I remember him doing the Duran Leonard I fight, I thought he was going to cry when Roberto was raking Ray over the hot coals along the ropes, pleading for the ref to get involved
I think they established that with some fighters a while ago. They even created a special status for Vitali Klitschko, “Chanpion Emeritus”, so he was still WBC champion after retiring.
Cosell wasnt impartial. He got involved with punchers like Frazier, Foreman, Shavers and even Holmes because he hated to comment boring fights that lasted 15 rounds where there werent KDs or KOs. In fact he gave the best during Foreman v Frazier I and II, Foreman v Lyle, Foreman v Norton and Shavers v Holmes I and II. Imo.
Cosell sometimes acted like part of a comedy routine with Muhammad Ali, like on the Sonny and Cher Comedy hour .
Think so? He defended Muhammad Ali when he was stripped of his title and boxing license in April 1967 for refusing to submit to the military draft. Cosell went on the air several times defending Ali's refusal. Cosell was a law graduate, a lawyer.
Im not questioning his professionality even when Ali fought but his favorite fighters were Foreman in primis, then Holmes and Frazier.