Is Larry Merchant the greatest commentator in recent boxing history?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Jack Catterall, Jul 12, 2019.



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  1. Jack Catterall

    Jack Catterall New Member Full Member

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    Dis is a question I don’t hear a lot and it just usually bashing merchant. But Merchants longevity and he was probably the best HBO commentator from 1980- 2005. Opinions?
     
    Jack Catterall, Jul 12, 2019
    Jack Catterall, Jul 12, 2019
    #1
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  2. Hookandjab

    Hookandjab Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Yes
     
    Hookandjab, Jul 12, 2019
    Hookandjab, Jul 12, 2019
    #2
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  3. rinsj

    rinsj Active Member Full Member

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    Yes
     
    rinsj, Jul 12, 2019
    rinsj, Jul 12, 2019
    #3
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  4. scartissue

    scartissue Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I don't know about replacing him for the interview. If they did, we would have missed out on the confrontations he had with Floyd Mayweather and Lennox Lewis.
     
    scartissue, Jul 12, 2019
    scartissue, Jul 12, 2019
    #4
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  5. scartissue

    scartissue Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Oh, man, me too. I'm thankful I can still watch something, but every weekend now I'm scouring everything from showtime to Fox to Foxsports to espn. Anything with two guys going at it. Next I'll be heading downtown to check out nasty alleyways to see if two bums are going at it. We didn't realize how good we had it.
     
    scartissue, Jul 12, 2019
    scartissue, Jul 12, 2019
    #5
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  6. The Professor

    The Professor Socialist Ring Leader Staff Member

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    No. Al Bernstein is far better.
     
    The Professor, Jul 12, 2019
    The Professor, Jul 12, 2019
    #6
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  7. THE BLADE 2

    THE BLADE 2 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    yes
     
    THE BLADE 2, Jul 12, 2019
    THE BLADE 2, Jul 12, 2019
    #7
  8. ETM

    ETM I thought I did enough to win. Full Member

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    My favorite all time line of Larry Merchant was describing Bert Cooper as he was entering the ring to face Holyfield...' this guy can fight some. He's like a temperamental big European Car, sometimes he goes off the road and decides to stay there sometimes he can really go!' very fitting.
     
    ETM, Jul 12, 2019
    ETM, Jul 12, 2019
    #8
  9. red cobra

    red cobra VIP Member Full Member

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    My favorite was Cosell,..the voice,...the sound track of boxing in the 60's and 70's.
     
    red cobra, Jul 12, 2019
    red cobra, Jul 12, 2019
    #9
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  10. Tramell

    Tramell Hypocrites Love to Pray & Be Seen. Mathew 6:5 Full Member

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    Gr8 commentator

    Bernstein did have a repeated phrase that he could've changed up.
    "This is a Seminal moment" I think he used it in about a dozen fights!, but very objective. Farhood was okay.


    However the best I've heard commentating would be 1. Ray Leonard 2. Gil Clancey 3. Mike Tyson (very under rated) 4. Cosell 5. Dan Dierdorff 6.Merchant 7. Bernstein 8. Tessitore

    Lamply when he wanted to be, but usually he & Max were IMO cheerleaders for HBO fighters, only!
     
    Tramell, Jul 12, 2019
    Tramell, Jul 12, 2019
    #10
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  11. Saintpat

    Saintpat Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Gil Clancy and Tim Ryan were the best ever IMO. Always on point, great chemistry, knew their stuff.

    I liked Chick Hearn’s call of the fights in LA, too.

    But all things being equal, in more recent years I’ve come to really enjoy Ian Darke ... and I’m not even British.
     
    Saintpat, Jul 12, 2019
    Saintpat, Jul 12, 2019
    #11
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  12. Jel

    Jel Obsessive list maker Full Member

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    I liked Larry Merchant. It took him about 4 hours to get a sentence out but he usually had something to say.
     
    Jel, Jul 12, 2019
    Jel, Jul 12, 2019
    #12
  13. THE BLADE 2

    THE BLADE 2 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Clancy-Ryan definitely the best team.Very knowledgable
     
    THE BLADE 2, Jul 13, 2019
    THE BLADE 2, Jul 13, 2019
    #13
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  14. mrkoolkevin

    mrkoolkevin Never wrestle with pigs or argue with fools Full Member

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    If he was, that’s a pretty sad testament to the abysmal quality of boxing commentary.
     
    mrkoolkevin, Jul 13, 2019
    mrkoolkevin, Jul 13, 2019
    #14
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  15. mrkoolkevin

    mrkoolkevin Never wrestle with pigs or argue with fools Full Member

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    Merchant looked like a clown trying to pretend he was some kind of tough guy in the Floyd interview. A new twist on his already extremely annoying “cranky old man” shtick.
     
    mrkoolkevin, Jul 13, 2019
    mrkoolkevin, Jul 13, 2019
    #15
    Pat M likes this.
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