I thought he was excellent. Right time to go, but the criticism he got was way over the top. Typical keyboard warrior type stuff.
A classic. Once I was watching a fight, I think it was in 2015, and Watt was talking about how tough the guy was, and that he would: "Go out on his SLEEVE" (not shield)
I think Jim eyes have been going for a long time now, he certainly wasn't watching the same fights that I was. All the best to him in his retirement though, he's a good man.
never knew he was a commentator for so long on sky. 20 years in the last 3-4 years he has been on the decline but the death of his Daughter was awful. Adam Smith should do it he likes an away day
Good call, hes been through alot respect should be given Thanks Jim all the best! I would like to hear him say Toni Belluuuuuuuuuuu one more time however
Watt'isms will live long in the memory and I'll miss play Jim Watt bingo but I'm glad he has gone. Hopefully Sky think this through and don't just lump Froch next to Halling, I think they need an experienced boxing man to correct Halling and all of his uneducated comments. I'm still trying to get my head around Halling saying Oliver Harrison is like North Korea :huh
Generally Paul Dempsey is the best in the business because he has no qualms with sticking it to the boxer and asking them the difficult questions. British Boxing has yet to either find a personality ****yst or a sharp mind that provides genuine insight. I either want a Eubank who'll generally act like a clown or someone like Jones who can sometimes predict the future and how it'll unfold.
Right time to go. Just too old for it now. But reckon people will miss him more than they think. Jim was a great commentator at one point. Remember watching the first eubanks v benn fight he was great to listen to back then. But last few years hes been going downhill. Been through a hard time jim. A good man. Hopefully retirement treats him well.
I didn't mind watt. Thought the criticism was overblown. Who will take over? Shame they can't get Ian Darke back. Would love sky to get Mauro Ranello for the big shows. He's a great commentator. Boxing, mma and Japanese pro wrestling. The way he calls Japanese pro wrestling is immense.
I like Ranello but he's commentating on so much now for the WWE it's not feasible. I'd sack Halling and give Andy Scott a go. Pair him with McCrory or Smith going forward. I'd let Froch ease his way in with undercard fights. Al Bernstein seems to like the UK- he may be a possibility if he isn't commentating in the US.
Jim Watt was an iconic voice on boxing, I will be sad to see him go. He added drama and made a big event feel like a big event. He used to talk some old school rubbish like thinking he could judge a fighter's conditioning by looking at his physique. I also thought that his time has come to a natural end and he was starting to get a bit repetitive- we've heard everything he had to say. He also used to get a story in his head early on and only see evidence that supported his story. However, he will be a hard act to follow- I don't think we'll appreciate how hard an act until we hear his long term replacement. He was biased towards British fighters because he wanted them to win but it was never in a devious way- he just couldn't supress his passion. BUT - unlike McCrory, Smith, Nelson, Hailling and the rest- Jim Watt was no Sky puppet! If Jim Watt thought a fight was a mismatch he would call it as a mismatch. Jim Watt wouldn't make excuses for a one sided fight or pretend a fighter had a chance when he never in order to appease his Sky paymasters- there aint many in Sky do that- for that reason he will be sorely missed. You might not have always agreed with his view of a fight but I don't think anybody could call him a "yes" man or question his integrity- how many others on Sky could you say that about?