Has Max Kellerman, Jim Lampley or Larry Merchant ever actually boxed before?

[Check]

Do you need it? Maybe not.

But I guarantee you the first time you step over those ropes and into the ring your eyes open up to things you'd never see just by watching boxing.
Kind of upsets me a little about Dan Rafael. At times he seems like he thinks he is the "final word" on boxing when in reality he probably couldn't go 1 round with a heavybag. You at least have to train a little to really "get" boxing.

What you're saying is Larry Merchant doesn't know **** about boxing. You can know the sport through years of following it. He might not know the feeling of getting in the ring and how it feels to get hit in the face or the emotion of being in battle but I can assure you in the 40 years of coverage, he knows more about the sport than any guy that has stepped through those ropes.

[ReadyUp]

What you're saying is Larry Merchant doesn't know **** about boxing. You can know the sport through years of following it. He might not know the feeling of getting in the ring and how it feels to get hit in the face or the emotion of being in battle but I can assure you in the 40 years of coverage, he knows more about the sport than any guy that has stepped through those ropes.

Larry knows his stuff and is a pretty good historian of boxing. If I'm not mistaken, he's also had some amateur scraps as well. I think under 5 fights he said.

But no matter, granted there are pretty dumb boxers out there who'd be terrible commentators that's not what we are talking about. I remember the first time I sparred then went to another pro boxing match my outlook changed completely. You at least have to train a little to really understand the fatigue, the heart needed, and even the physical and mental pain of someone hitting your ass in the face repeatedly. Just makes for a more qualified individual on the sport of boxing. Disagree with that?

[Mayweather41-0]

Larry knows his stuff and is a pretty good historian of boxing. If I'm not mistaken, he's also had some amateur scraps as well. I think under 5 fights he said.

But no matter, granted there are pretty dumb boxers out there who'd be terrible commentators that's not what we are talking about. I remember the first time I sparred then went to another pro boxing match my outlook changed completely. You at least have to train a little to really understand the fatigue, the heart needed, and even the physical and mental pain of someone hitting your ass in the face repeatedly. Just makes for a more qualified individual on the sport of boxing. Disagree with that?

Perfectly said I was trying to think how I can but what I thought into words and you just did it thanks brother.

[CubanGuyNYC]

Do you need it? Maybe not.

But I guarantee you the first time you step over those ropes and into the ring your eyes open up to things you'd never see just by watching boxing.
Kind of upsets me a little about Dan Rafael. At times he seems like he thinks he is the "final word" on boxing when in reality he probably couldn't go 1 round with a heavybag. You at least have to train a little to really "get" boxing.

LOL to the highlighted....

I don't think you need boxing experience to be a capable commentator. But you're right, you can't possibly have any idea what it's really like stepping into the ring to do battle with another man if you've never boxed.

The thing is, commentators have a talent that most boxers don't have. They can talk intelligently, and in an entertaining fashion (presumably), to an audience. Boxers box. Even the best former boxers would have a hard time carrying a whole fight themselves. That's why they're only used to add "color" to the commentary. It's recognized that a boxer's opinion brings valuable insight into the sport. The truth is, most fighters might know quite a bit about boxing, but most don't know half about the sport's history and goings on as, say, Max Kellerman. The same logic can be applied to sportswriters.

[chiguy91]

kellerman use to be on espn with brian kenny on FNF and host another show called 'around the horn' on espn as well.
i think both jim and larry have backgrounds in sports journalism or broadcasting, so commentating any sports event would be good, plus theyve been around boxing for a longgg time, so it fits...
the only physical thing ive seen larry do is this.

[CubanGuyNYC]

I remember the first time I sparred then went to another pro boxing match my outlook changed completely. You at least have to train a little to really understand the fatigue, the heart needed, and even the physical and mental pain of someone hitting your ass in the face repeatedly. Just makes for a more qualified individual on the sport of boxing. Disagree with that?

It's a real eye opener, no doubt! I haven't done it in years, but I sure miss it. Few things will teach you more about yourself, let alone the sport, than lacing up the gloves and stepping into the ring. It can't be explained very easily. It has to be experienced.

[Pessimistic]

I believe Max Kellerman actually said that he boxed on an HBO broadcast.

[axo90]

kellerman use to be on espn with brian kenny on FNF and host another show called 'around the horn' on espn as well.
i think both jim and larry have backgrounds in sports journalism or broadcasting, so commentating any sports event would be good, plus theyve been around boxing for a longgg time, so it fits...
the only physical thing ive seen larry do is this.

^LOLL!!! whose the boxer being interviewed he looks like he's in his sixties!!

[tacuso]

You don't need to box to be a great commentator. If that was the case most commentators would be boring because the best in the business have not. Howard Cosell, Bob Costas, Al Micheals, Tom Jackson, Curt Gowdy and most of the legends of the mic never had experience in the sport(s) that they covered. They honestly don't go hand in hand imo.

And George Foreman as a commentator is not that exciting.

[Zerwas1]

You can commentate for entertainment without boxing training, but you can't get into the details, tactics, feints etc if you haven't. They just don't see things.
That's why Roy/Lennox etc sometimes disagree with merchant/lampley and why they are a lot better. (ok lennox ain't a good commentator)