Who Are the Best & Worst Boxing Pundits?

Ok chaps,

For me

Al Bernstein is up there & the Showtime team in general. Enjoy Emmanuel too. Enzo Macc isn't bad either when he is on boxnation, hoenst and I like that.

Duke Mckenzie is terrible, truly awful and the HBO team (other than Emmanuel) seem to be ignoring injustices so long as it is a "Name Fighter" who gets the special treatment.

Also, let me say this re Bunce. He is becoming more and more a central figure as the interest in the sport shrinks, and that is Okay. But I wish he would stop jumping all over his interviewees before they complete an answer, and also, why does his email never work????? It's always happening.

(appreciate I am posting a lot today but 1. The board seems to be alive again with great debate and 2. Twitter links to our forum).

The worst is Colonel Bob Sheridan, would rather listen to Westlife than him, he never ever shuts up. Bunce is an annoying caricature of himself now as well.

I generally like the Sky team, I know they get a lot of grief on here but find Darke and Halling excellent and Bob Mee is hugely knowledgable but criminally under used.

Always liked Barry McGuigan you can tell he is so passionate whenever he talks boxing.

DoubleD22 wrote:Always liked Barry McGuigan you can tell he is so passionate whenever he talks boxing.

He is very likeable

DoubleD22 wrote:Always liked Barry McGuigan you can tell he is so passionate whenever he talks boxing.

I like him as well but he has an annoying habit of interupting all the time. It is ok on occasions but sometimes someone will be in the middle of something really interesting and Barry will leap in and trample all over whatever they are saying. He is like a hard Jeremy Paxman.

Bob Mee is a great shout. He is a really interesting chap and seems like a very decent guy.

I like Jamie Moore as well. He has done some good pieces on Ringside.

Jim Watt sends me to a very dark place.

Repetitiious, dreary, talks way too much and often hopelessly blind to what's going on in a fight if it's not going the way he anticipated. Also don't like the way he tries to score a fight based on what he thinks the judges will do rather than based on his own view of the fight.

Big fan of Teddy Atlas, some of his similies and metaphors are fantastic.

superflyweight wrote:Jim Watt sends me to a very dark place.

Repetitiious, dreary, talks way too much and often hopelessly blind to what's going on in a fight if it's not going the way he anticipated. Also don't like the way he tries to score a fight based on what he thinks the judges will do rather than based on his own view of the fight.

he is so negative when Brits fight abroad too. Until they win, then he is a big supporter. Can't stand Watt

Seanusarrilius wrote:

he is so negative when Brits figth abroad too. Until the win, then he is a big supporter. Can't stand Watt

He is, especially when a fight goes to a decision, but this board is as guilty as Jim Watt of doing that. There is definitely a blind spot on here to poor decisions that 'foreigners' get in the UK. Germany is always used as an example of hometown judging, but the UK, although maybe not as bad, is certainly not blameless.

Anyway, don't want to derail the thread. I agree that Jim Watt is rather annoying.

Duke McKenzie has no personality whatsoever and bores me to hell.

I like Teddy Atlas who adds a bonkers dimension to his commentary. Jim Watt I have grown accustomed to, but very bias.

Lennox Lewis was pretty bad.

Dont mind McGuigan but he doesnt know when to shut up.

Lewis wasn't great was he. Tarver isn't bad

Think they kicked Lewis of Showtime (?) and replaced him with Roy Jones because of how boring he was.

I have no idea how McKenzie fell in to this punditry lark, and even less idea how he's still getting so many gigs. His command of the English language is shocking, much like Chris Kamara. The big difference is that Duke doesn't have that same aura of boobery and comic ineptitude in his work as Kammy does, which goes some way towards papering over the cracks. Also comes across as being duller than a damp tea towel.

On the other hand, I always enjoy seeing Macklin doing some pundit work - imagine he'll make a few bob out of that once he hands up the gloves. Comes across as being bright and alert, and gets his opinions across well without having to force feed them.

I like Jamie Moore - not the most eloquent but knows the business well.

88Chris05 wrote:
On the other hand, I always enjoy seeing Macklin doing some pundit work - imagine he'll make a few bob out of that once he hands up the gloves. Comes across as being bright and alert, and gets his opinions across well without having to force feed them.

Good shout. Bit like his old foe, Jamie Moore in that he seems a natural in front of the camera. Clever guy as well, didn't he hold a press conference in fluent German before the Sturm fight?

Steward is the best by a distance for me in terms of analysis. When he talks, you listen.

I think Sky could do with an an "expert". They have alot guys on the shows with opinions but not really too many of them carry much weight and half the time your not even sure if they are saying what they believe or what they think you want to hear. The likes of Spencer Oliver and Richie Woodhall I think are pleasant chaps but somewhat deadweight as they dont really offer any insight or analysis and no matter how big a mismatch is on the tble they will give the underdog a decent chance - or make him favourite if the underdog is British.

Sky could do with a Steward like figure who just gives his opinion with no real baggage attached, and its usually worth listening to.

Cant stand Bunce though. Nobody comes else comes close to him in terms of irratating me.

Have you noticed that Sky have copied the 'Fight Plan' from ESPN Night Fights where Teddy and Saul act out the tactics with each other at Ringside or some other location. Richie Woodall and some guy I can never remember his name (he does the news on Ringside) do it now.

The likes of Spencer Oliver and Richie Woodhall I think are pleasant chaps but somewhat deadweight

Somewhere out there, steam is starting to perculate out of Ralphy's ears.

Woodhall is one of only two fighters to get no comments at all on their career in video thread, shows how unpopular the guy is I suppose.

I imagine so, Superfly. But come on, even Woodhall's apperance on 'A Question of Sport' the other night was a laboured one!

Good to see you back, by the way.

