Still only under ten, that's pretty dismal. Clearly the vast majority of boxing fans prefer Larry Merchant. I suspect Al Bernstein or Steve Farhood would crush Kellerman in a poll, too - certainly if knowledge, competence, and experience are the criteria, they should!! :nod
I disagree. First of all, I dont need some dry boxing 101 clinic from Larry when I watch the fights, thats what the ex-boxer-trainer is there for. And do you really learn anything from Max Kellerman, I mean is he really any better. How many more rounds has Kellerman boxed than Merchant. You guys are averting the issue by saying Larry does not teach anything about boxing, because neither does Max, and this thread is about wheter you want to see Larry or Max as the color person at HBO Boxing. This is a cheap shot, LENNOX LEWIS BARELY ELABORATES on the technicalities of boxing. A color man like Larry is not there to give you tips on how to properly throw the cross. He is there to explain the larger context of the fight, how it fits into the equation of the sports history, how the fight plays into the lives of the respective boxers, what the impact of respective fights are to the larger fight game. Larry is a journalist, not a Tae-Bo instructor. He is here to relate boxing to life, and vice-versa. And this he does excelently. Funny I dont see criticism that Lampley doesnt explain on the technicalities of boxing. :think Oh thats right, thats no his job either. :nono
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I guess we will have to agree to disagree. In the event of the Mayweather vs. Baldo fight, I think Larry provided a perfect context for what was happening.. as you said, Mayweather as cruising toward a larger potential payday while pot shotting Baldomir, and he felt paying boxing fans deserved better. The crowd at the particular event saw through it, and so did much of the viewing audience. Yes, he can put it into the context of past fights (you mentioned Pea vs Ramirez), but that does not change the fact that many fans put down 50$ to watch a pot shotting festival, and most were supreemly disapointed. On the other hand, in Mayweathers conquest of Corrales, Merchant praised Floyd, and when comparing him to past fighters said something to the effect of him being up there with all the past top fighters, a 9 second sprinter against the field. I like the context Larry gives, in particular before fights, about the fighters lives, and the meaning of the event. He is not perfect, I admit, but I would take him any day over Max Kellerman. By the way, welcome to the forum. You have well expressed opionions and we badly need that about right now with all the Jr. High students getting out of school for the summer and coming to ESB.
Merchant is great. His one-liners make the fights seem just a little better and it provides some laughs.
****, even that "Colonel" guy from England is better than Max is. I'll take Teddy Atlas, Sean O'Grady or anybody.
Kellerman is an arrogant ass. Like I said before in another thread, he lets his bias show before the fighters even fight. This colors his commentary and I watch boxing to form my own opinions, I don't need Kellerman's opinion hammered into my head by some little punk. That's how his commentary seems to me. Even worse he puts down the losing fighter as if to say he didn't have the heart or balls to get up. Pathetic. I'll list more examples as he continues to ruin HBO boxing......................
You don't need reasons and entire arguments to prefer a commentator over another. I want to hear anything Larry has to say, and during matches, I can hear myself asking if Kellerman would be so kind as to shut his mouth. It's true. If Larry Merchant asked a question, and Max in his place asked the same, I'd enjoy the former and be irritated about the latter. It's irrational. I'm simply a fan of Merchant, and Kellerman specifically annoys me to no end. If Bernstein or Gil Clancy replaced Merchant I'd be sad to see him go, but I'd welcome either, whereas with Kellerman I'd rather have Lampley and Steward commentate by themselves than with Kellerman beside them. It's just me preference. And I thinks I'm not alone.
ollow the wisdom of the great actor, James Cagney, you hit your mark, you look the other guy in the eye, and you tell the truth. Larry Merchant There are too many governing bodies. They're all corrupt. I think they have replaced the old Mobsters with the kind of 'corporate rule' of boxing. Larry Merchant Too much youth, hunger, mission, and talent. Larry Merchant “Neither guy wanted to yield. It was the third fight of their trilogy, and it was that important.” “He's so good, you wonder what's wrong with him.” “I think it all depends on how good this fight is. I don't know how to rank it. If this turns out to be a dramatic fight and Roy wins, people will look back at all three (in a fond way). But he has to win in a theatrical way. That would make it a great trilogy, maybe.” “The thorough bred against a clamor, or rather the Porsche vs. the pickup truck.” “I haven't seen Johnson enough in the past to know, but he's a guy who's fought all these years, 16 years, finally gets a title, he's fighting for his biggest payday, he's still fighting back in occasional flurries, just as Jimmy Garcia did when he fought Gabe Ruelas. So he was still fighting back, Every time he went back to the corner he seemed to be going slower and slower. In fact I did mention after the eighth, ninth round that he sorta wobbled onto his stool. So the signs were there and it's in the hands of the referee.”
Max Kellerman makes HBO World Championship Boxing appear bush league. Kellerman is so hard to listen to, I often just cringe when he starts spewing his retarted sounding comments -- no offense meant to retared people.
