Best UK Commentator?

I can imagine him being a laugh. I read his book years ago and this particular story stood out to me

A meal where Ali was present, and doing his “I’m so tough, I’m the toughest man that ever lived, I’m so mean I make medicine sick” schtick. And ITV Boxing correspondent, Reg Gutteridge got tired of this eventually and told Ali that he wasn’t so tough. “You think you’re a tough guy? I’ll show you what tough is.” Reg then picked up a steak knife from the table and thrust it hilt deep into his own left leg, not even flinching.
“Now,” said Reg, “Let’s see you do that”. That shut Ali up, not knowing that Reg had a wooden leg.

 

Reg Gutteridge was the funniest hands down and also very articulate too. He was pretty funny covering Evander Holyfield Vs Riddick Bowe 2.

Harry Carpenter seemed to me like the boy who was top of your class and who knew it all a bit of a boff but in a good way and he also as you said bought the emotion into his commentary allbeit in a very British and reserved way.

Ian Darke was my favourite. Glen McCory was his usually co commentator but he could co commentate with everyone and he was also quite a good mimic when quoting other people. I knew he'd gone over to football didn't know he'd covered athletics on Sky? Colin Hart also used to cover athletics and boxing (my two favourite sports!). I'm used to mainly Steve Cram, Steve Backley and Alan Cotter for Athletics on the BBC.

I'd agree that the commentary isn't as good now. Barry Jones isn't too bad. As you said a lot of the commentators come across as company men these days and dont have the same class or verve in their commentary anymore.

 

Hi Mike. I'm quite certain I read it in Reg Gutterige King of Commentary my Autobiography. It is quite possible it may have been one of Reg's party tricks and he did the same thing to Sonny Liston that he did to Muhammad Ali so we could both be correct?

 

Barry Jones seemed to be ubitqitous at one point both on Channel 5 and DAZN. Steve Bunce was going back and forth between the BBC and Channel 5 at too. I also remember them both being on Box Nation as well.

I've been looking for Muhammad Ali Vs Ken Norton 3 with Harry Carpenter's commentary I have seen a clip of it from Muhammad Ali night from 1998 featured in the documentary One Punch Too Many. Also I have a clip of him saying he felt Norton should have won the fight and got the decision. It's the end of an Amercian broadcast version of the fight I bought off a collector. I'd be interested if anyone does have the full Harry Carpenter commentary for that one?

Former sprinter Jeanette Kwakye was covering boxing on Channel 5 who was quite good as well as her doing punditry for athletics on BBC Sport but now she is just doing exclusively athletics I think? The other BBC commentator Ronald McIntosh who has covered amateur boxing and now Ben Shalom's Boxxer cards acquits himself well enough. I think Des Lynam covered boxing too on BBC didn't he?