Worst: Merchant and Atlas Honorable mentions: Lampley, Kellerman, Mauro, a lot of the PBC randoms (like Ray Leonard) Favorites: Tessitore, Paulie, Bernstein, everyone not US/UK
Gus Johnson’s brief stretch at Showtime was just agonizing...and something I would have gladly remedied with a sock and a roll of duct tape. Barry Tompkins was outstanding in the 80’s...I still fondly remember so many of his famous calls from that era. Merchant, I’d say, was at his best from the mid 80’s to the mid 90’s. Bernstein, to me, has improved over time and is definitely my favorite of the current crop.
Kellerman is the worst by far. To be a commentator you either have to know a lot about the subject, or be charismatic. Kellerman has neither. I bet he has a Glass Jaw too.
I've been watching old fights lately. Merchant sounded really senile in the 90s and 2000s. He was at least coherent in the 70s and 80s, but by the 90s, he could barely string a sentence together. Almost like a punch-drunk boxer.
David Haye. He just scores every round drawn. I'm sure he's just messing around with his phone during the fights.
Andre Ward by far. You can hear that stupid ****** doing that lip licking crap over the mic. Needs to quit the LL Cool J wannabe **** because most think it’s gross.
John Rawling and Barry Jones are the worst I have had to listen to. Best? Seriously stretching to find best, I will have to think about that for a while. I prefer commentators to call a fight correctly most just call it for the house fighter. Rawling and Jones are the most pathetic in that regard.
Spencer Oliver, who was doing the commentary for Sky Sports for Farmer vs Ogawa the other day, only gave Ogawa one round and a share of another. There were numerous instances during the fight where he was praising Farmer for shots that fell short whilst completely ignoring shots Ogawa had landed and landed hard. Most of these commentators ain't no good.