Cheers Chris. Been a mad couple of months and have moved house twice as well as taken our little one to Australia to meet her auntie. First day back at work for more than 3 weeks and the jet-lag is kicking in nicely along with the after effects of a bout of glandular fever!

Good to see plenty of healthy debate on the board.

superflyweight wrote:Jim Watt sends me to a very dark place.

My missus cracks up when he's on. She can't stand him.

Group Cpt Lionel Mandrake wrote:
My missus cracks up when he's on. She can't stand him.

You other half watches boxing? She's a keeper, even if she has a face like a bag of spanners.

Duke McKenzie surely holds all the awards for worst? If ever a radio pundit could describe a fight that looks completely different when you watch it on free TV a few days later then he's your man!

I always quite liked Jim Watt for some reason. His exasperated tones when a British boxer gets in a "wee" bit of bother always seems to add tension to the fight.

Mind the windows Tino. wrote:

Group Cpt Lionel Mandrake wrote:
My missus cracks up when he's on. She can't stand him.

You other half watches boxing? She's a keeper, even if she has a face like a bag of spanners.

She loves boxing, stays up to watch all the fights with me and even trains at the gym with me.

Group Cpt Lionel Mandrake wrote:
She loves boxing, stays up to watch all the fights with me and even trains at the gym with me.

Good work.

Union's imaginary wife is similar, he pretends that she watches all the fights, Ringside, buys Boxing Monthly. He even pretends that they go to the gym together.

Among other pretend 'activities' I'm sure...

I don't go to the gym.

TSMR is a fan of the sport, comes to the fights with me, even allowed me to remortgage the house to go to Hatton Mayweather, such women do not come along too often.

Duke and Jim are terrible.

TSMR is a fan of the sport, comes to the fights with me, even allowed me to remortgage the house to go to Hatton Mayweather, such women do not come along too often.

Didn't let you buy Fitzsimmon's old house in Cornwall though, Jeff. Who does she think she is?

Mrs Windows hates it. She hates most sports to be honest.

I am beginning to think she hates me as well.

Jim Watt is horrid. I never used to like Glen McCrory but I can tolerate him now. But the best has to be Manny Stewart. He is balanced and when a fight gets good, you'll always hear his "OH MAH GAWD!" Which is amazing.

Jim Watt is horrid. I never used to like Glen McCrory but I can tolerate him now. But the best has to be Manny Stewart. He is balanced and when a fight gets good, you'll always hear his "OH MAH GAWD!" Which is amazing.

superflyweight wrote:

TSMR is a fan of the sport, comes to the fights with me, even allowed me to remortgage the house to go to Hatton Mayweather, such women do not come along too often.

Didn't let you buy Fitzsimmon's old house in Cornwall though, Jeff. Who does she think she is?

I'd forgot about that Superfly, tried to blank it out I think, all that guff about not having a spare £185k as if that is a valid excuse.

In the words of Steve Bunce just now on twitter, in response to this thread

606v2boxing I'd expect to be high...on both charts!

Love it, ha

School Project wrote:Jim Watt is horrid. I never used to like Glen McCrory but I can tolerate him now. But the best has to be Manny Stewart. He is balanced and when a fight gets good, you'll always hear his "OH MAH GAWD!" Which is amazing.

But Steward is very slow and sounds like Cleveland off Family Guy.

Super D Boon wrote:But Steward is very slow and sounds like Cleveland off Family Guy.

That is exactly who he sounds like, how have I not noticed that before?

Seanusarrilius wrote:In the words of Steve Bunce just now on twitter, in response to this thread

606v2boxing I'd expect to be high...on both charts!

Love it, ha

Ha, quality, at least it shows the guy is a good sport.

rowley wrote:

Seanusarrilius wrote:In the words of Steve Bunce just now on twitter, in response to this thread

606v2boxing I'd expect to be high...on both charts!

Love it, ha

Ha, quality, at least it shows the guy is a good sport.

I thought so too, ha

George Foreman is/was my favourite, is he still on HBO? Eloquent and passionate about boxing. He seriously knows his stuff too, proving he wasn't just a banger. Watching the Career in Video tapes he's able to predict when stuff's about to go down.

Watt , McCrory and McKenzie are awful,listen to McKenzies predictions then go and have £20 on the opposite you'll win a few bob.

Al Bernstein and Teddy Atlas are two of the best for me, remember watching the old cable channel with Bernstein on ESPN, always came over as a guy who new his stuff, good summariser.

Like McGuigan, but the rest on SKY want to be shown the door.

Theres an english commentator or british at any rate who was commentating on the Rumble and spotted Ali doing what he did against joe frazier - pretty much in the 2nd round. I'm not sure who he is? Ive heard his voice a thousand times but still forget it. I hope its not the guy who predicted it as well.

Shah it was Colin Hart who predicted the result in the Rumble right, easy one to forget mate, he doesn't like to mention it.

I dont think he predicted it mate - he just made the observation during commentary.

Colin Harts Modesty could shame a nun

Was it Duke?

"Foreman's gone John, he's gone!"

At the end of it when foreman was walking away - he said there goes a sad sad man or something to that effect

I like the entire showtime team, the way they commentate puts you on the edge of your seat. When Darchinyan got knocked out by Donaire the commentary was epic.

Super D Boon wrote:

School Project wrote:Jim Watt is horrid. I never used to like Glen McCrory but I can tolerate him now. But the best has to be Manny Stewart. He is balanced and when a fight gets good, you'll always hear his "OH MAH GAWD!" Which is amazing.

But Steward is very slow and sounds like Cleveland off Family Guy.

I never noticed but since you bring it up you've ruined his commentary now! Thanks Super D!

Oh, and although he isn't so much an analyst we hear too much:

Spoiler:

HE JUST WANT'S TO TELL YA SOMETHING!