The best commentating team right now

[nac386]

I was just rewatching some of the Showtime fights from last night, and I think the crew from last night is the best in the business at the moment. Al Bernstein, Mauro Ranallo, and Paulie Malignaggi. They typically come across as professional, well researched, and entertaining. They also seem like their main goal is to commentate, not promote. I might even prefer Jim Gray over Max Kellerman for post fight interviews. Max always has this deer in the headlights, thinking of a question on the spot demeanor that is annoying to me.

Some guys I specifically never want to hear in the booth include Timothy Bradley, Stephen A. Smith, and Teddy Atlas. I actually like Bradley a lot, and he gives amazing interviews, but he is just not good in the booth.

What do you guys think, who is the best and worst around right now?

 

[Kenjamito]

I was with you until your stance on Teddy, I think it’s a good time when he commentates and he has a lot of insight.

 

[BluntTrauma21]

I was with you until your stance on Teddy, I think it’s a good time when he commentates and he has a lot of insight.

Wait you're that one guy?

 

[BluntTrauma21]

I usually don't listen to the commentary much I'm just yelling over it most of the time. When Mauro stays in his lane I think he does a good job, I think Paulie and Al are two of the best out there, no contest compared to any other boxing analysts out there rn, imo. Paulie was always a guy who had to really know the ins and outs of the sport, had to have a high boxing iq to get as far as he did, and he's well spoken so he's able to relay that knowledge to the laymen out there in a coherent way.

Al is a gentleman and scholar of the sport. Wise and a G of the game. Love that guy. He's always thoughtful in his analysis of a fight and has a certain gravitas within the community that makes ppl listen carefully whenever he chooses to make a point, and he doesn't feel the need to get all theatrical and scream over his commentating partners to do it. Love that guy.

I think Gray's a cunt with a super punchable face, I don't like him. That said, I did listen to the post fight interview for Vargas/AB last night and thought he did a great job. Broner's a nutcase bipolar psycho. I got the feeling the initial extra retarded phase was at least partially due to Broner having recited all the lines of that shit talking to Vargas for weeks prior so he felt like he had to get out that drivel or it would've been a waste of time to him tho, lol.

So weird, I thought Jim did a great job handling that. Overall I think he's a smug asshole but there's no denying he can conduct a pretty good interview and deal with a manchild like Broner pretty well.

 

[wilddeuces]

Different strokes for different folks.

I think the top two are Showtime and HBO, but I've always been partial to HBO.

 

[HardasNAILZ]

My favourite is Tony Bellend

 

[JayE]

Bernstein is great. Malignaggi is really good when it comes to calling fights (he has plenty of dumb opinions, but they don't make it onto the broadcasts). I don't care for Ranallo and I really don't like Jim Gray.

 

[Shael]

Sort of on topic, Mauro has toned down his tacky jokes a lot since his mma days and Bernstein seems to enjoy his sense of humor.

 

[DeJulez]

Ranallo has a terrible voice.
Al, Paulie, and Max would be the best 3.
Barry Tompkins, Sugar Ray, and Larry Merchant.
Throwback

 

[Philtard]

I like mauros voice and delivery.

I like bellew tho his accent is a bit of a shitter

 

[Queen B]

I like mauros voice and delivery.

Yeah any Mauro commentary is great.

The combination of Teddy Atlas and Joe Tessitore was great too


When Lomachenko KO'd Rocky Martinez, HBO's Jim Lampley made some dull sarcastic remark while Max Kellerman didnt even say anything. HBO commentary sucks

 

[cottagecheesefan]

Brian Custer does a great job in his role as well.

 

[Seano]

Paulie and Al carry Mauro. As group though, yeah they are superior.

You can tell that Al gets annoyed with Mauro sometimes.

 

[nac386]

Paulie and Al carry Mauro. As group though, yeah they are superior.

You can tell that Al gets annoyed with Mauro sometimes.

Mauro is a ham, but he keeps things lively. I don't mind him. But he need to stop randomly talking about Rick Flair, that was confusing.

People are referencing his UFC work, but I don't know anything about that. I don't watch enough of that stuff to even know he used to do UFC.

 

[nac386]

Ranallo has a terrible voice.
Al, Paulie, and Max would be the best 3.
Barry Tompkins, Sugar Ray, and Larry Merchant.
Throwback

Larry Merchant was my favorite. He's like the drunk uncle that wants to make a toast, and everybody knows it's a bad idea but nobody has the heart to say it.

 

[nac386]

Brian Custer does a great job in his role as well.

I agree. It was a really nice broadcast from top to bottom. After hearing Stephen A. Smith on espn, I realized just how unenjoyable a commentator can make a fight.

 

[soggyfist]

Showtime by far has the best team. Mauro can be a little too much sometimes. Call the fight we don’t need all the pop culture references. It was nice to see Barry Tompkins fill in for him for Lara-Hurd. Wish that could be the permanent team.

 

[randomg1t]

i like kellerman in the booth. post fight interviews, not so much, but he is pretty great during the fights. i generally like the HBO team, roy jones is unintentionally funny and obviously knows everything there is to know about boxing, and while lampley does say some stupid shit from time to time, i think he's good. they're infinitely better and far more professional than any team involving joe rogan.

as for showtime, i like what paulie is saying, but his voice is irritating. i like him, i just have no clue how he even got that job. it's like the mic is going to fry any time he opens his mouth. i know mauro just wants to hype a fight but he's so over the top he makes me cringe sometimes. he's good people though, i don't mind him.

stephen a smith needs to get his by a bus. preferably while he's crossing the road side by side with teddy atlas. those two are fucking cancer.

 

[realdealgeale]

I have always liked colonel Bob sheridan. Kali meehan has started doing a few shows in aus. And has a good way of articulating what he sees.

 

[HardasNAILZ]

Paul Smith is great in comms.