Since posting hundreds of world championship title fights here at Ima Sportsphile, I have come to the conclusion that no television network during the golden age of boxing (1964 – 1995) covered a fight better that HBO….especially with the broadcast crew of Barry Tompkins, Sugar Ray Leonard and Larry Merchant….and this video herewith is evidence of how good and thorough they were at their job.
After each HBO Boxing telecast, the broadcast crew would conduct the most indepth interviews with the combatants…..while providing inciteful commentary and analysis….as seen in this post fight interview with both Larry Holmes and Michael Spinks….while being conducted by Larry Merchant….whom although always appearing to be a bit arrogant in his approach, never missed with his thought provoking questions of the fighters.
The golden age of boxing provided some really outstanding fight crews with the likes of Marv Albert and Dr. Ferdie Pacheco at NBC….Tim Ryan and Gil Clancy at CBS…..and the always enjoyable Howard Cosell, Keith Jackson and/or Chris Schenkel at ABC….but the boys from HBO with Tompkins, Leonard and Merchant set the gold standard for fight coverage in this lil ole chiweenie Sportsphile’s opinion.
