may work for MMA, but I expect a higher standard with boxing and it certainly deserves it. MMA, whilst I am a fan, I have to admit has always had a lack of class and Rogan is very brutish so his commentary is just a reflection of that. He's the dudebro you expect to be commentating MMA fights.

[THEBUTCH]

I'd forgotten what an outstanding fight Trinidad v Vargas was

Commentary is very hit & miss and especially the past few years.

Adam Smith is consistent however....consistently shit !

Smith's input into boxing over the past two decades has been very pervasive. Never forget Smith is the reason that useless clown Johnny Nelson got a second career out of boxing

Whenever i start watching a fight and hear Smith's voice the volume is turned down immediately until he's inaudible....and I've been doing that for years & years

How the fxck any TV company could use Smith over someone like Mike Costello is unfathomable.

Some of the HBO broadcasts were great, but Larry Merchant was always diabolical. A conceited little know nothing and very irritating.

[tigermoth87]

Commentator I hate --- that bellend who shouts Mama Mia. He's actually decent until he shouts Mama Mia and then he just sounds like a twat.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Compare Smith here



To this.. Mauro Ranallo, the guy who shouts Mama Mia



I did like when he said, he him Breazeale so hard, they are feeling it in Brazil.

[Old bones Ian]

I couldn't stand Larry Merchant or Teddy Atlas , both overrated hacks.

[jameswilson]

Also agree about shouting OHHHH!! during commentary. It's the equivalent of a comedian retelling a story and having to add 'but you had to be there'. Just a big no-no. I suspect Joe Rogan may have had an influence on them as that's his 'style', which may work for MMA, but I expect a higher standard with boxing and it certainly deserves it. MMA, whilst I am a fan, I have to admit has always had a lack of class and Rogan is very brutish so his commentary is just a reflection of that. He's the dudebro you expect to be commentating MMA fights.

There was a period in MMA when Randy Couture and Matt Hughes were the big dogs that Rogan was co commentator with another guy and every main event that had a KO or submission ending had Rogan at the end just going

‘UN………BELIEVABLE……..UN……….BELIEvABLE!!!’

Over and over again.

[Ruthless-RKO]

I mean. Anything beats UFC commentators. See a KO and it’s just
“Oooooohhhhhh”

Owner and over again.

[gilgamesh]

Commentator I hate --- that bellend who shouts Mama Mia. He's actually decent until he shouts Mama Mia and then he just sounds like a twat.

Yeah he gets on my nerves too. That's Mauro Ranallo

[gilgamesh]

I mean. Anything beats UFC commentators. See a KO and it’s just
“Oooooohhhhhh”

Owner and over again.

The only time I ever liked an "oooooohhhhh!" in commentary was toward the end of Toney vs Jirov when Emanuel Steward gave a few of those, but he then followed it up with something with a little more of a personal touch to it.

Sometimes I think it's just a natural human reaction to a devastating shot kinda coming from outta nowhere.

[Kilburn]

Back in the late 90’s I always wished we’d got the Darke / Watt combo more often. Can’t think of many times they were paired, only Winky Wright v Harry Simon comes to mind.

[Rezzer1967]

To me the HBO commentary is the Gold Standard. The whole HBO Sports production for that matter with the buildup to the fights, and the stories leading into the matchups is definitely 2nd to none.

Can I join you and your mates celebrating Smith's demise, whenever that will be ? He ruins every single fight. Once he was on holiday and even Barker on commentary was a step up from him. Before people start saying ' ooh ! Hes a nice guy ' and ' ooh ! Hes had cancer ', I'm sure he's a nice guy and I'm sorry he's had cancer plus I hated it when people were suggesting he was a sexual weirdo but none of those things mean it's OK to spoil every show, sometimes 2 a week. You can tell how keen he is to remain the voice of Boxing cause on the weekend he's did both Inoue and Conor Walker when surely theres someone else who could pick up one of those. I understand he's ambitious but he's a terrible commentator and isn't fit to fill the boots of professionals like Carpenter, Gutteridge and Ian Darke. Hes F×××××× horrendous.

[Bobbyptsd]

I used to like the Friday night fights crew with Joe Tessitore, Atlas, Kellerman, Brian Kenney and Bob Papa. I also like Barry Jones. Adam Smith may have had cancer but he makes me wish I do and just don't know it yet.

Someone mentioned Ward. I remember a couple of years ago on ESPN they had Ward and Bradley on the same broadcasts, God that was awful. They were constantly trying to argue over who was right about a given thing while the fight was going on.

[MightyWarrior]

As someone said on Twitter week: Barry Jones and Adam Smith… It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

Tragic that an insightful commentator like Barry Jones has to be put next to a shouting peanut brained idiot on wheels, who managed to say the word “respect” during every round of the Japanese fight - While helpfully pointing out to viewers every time a JAB landed. God help us

[stujones]

Barry Jones is a tremendous find.

I cannot believe the shit Jim Watt used to get on here - he was simply the best. So good you'd actually forget he was once a world champion boxer. Articulate but still down to earth.

He was always the best and is much missed, it is lovely how people finally realise it now that he has retired.

[JamesPhilips]

Adam Smith genuinely ruins the enjoyment of fights when he’s commentating. I think he’s actually got worse since he started at DAZN. The melodramatic delivery. The deliberate pauses as he delivers yet another cliche. The repetition. The rehashing of stories we’ve heard a million times (Itauma - Mike Tyson, Wardley - white collar.) it’s amazing someone ringside for so many top quality fights could know so little about boxing.

Genuinely I have no idea what DAZN executive decided to take him on. I mean it takes one google search to see how much his commentary is despised.

Also what’s the reality with Sky? What really happened? No one gets fired for getting cancer….

[steve689]

Smith has 100% got worse. Whoever started calling him the Voice of Boxing needs shooting. He never shuts up. During the fight, between rounds, after the fight, bleeding from commentary to daft stories, to promoting stuff, it's a relentless stream of consciousness.

I know HBO used to get a lot of of love, rightly so, but I enjoyed Showtime. Bernstein, Mauro and Abner, or back to Paulie, great times. Paulie is brill on Pro Box now.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Smith has 100% got worse. Whoever started calling him the Voice of Boxing needs shooting. He never shuts up. During the fight, between rounds, after the fight, bleeding from commentary to daft stories, to promoting stuff, it's a relentless stream of consciousness.

Remember when he was promoting the women’s Netball on Sky during boxing.

[steve689]

Smith has 100% got worse. Whoever started calling him the Voice of Boxing needs shooting. He never shuts up. During the fight, between rounds, after the fight, bleeding from commentary to daft stories, to promoting stuff, it's a relentless stream of consciousness.

Remember when he was promoting the women’s Netball on Sky during boxing.

I do indeed. No breaths taken from Bean.