What Are The Issues With Larry Mercahnt?

This is my take on Merchant: he is not a natural commentator. He speaks slowly, deliberately, in a soft-spoken manner. He is not the typical announcer. He can be painful to listen to. So...why do they use him? I think they basically use him as the guy to get in the trenches and ask hard questions, sometimes I think PURPOSELY to **** people off, because it creates drama and gives us something else to talk about. He's pissed off Floyd, Lennox, and various others. He's not a talented announcer at all....he's just recklessly brave in pissing fighters off on TV.

 

merchant talks down to fighters. he has become weary of his job and dislikes talking to fighters. I dont know why he dosnt pack up. like a lot of people who have been around too long, he thinks he is the bigger star. He has forgotten that it is about the fighters. What comes across is he thinks boxers are beneath him. Its like he cannot believe he has to talk to them, he has become bored of what they have to say and feels its all so predictable.

 

I thought is was disgraceful the way he talked about how boring the Hopkins-Tarver fight was. He just kept going on and said something like "wake me up when a fight starts". These guys bust their butts to get where they are and he's just heckling them.

 

Why does Larry **** people off?

Simply because the truth hurts - especially to people that try to deceive others (Hopkins) or try to deceive themselves (Mayweather).

 

I like what Larry said to Floyd as Floyd is a precious,spoilt, obnoxious little **** and deserves everything he gets.

But some of the **** Merchant has said over the years is plain ridiculous.

The incident that sticks in mind for me was the way he carried on during the Chris Byrd-Ike Ibeabuchi fight. Merchant was way over the top with his critcism of Byrd's highly defensive,hit and duck tactics against the hugely powerful Ibeabuchi even though they were highly effective in the early going. Larry seemed to think Byrd should have met Ike head on like Joe Frazier or something even though that would have resulted in a 30 second KO loss for him. When Ibeabuchi finally flattened Byrd with a monster hook Larry was all "Shame on Chris Byrd for bitching to the ref" even though poor Chris didn't have a ****ing clue where he was, what he was doing and was dribbling at the mouth when he was complaining to the ref.

Larry was an utter ***** that night.

 

I like Merchant, i think his age is catching up with him. He is taking so long to get his questions out and sometimes it seems he is forgetting what he is saying.

 

I do believe a 30 year old Merchant would have kicked Mayweather's ass in a street fight.

Merchant has his flaws for sure, but he's far better at being a boxing commentator than Shannon Briggs was at being a serious heavyweight contender, IMO.

I agree with what's been said, he takes the critical angle and that's the reason fighters have issues with him. Some of these guys can't handle any sort of criticism.
And if Merchant was actually racist something scandalous would have outed by now.
I'm sure he's just as critical of white fighters too, so it's probably just a lame excuse from a few black fighters to explain away his criticisms.

Anyway, I think many fighters are just man enough to take Merchant for what he is. He's not always right, he's not always nice, but it's really pathetic to get your knickers in a twist over it. Floyd had a full-blown sissy fit the other night. I think most fighters are far better than that, and I'm sure many of them don't care much for Merchant either.

 

Youve got to remember that a lot of these fighters are egotistical maniacs who want, and expect, their asses to be kissed 100% by all they come across. They tend to surround themselves by hangers on who meet these expectations and then some. So when, after a victory, they are faced with this little old man who doesnt shower them with unadulterated adulation they feel affronted. They see a perfectly reasonable approach and set of questions as somehow an affront to their awesomeness.

And these fighters usually have very loyal fanbases, who blindly support their behaviour, whatever it is. They endorse it and promote it. They too feel affronted that this little old man is not showering their hero with adulation, ignoring the fact that he is a boxing journalist and has a professional job to do. They ignore the fact that actually, the questions he asks are perfectly legitimate, perfectly valid, and applaud the ridiculous illogical ranting coming back at him. They also blindly repeat the accusations of racism and disrespect while not once providing any evidence to that effect.

It is a sad reflection on these moronic fighters and shows them in a rather childish light, to put it mildly. It is though, undoubtedly funny to watch, on some level.

 

I respect what merchant does, he immediately confronted floyd about what everyone was thinking, that was impressive when many commentators would have submitted and not given the moment what it deserved. Plus drama is what sports fans are after, as soon as it happened im thinking perfect a perfect setup for pacman v mayweather.

 

I am yet to receive any insight from him, which is shocking considering how many fights he has been a part of. I wish there was an option to watch all sports with just crowd noises I can do without the hype men ...

 

Briggs is a ****ing moron with stupid gay-ass dreads. And he gets beaten up by american football players in his spare time. He should just **** off and open up a hair salon for queers.

 

People dislike Merchant because he often pushes an agenda thats not always true and he keeps on and on. If he doesnt agree with a fighters lifestyle or dislikes a fighter its very apparent in his commentary and interviews. Merchant is a good commentator but I dont always agree with him. He was very outspoken for his dislike for Don King because King used Mike Tyson to try and get him fired in the late 80's. I dont know what Merchant has done for HBO but they decided to keep Merchant and let Tyson go. When King came back into the HBO fold in the mid 90's after years of having all his fights on Showtime, Merchant was very outspoken to discount all of Kings fights and fighters and block him from postfight interviews.
Merchant goes on and on about how Mayweather has to be in control of everything, but Merchant is the very same way, so he clashes with people who have the same personality. It makes for good television, but he is a bit of a hyprocrite. He knows boxing and all the politics that are involved, yet he gives certain fighters passes, for allowing him to stay in control. Thats how I see Merchant. He clearly doesnt like Mayweather, and in his own sly way, he was trying to pass the blame on to Mayweather for how the fight ended. Personally I dont like Mayweather at all, but Ortiz headbutted and then tried to hug it out with Mayweather three times. Mayweather did what he had to do to end the fight.

 

Maybe it's more obvious how hamsauced he is up close? I like the guy personally.

 

:rofl

 

Showtime's commentary is better. Yes it's drier, and maybe lacking in zazz, but I just think they give better technical analysis along with less biased breakdowns of the fighters.