Would boxing have been better or worse to watch without Cosell's commentary?

When it comes to the subject of Howard, a lot of people seem to become somewhat truculent.

 

That is a good one, that is what Howard said to Muhammad Ali after interviewing him prior to his March 22 1967 title defense against Zora Folley.

 

Yes. it all boils down to personal taste. Now I also like very much, the minimalist, no frills, "just the facts Maam" approach and style of Don Dunphy...the "anti-Cosell".

 

"Well, if that's means something good, then I like it",...to loosely paraphrase Ali's answer. Before the Chuvalo 15 rounder in 1966 on Wide World of Sports, Cosell told Ali the he seemed "subdued",.to which Ali replied with a question, "what do sudoobed mean"...I remember my Dad was watching that with me and he nearly fell off the couch laughing..I mean, Ali sounded so buffoonish when he asked that. Patterson was a totally different animal than Ali....very well spoken,..soft spoken and articulate and literate. My Dad and myself always liked Patterson for those reasons, as well as for being a great fighter.

 

@Richard M Murrieta , Cosell hit it off generally very well with most fighters...of course SRL, but also Alexis Arguello, who was always so polite and charming, and as long as his interpreter was around, Duran was no problem, even addressing Cosell at one time "Meester"... but the one who was utterly cold and dismissive of Humble Howie was of course, Monzon. Cosell interviewed Carlos in the ring right after tko'ng Jean Claude Bouttier, and Carlos, speaking no english, didn't even look at Cosell, instead talking directly to his interpreter. I don't think that Cosell appreciated Monzon for ignoring him...and Monzon really ignored Howard, no expression on his face, not even a glance at Cosell,..speaking really rapid fire Spanish all the while.