Why don't people like Max Kellerman?

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Originally Posted by The Fightfan

The only thing I would disagree with is the bias of Al Bernstein's commentating of James Toney.It actually made me sick,watch the Toney vs Peter fights and Toney vs. Holyfield fight.I wouldn't put it past Bernstein that he would actually lick Toney's sack. Every little movement he made in the ring was genius to Bernstein. Sorry got a little nasty there.

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believe it or not those are two fights i've never seen. I do remember hearing about toney getting in one of the showtime guys face though.

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Originally Posted by Formerly The Promoter

Kellermen is pompus, combined with his limited knowledge of boxing and even less knowledge of a fighters psyche makes him almost intolerable to anyone who has been in the ring at any level...To a casual observer of boxing his "I'm right your wrong" style may pass as knowledge, but to us on this board we see him for what he is... a "poser".

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I strongly disagree. His knowledge of the sport is pretty solid and i'm far form a casual observer. I will admit that i don't always agree with Max and that he comes off as a know it all sometimes (ok a lot of times) but he's knowleged is solid. He just needs to calm down.

He gets that i'm right your wrong style from being on ESPN. Thats how a lot of there sports people talk IMO.


I still miss "to the max"

He gets overly excited and Is bad with interviews but He knows his boxing .It seems like he has an ongoing thing with Lampley on the air.He corrects Lampley alot when Jim gets into his "rah-rah" mode and makes broad comments.Lastnight I think Lampley said if Peter defeated Wlad in rematch .."He with Lewis and Marciano would be the only Heavys (champions?) in history to beat every man they had ever lost to in the ring", Kellerman said...."Well,Greb beat Tunney badly and Tunney beat him In rematches"....Yes, maybe obnoxious and dickish but we're not really used to hearing at the moment corrections on air.There were crickets for a moment.

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Originally Posted by Formerly The Promoter

Kellermen is pompus, combined with his limited knowledge of boxing and even less knowledge of a fighters psyche makes him almost intolerable to anyone who has been in the ring at any level...To a casual observer of boxing his "I'm right your wrong" style may pass as knowledge, but to us on this board we see him for what he is... a "poser".

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Respectfully,I must disagree with you. Kellerman knows his stuff,period. He is too headstrong by a mile but he knows what he is talking about as far as his general knowledge and I do like how he puts it straight to a fighter or fellow commentator when they need it. All this pussyfooting everyone else does is part of boxings turn a blind eye and a deaf ear view on things which is partially responsible for the sports reputation.
He does however,piss me off to no end when he shows clear favoritism to a fighter when his job requires he at least put on an unbiased commentary. Typically to slicker boxers is where his loyalties lie. NY boxers fit there as well.
Kellerman overall is an asset to boxing and will improve as a host as time goes by. He has to get adjusted to being off ESPN.

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Originally Posted by Spicoli surfs 'Nawlins

He gets overly excited and Is bad with interviews but He knows his boxing .It seems like he has an ongoing thing with Lampley on the air.He corrects Lampley alot when Jim gets into his "rah-rah" mode and makes broad comments.Lastnight I think Lampley said if Peter defeated Wlad in rematch .."He with Lewis and Marciano would be the only Heavys (champions?) in history to beat every man they had ever lost to in the ring", Kellerman said...."Well,Greb beat Tunney badly and Tunney beat him In rematches"....Yes, maybe obnoxious and dickish but we're not really used to hearing at the moment corrections on air.There were crickets for a moment.

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The thing that really gets on my tits about him is hearing a twentysomething talking about fights that happened decades before he was born. If Larry Merchant does it then it sounds right, but not that annoying little fucker. But there's so much that annoys me about Kellerman. Almost every time he opens his mouth he offends me.

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Originally Posted by Kirkland Laing

The thing that really gets on my tits about him is hearing a twentysomething talking about fights that happened decades before he was born. If Larry Merchant does it then it sounds right, but not that annoying little fucker.

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I can't get on his case about knowing older fights. If it weren't for younger guys studying up,then we would lose boxingsd rich past. Kellerman is a good historian with sometimes bad ideas. He shouldn't be blamed for studying the golden era. That'd be like criticizing car buffs for rebuilding classic cars or people reading old books or..well you see my point ?

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Originally Posted by noskill

I can't get on his case about knowing older fights. If it weren't for younger guys studying up,then we would lose boxingsd rich past. Kellerman is a good historian with sometimes bad ideas. He shouldn't be blamed for studying the golden era. That'd be like criticizing car buffs for rebuilding classic cars or people reading old books or..well you see my point ?

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This is a great point and I couldn't agree more. It always cracks me up how some people will criticize someone else for talking about fights/fighters from a past era, as if it's better for all of us to just be completely ignorant about what happened before we were born.

I thought Max did a good job last night.

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Originally Posted by Kirkland Laing

The thing that really gets on my tits about him is hearing a twentysomething talking about fights that happened decades before he was born. If Larry Merchant does it then it sounds right, but not that annoying little fucker. But there's so much that annoys me about Kellerman. Almost every time he opens his mouth he offends me.

