Favorite commentary performance

I always dug...for sheer drama,..Graham MacNamee's take on the Frazier-Mathis bout, when in the 11th, he got emotional after Frazier decked Buster,..started crying and famously said..."oh the humanity".....oh wait, ...sorry. Got mixed up...that was the Hindenburg crash!!

 

My fav were Jerry Quarry with Tom Brookshier. And Tim Ryan

 

You wouldn't expect Howard Cosell to quote Bob Dylan. It was a nice touch.

 

It wasn't really a commentary performance, but the HBO team in the aftermath of the first Bowe-Golota fight was... heartwarming. The concern for Lou Duva, Jim Lampley's concern for his daughter, George Foreman protecting his co-workers, and George trying to calm down rioters. It was a pretty incredible scene.

Interestingly, Foreman, in his big bad surly phase, tried calming down both Johnny Boudreaux and Scott LeDoux, following their controversial fight, in a similar manner.

 

Cosell during Foreman-Lyle comes to mind. Also, football guy Keith Jackson did fights for ABC back in the 70's and 80's and wound up doing a great job on some classic fights including Chacon-Limon IV, Matt Franklin-Marvin Johnson II, Weaver-Tate and several others.

 

George Foreman: "Where's the FI-ya?!!"

 

Me too...and the most interesting thing about it, is the former football player (Jim Brown). He is able to more accurately describe what is happening than the actual boxer, Joe Frazier.
Frazier is adamant that Foreman is punishing Ali on the ropes whilst Jim responds by stating how "even though he is on the ropes, Ali is still dictating the fight"!

 

Gotta say, I prefer Barry Tompkins.

 

" It's Hagler full of blood"

 

Very true - Harry Carpenter saying that then is the equivalent of a boxing commentator today proclaiming 'I don't ****ing believe it' on live TV; completely out of character.

 

That phrase was in my head when I posted on Hagler-Hearns. That and 'It didn't go very far but it was a beauty!'

 

"He's broke his legs" is always a good laugh.

 

Jim Watt on Holyfield vs Tyson. 'The bully is getting bullied', 'I've never been so glad to be wrong' etc.

In fact, Jim Watt in general.

 

Then forgetting his impartiality when Bruno has Tyson momentarily hurt in their first fight.
“Get in there Frank!”

 

Me and my school mates back then quoted that for years, usually with variations on what Harry said ('Hit him, Frank!', 'Headbutt him, Frank!', 'Kick 'im in the bollox, Frank!'). I loved that Carpenter let his impartiality slip so clearly.