In 1978, Merchant began working for HBO, where he enjoyed a hugely successful career, one he looks back on fondly. I did some part-time television work when cable television happened and they were looking for newspaper men to be television men. “I came to California and met my second wife. “I had written a book, that was bought by a producer and they were trying to make a movie out of it,” he said. However, Merchant decided he needed a new challenge and left the print media in 1976.

“That’s where I covered these fights, Ali, Liston and so on.” “I covered a lot of big fights in that time frame,” he said. I saw some pretty good fighters in that time.”Īll told, Merchant worked for the Philadelphia Daily News, New York Post, Associated Press and as the sports editor for a smaller newspaper in Wilmington, North Carolina. “There were so many fighters that they had to separate which ones were going to become pros in what they call the gym wars between fighters. “Philadelphia was a great fight town,” he explained. Upon returning to civilian life, Merchant based himself in Philadelphia where he spent 10-years as a columnist. I just covered them naturally wherever I was.” “The big games in America at the time were baseball and boxing. “That’s where I covered my first fights, every division had boxing teams and I covered some of those fights. “I wound up working as a sports writer for the Stars and Stripes in Germany and Europe,” he recalled, referring to the US military newspaper. He spent two years in the Army and was based in Germany for one of those years. Merchant was then drafted into the Army to serve during the Korean war. “I got injured in football and I transferred into Journalism as my major and that’s how it started.” I was on the team for two years as what I call a last string half back. “Then I went to the University of Oklahoma, in part because I thought I could play football there. “I was a month short of my 17th birthday when I graduated high-school,” he said. I keep telling people that was because he didn’t want me to stay up too late.”Īs a youngster he enjoyed playing games with his friends and was a good student in school. I listened to the fight and Joe Louis knocked Schmeling out in the first round. It had political undertones because of the German’s invading Czechoslovakia and about to start the World War and whether or not Schmeling was connected or not to Hitler or the Nazi’s, he was branded in that way and Joe Louis had lost to Schmeling a couple of years earlier and represented American power and combativeness. “The first big fight I was ever involved in was when I was 7 years old, my father told me I could stay up and listen to the rematch of Louis and Schmeling.

It was during those years that Merchant became interested in boxing. We didn’t have to scrap for food or anything like that.” Not to say that boxing commentary today is any different, but to put down the literal best boxing/combat sports commentary of the modern age? Asinine moves by the tomato.“My mother was a great example of early feminism, she was always practicing shorthand and working on a typewriter and became a legal secretary. It's just a bad energy all around, and is the reason I mute the broadcast. DC, Rogan, Cruz, and a few others, sound like huffy children in the booth at times. UFC commentary is 33% advertisement (Anik), and 77% bickering (whatever 2 'analysts' are describing what could very well be two different fights).Īt least the HBO guys would ask each other why they had particular takes. They were actually analyzing, providing incomparable insight, and making accurate predictions on the regular. Seriously, HBO had some of the best commentary of all time. Plus, I'll take Teddy Atlas for side commentary over Din 'the horndog' Thomas, any day of the week. HBO had Jim Lampley, Roy Jones Jr, and Emmanuel Steward as the commentary team for a number of fights.Įach of those men, alone, would comprise a better team than any I've seen from UFC. Fight threads are made by mods unless specified.Mods will remove reposts and low-effort posts.No spoilers in post titles 24 hours after a fight.Be civil - no personal insults or direct attacks.Lists of the best fights in boxing history, a guide to sanctioning bodies, and details on world champions from around the globe. Most recent AMA - Hall of Fame HBO broadcaster Jim Lampley. The biggest names in boxing, including world champions, top promoters, broadcasting legends, and more. Prediction League 2019 Final Table Upcoming Fights DateĮSPN+ PPV (USA), TNT Sports Box Office (UK) Televised Fight Calendar Syncs with iPhone and Android calendars.

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