I remember in the 00s everyone was turning on legends like Larry Merchant, makes you think wtf were people thinking looking back. Even the crap commentators from that era like Lennox are miles better than the drivel we get nowadays.
Exactly, I don't think we realised how bad it could actually get. I don't think boxing fans ask for much, we just want fair referees, fair judges and fair commentary.. just FAIR.
I know Jim Watt went a bit off the boil but it always felt like a proper fight when he was commentating. If I hear his voice even now, it could be 6 in the morning and I suddenly feel the urge to order a pizza and pour myself a lager. It’s mad how a brain is wired.
So they're clueless? Listen to them. Biased as hell? Yes. Know more about the game than anyone on here? Also yes.
Agreed. I like Bellew. He's top drawer. But he's nearly CRYING when a MR fighter loses. These guys are supposed to be fair, but they're not. Too pally, pally.
Realistically we are going to be stuck with the current set up. I think the best we can therefore hope for (certainly for big fights) is a return to the 3 person set up with Smith, Paulie and Froch/Macklin. Paulie is excellent at keeping the Matchroom bias in check and gives great technical breakdowns.
I said this a few weeks back but its clear as day that the commentators/pundits are forced to go along with roleplaying for Sky. Sky have there method of commentary that they want everybody to follow. When Macklin started he was really good as were Barker, Lee and others but within a few months they are all Sky robots, overly biased, shills. Only one who doesnt really follow suit is Froch but at the same time he doesnt do any homework, gets the fighters wrong and often seems like he has no clue of whats on the card so that helps nothing.
I’m the same with sky. Part of me the retired pros have a continued revenue stream but the likes of Macklin offer no insight at all. “I’ve seen this fella train, he’s a cracking lads and all the boys at the gym wouldn’t have a bad word to say about him.” While he’s being beat pillar to post for 5 rounds while Smith has him 3-2 up
It looks like Froch has been binned by Sky. I dont think it's his discrepancies as a commentator, more likely it's to do with him believing that the earth is flat and his interesting views on immigration, ironic when you consider his family is of Polish origin.
One of the biggest faults with the Sky Sports team is their awful habit or tying to force a narrative i.e. "And you just get the feeling..." rather than simply calling the action. Last night they all went with the script that Whyte had won every minute of the fight before the KO. Irritating and unprofessional. Adam Smith seems to bring the worst out in everyone. Unless Paulie's there it degenerates into cheer-leading - Barker, Macklin, Bellew, Froch - whoever's 'working', they all merge into one uninformative voice. I appreciate Smith's enthusiasm for the sport but it probably would be better if he worked behind scenes.
Exactly - they have a narrative for each fight. The one last night was ‘Povetkin was a top fighter, he’s visibly slowed but still a very respectable win for Whyte. Whyte will have to adjust on the fly to deal with such a seasoned operator but eventually will pull through’ They basically repeated lines to reinforce that ad nauseam all fight. Ties in nicely to that ‘learning on the job’ line they pin to Whyte. It’s all so contrived and pre-meditated.
