Am I The only one who thinks Larry Merchant should go away?

[tedsares]

It's time for this hairball to blow away. His senile-like comments are wearing thin. Example: "Boxing is not an 80 meter sprint." Huh! Thanks for your sage insight, Larry.

[Kev]

It's time for this hairball to blow away. His senile-like comments are wearing thin. Example: "Boxing is not an 80 meter sprint." Huh! Thanks for your sage insight, Larry.

I agree. He's slightly endearing in a senile old man kind of way but he brings absolutely nothing to the table in terms of boxing insight.

He seems to spend half the fight in silence probably looking through his book of tired cliches and old sayings and then will drop one in at the most inappropriate time.

When he does make a comment related to the actual fight its nearly always irrelevent and completely wrong.

My all time favourite Mechant line is as follows from the De La Hoya Vargas fight....

Larry Merchant, 'Why hasn't De La Hoya pressed the advantage? Why hasn't he explored whether Vargas is still groggy from the previous round? He's giving Vargas a chance to recuperate......

Jim Lampley' AND DOWN GOES VARGAS FROM A MONSTEROUS LEFT HOOK!'

[albsur2006]

Yeah, I'm getting tired of Larry Merchant. After the first round of Pac-Morales III, he was said "that was just a warmup for these two fighters." I was thinking shut the fuck up. That was a great round of back and forth boxing, but just because it wasn't a bloodbath, Larry Merchant isn't satisfied. If Larry Merchant had his way fighters couldn't use defense at all and there would have to be a 100 punch minimum for each fighter every round. Sometimes it's just great to sit back and watch a good technical but still action packed round like that. I absolutely love what Lampley and MannySteward bring to the telecast but sometimes I don't wanna even hear what Merchant has to say. BTW, I'd love it if Lampley did the post fight interviews instead.

[Gandalf]

Larry Merchant is cool in my book. He is usually on the button. He knows his stuff...

[Kev]

Yeah, I'm getting tired of Larry Merchant. After the first round of Pac-Morales III, he was said "that was just a warmup for these two fighters." I was thinking shut the F*** up. That was a great round of back and forth boxing, but just because it wasn't a bloodbath, Larry Merchant isn't satisfied. If Larry Merchant had his way fighters couldn't use defense at all and there would have to be a 100 punch minimum for each fighter every round. Sometimes it's just great to sit back and watch a good technical but still action packed round like that. I absolutely love what Lampley and MannySteward bring to the telecast but sometimes I don't wanna even hear what Merchant has to say. BTW, I'd love it if Lampley did the post fight interviews instead.

Merchant just sucks at everything. He pointless banalaties and witticisms before a fight, more pointless ecentricities during the fight and petty putdowns during interviews with the fighters afterwards.

The only good think I can say about him is that he's a better interviewer than that turd over at Showtime.

Forget his name but I can't stand the way he has this little 'be buddies with me smile' whislt he's basically telling a fighter he thinks he's shit.

James Toney had the right idea when he threatened to kick his ass.

He just winds me up so much. Like before the Briggs Lyakhovich fight he asks Briggs, (with a big creepy smile on his face) so are you just an underachiever then Shannon, then after the fight he's all smiles with Don King whilst asking him if he was embarrassed to be promoting such a stinker of a fight.

Don't get me wrong I dont mind him have critical things to say about a fighter or a fight, I just hate they way he puts it across with his creepy little smile, tosser,

[Pugilistic]

i think he's ok. i dont pay to much attention to him anyway

[ArawakWarria]

Thank you for creating this post!!! It's about time the fans tee off on this senile old buzzard....

1. What the hell is he talking about half the time? He goes off on rants all the time, completely ignoring the fight and he makes sure you know that he is NOT impartial.

2. Max Kellerman has to have Merchant shaking in his shoes. He is well versed, speaks clearly, and agree or not, Max makes good points about boxing, sanctioning, ranking and promotions! I think he will be the next Merchant.

3. Merchant is part of the 'old guard' that still controls boxing. They will keep him around because he is part of the 'club' of 'how things used to be,' when it was totally controlled by whites and the Mob. You can hear is old line (and sometimes racist) sentiments come through in his nonsensical analogies.

4. I have come to a point where I just hit MUTE on my TV when he starts to speak. I have even changed the channel once while I was recording a fight b/c he is just a NINNY!!!

did I say that?

[right_cross]

Put me in the pro Merchant camp.

Love em or hate em, it just wouldnt be as much fun without him around. The guy just wants to see exciting action packed bouts. Ya know, the ones that increase the popularity of the sport.

The questions he asks a fighter, post fight, are legit questions. I give him credit for having the balls to ask them. Hes to old to give a damn if he pisses anyone off, and I love him for it.

Have another scotch on the rocks Larry, I'm buying.

[tedsares]

I hate him!

[bleech1]

I love him!

[Tito BHB]

Larry Merchant is cool in my book. He is usually on the button. He knows his stuff...

Yeaahh bro!!
lol fight the power me , you... and urrr i think a couple others..
i love merchant!!
i wouldnt change the hbo team for the world!!
anyone know what happened to george foreman? i havnt seen or heard (to be precise) him on hbo for a fair while..
he helped call the cotto- malignaggi bout on showtime in june/july i forget when it was?
but he hasnt switched or left has he?
Peace

[Lance Uppercut]

I love the HBO crew, and think the are the best annouce team in boxing history. Although Lewis and Stewart are good, I perfer Foreman for color commentary.

Also an honorable mention to ESPN

[El Kabong]

Well I don't HATE Larry Merchant, I don't agree with him for the most part but he's not evil.

When Merchant said "and that was just a warm up" during the Pac-EM III fight I believe he meant that there would be more of that to come later.

Larry is kind of like John Kerry only he has an excuse for his bad jokes....he's OLD

[Rican]

Merchant bothers me sometimes, but not enough for me to say I want to see him gone. He usually calls the fights correctly, though sometimes makes mistakes as any one would (plus he's getting up there in age). You must admit that Larry's strength is his interviewing skills. He always asks the right questions and more importantly, when has he ever shown he's afraid to ask the tough question? Never. He's been around boxing for a lontg time and will probably be inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame as a boxing journalist.

[ArawakWarria]

another good point, Rican

well put.