What Are The Issues With Larry Mercahnt?

I heard him described as a tough, persistent S.O.B by his former teammates. Guess that hasn't changed in the past 60 years.

 

Ya got that right, TGA. Outweighed by 60-70 pounds, he'd level running backs.

 

Larry Merchant is a God among men.

 

He actually had Ali winning over Frazier in their first fight. :shock:

 

I'm shocked to hear that. You would think he would have given the close rounds to Frazier since he worked with him in Cloverlay.

Is Merchant really 80 years old? I thought he was in his late 60s, early 70s.

 

Yes he is. Born in 1931 and played football until 1949. He has been a sports writer since the 1950s and has been covering boxing atleast since Sonny Liston's reign.

 

I don't care for Merchant anymore. I used to like him, but he's started taking his opinion more seriously than what actually happens in the ring. But the racism charge is ridiculous.
Merchant has been an ass to fighters of all races and styles.
He and Lampley were practically giggling at each other's insults towards Mickey Ward in the Sanchez fight until Ward made them look like idiots.

Merchant doesn't always think clearly when he's pissed off too. I'll never forget Hopkins saying "don't be ignorant Larry" when he ridiculed Hopkins for calling out DLH.
After Hops pissed him off, he turned right around picked DLH to beat him. It didn't make any sense, and it proved that Merchant couldn't keep his emotions out of his opinion anymore.

 

Round by round Ali has a sort of a case, not a great 1 mind you but I had it pretty close. Ali sweeped a great deal of the first half of their fight

 

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[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIeHdxMbdq8[/ame]