Lampley and Tessitore and Ranallo are set up to be the professional announcer and the rest are "color commentators " either boxers or non boxers. Al Bernstein is an excellent color guy despite not being a boxer; so was Merchant but he had serious biases which Al dosen't have. Merchant hated non sluggers; he expected every boxer to fight like a caveman. Bradley is very good at impromptu conversations but not so much at ringside. Ward was...ok at best. The Kreiger guy is a fifth wheel and isn't necessary.
Bernstein is tha worst I dnt know how he still has the job besides longevity reasons just hear him n the 80s he was the same monotone no flavour n less insight than most always chucking some kiss ass line to another announcer so they serve him back just pathetic
Ward is ok but does cheerlead a bit. I liked Bradley as a fighter but he is awful behind the mic. I like Kellerman despite all the hate he gets. By far my favorite modern commentator is Malignaggi.
I know what you mean there has been times by chance i got to watch fights without any commentary on the russian/ukraine feeds, It was weird and shallow at times just goes to show how much they add with them yapping in between gaps because it really makes a boring fight that much more unbearable & hard to watch for eg last nights Martin vs Jared fight with no commentary would be even more of a chore to get through, feel more bad for the crowd who payed money to watch it live.
I don't really care about commentary teams. I miss George Foreman though some of his best stuff was hilarious.
I'd rather Kellerman than Ward or Bradley but I don't like him as a commentator either. Most commentators are garbage and annoying
Bradley can go. Ward has his biases but he can provide insight that a broadcasting school guy cannot. Bradley is trying to create soundbites and forcibly repeat jargon like a clown. Bradley's time spent with Atlas couldn't be more evident. Teddy showed him the ropes of being a clown and now Bradley is showing the world what he can do. Max Kellerman and this Kreigel guy detract majorly from the fight. That "role" has no place in the sport. Lampley has actual broadcasting skill, Roy/Paulie/Steward can deliver an expert opinion, and everyone else is more or less useless.
It’s like the old adage you don’t have to be a great player to be a great manager. Listening to Ward was like watching him int the ring you can appreciate it, but you will also be bored out of your skull.
The talking head purge at ESPN continues. Kriegel should be next. He is a writer, but he's a terrible announcer. They gave him a long time to figure it out, but he can go back to solely being behind the scenes. You don't need more than two announcers. Just keep Joe and Tim. And just call the fight. Having a roundtable discussion every round is unnecessary and annoying.
Jim Lampley and Larry Merchant were much better than Ward and Bradley. I don't always believe that ex fighters make good commentators. Jim Watt was one who made the transition well though.
Two unlikeable inarticulate boobs whose job it is to describe a fight and provide commentary. Bradley is okay but Ward has no interest in speaking about anything but himself. He’s as boring a broadcaster as he was as a fighter.
Ah the ever so self obsessed Ward with the exception of wen he's impersonating Mayweather lol tru fan boi personified