November 26, 1982 Astrodome in Houston Texas WBC Heavyweight Championship: 　 This content is protected vs. This content is protected 　 　 　 [yt]yOqZ1Q9OHkQ[/yt] [yt]CWGFzz-d7_8[/yt] [yt]p55__n8cfOE[/yt] [yt]xswSNKUj6qk[/yt] 　 Tex Cobb Roast of Larry Holmes: [yt]t-yiaczZWFQ[/yt] This day in history: Howard Cosell's last fight [yt]5e_vS1rmgA8[/yt]
He was a conceited, self important, pompous ass. He was like this even before he became well known. Les Keiter's first interaction with Cosell perfectly explains why people dont like him.
I don't care whether people liked or loathed him. The fact is he was right. Tex Cobb had no right being in the ring with Holmes that night, and it was the sick side of boxing that the guy was allowed to take that much punishment.
Thats highly debateable. Roone Arlidge's revolutionary approach to sports broadcasting had a lot more to do with football's popularity than Cosell. In fact plenty of fans couldnt stand the fact that Cosell was behind the mic. Cosell had a lot less to do with boxing's popularity in the late 1960s and 1970s had a lot more to do with the strength of the HW division than anything Cosell did. Boxing has always gone the way of the HWs and the late 60s and 70s was the strongest and deepest period of the division. Cosell was just along for the ride and rode its coat tails. He was still around in the late 1970s and early 80s when boxing was rapidly slipping and his presence did nothing to help that. In fact it wasnt until Tyson emerged (AFTER Cosell left pro boxing... he still called amateur fights) that the sport started to see its popularity rise again. Again, Cosell benefitted more from circumstances totally out of his control than those sports benefitted from him. He couldnt carry Don Dunphy's jock strap IMO.
I always thought Keith Jackson, who also did fights for Wide World of Sports, was a better boxing announcer than Cosell, personally.