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That shit pisses me off a little bit too. What does this guy hang out with bert sugar or something. He talks about fights from the 30's almost like he was around in the era. That just goes to show you that he knows his stuff.

When you think about it its's good to see someone as young as him be as enthusiactic about boxing as he his.

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Originally Posted by noskill

I can't get on his case about knowing older fights. If it weren't for younger guys studying up,then we would lose boxingsd rich past. Kellerman is a good historian with sometimes bad ideas. He shouldn't be blamed for studying the golden era. That'd be like criticizing car buffs for rebuilding classic cars or people reading old books or..well you see my point ?

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Did you ever watch Around the Horn on ESPN when he did it? It was him chairing a debate between a bunch of sports journalists and he used to do the same know-it-all thing on baseball, football, every sport they discussed and almost every programme I saw the jounalists ate his lunch and/or exposed that he didn't know what he was talking about. He was total garbage and failed upwards into a job at HBO entirely because his family is really well-connected in the media world.

I'm not doubting he's a boxing fan or he's read a few books and watched old fights but I still think a guy in his job should have actually have lived through a few of those fights like Merchant instead of having read about them decades later. HBO hired him to appeal to a younger demographic but they should concentrate on appealing to a boxing demographic.

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Originally Posted by Kirkland Laing

Did you ever watch Around the Horn on ESPN when he did it? It was him chairing a debate between a bunch of sports journalists and he used to do the same know-it-all thing on baseball, football, every sport they discussed and almost every programme I saw the jounalists ate his lunch and/or exposed that he didn't know what he was talking about. He was total garbage and failed upwards into a job at HBO entirely because his family is really well-connected in the media world.

I'm not doubting he's a boxing fan or he's read a few books and watched old fights but I still think a guy in his job should have actually have lived through a few of those fights like Merchant instead of having read about them decades later. HBO hired him to appeal to a younger demographic but they should concentrate on appealing to a boxing demographic.

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I hear what your saying But Strictly speaking on boxing I do believe Kellerman & HBO are focused on a boxing demographic as you state.Alot is made of his age or lack there of but the fact remains that he is very knowledgable in the sport.He strikes me as someone that Is a fan first with a general passion for the history of the sport and who is slowly ebbing his way through trial and error into the role boxing commentator.His flaws on camera can be glaring but he knows boxing,past & present.Is Kellerman young, brash and a little goofy?Absolutly,But how and when he developed his Knowledge is frankly not immportant,It is genuine and Is Not scripted,feigned or read off of a prompter.He is uncomfortable on camera but I like that he does not worry so much about the Cosmetics of a show and Lets the history flow.
No doubt that he will never have the first hand experience of a Larry Merchant,None of us will for that matter,But that should not devalue or exclude any one or Kellerman from delving into that available History and trying to keep it In the minds of the current and future Fans alike.

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Originally Posted by Spicoli surfs 'Nawlins

I hear what your saying But Strictly speaking on boxing I do believe Kellerman & HBO are focused on a boxing demographic as you state.Alot is made of his age or lack there of but the fact remains that he is very knowledgable in the sport.He strikes me as someone that Is a fan first with a general passion for the history of the sport and who is slowly ebbing his way through trial and error into the role boxing commentator.His flaws on camera can be glaring but he knows boxing,past & present.Is Kellerman young, brash and a little goofy?Absolutly,But how and when he developed his Knowledge is frankly not immportant,It is genuine and Is Not scripted,feigned or read off of a prompter.He is uncomfortable on camera but I like that he does not worry so much about the Cosmetics of a show and Lets the history flow.
No doubt that he will never have the first hand experience of a Larry Merchant,None of us will for that matter,But that should not devalue or exclude any one or Kellerman from delving into that available History and trying to keep it In the minds of the current and future Fans alike.

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He sounds exactly the same talking about baseball or football, hockey or basketball.

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Originally Posted by Kirkland Laing

He sounds exactly the same talking about baseball or football, hockey or basketball.

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Which is why it's a good thing that HBO pays him to talk about boxing, since that's the sport he's very knowledgeable about.

You seem to just not like the guy and as a result you're trying to denigrate his ability as a boxing commentator.

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Originally Posted by SweetPea

Which is why it's a good thing that HBO pays him to talk about boxing, since that's the sport he's very knowledgeable about.

You seem to just not like the guy and as a result you're trying to denigrate his ability as a boxing commentator.

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Yep, I definitely don't like him. I want a crusty old guy doing that job, not some twentysomething guy who's read a few books and watched a bunch of videos.

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Originally Posted by Kirkland Laing

Yep, I definitely don't like him. I want a crusty old guy doing that job, not some twentysomething guy who's read a few books and watched a bunch of videos.

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1. Kellerman is turning 35 this year. He's not in his twenties.

2. If you're so insistent on an old guy having the job, then recommend an old guy who can serve as Merchant's heir apparent.

I'll forever associate the downfall of Juan Diaz with Kellerman.

As Juan's impending defeat became more apparent Lampley seemed to speak less and Kellerman seemed to chime in more worsening the situation each time.