James Talmadge Brown (born February 25, 1951), commonly called “J.B.“….is an American sportscaster known for being the studio host of The James Brown Show….The NFL Today on CBS Sports ….Thursday Night Football on CBS Sports….and the NFL Network. He is also a Special Correspondent for CBS News. He is also known for serving as the former host of Fox Sports’ NFL pregame show Fox NFL Sunday for eleven years.
James Brown first joined CBS Sports in 1987….where he served as play-by-play announcer for the network’s NFL and college basketball coverage….as well as reporter for the NBA Finals….as seen in this video herewith where he is interviewing boxing champion Sugar Ray Leonard at halftime of Game 5 of the 1987 NBA FInals….and the 1990 National League Championship Series. He also was host of the afternoon show from the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France….and the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer Norway. While at CBS he also was co-host of CBS Sports Saturday/Sunday, a weekend anthology series.
Sugar Ray Leonard is an American former professional boxer, motivational speaker and occasional actor ….who is regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time….after he competed from 1977 to 1997….while winning world titles in five weight divisions….the lineal championship in three weight divisions….as well as the undisputed welterweight title. Leonard was also the first boxer to earn more than $100 million in purses….and was named “Boxer of the Decade” in the 1980’s…..whereasThe Ring magazine named him Fighter of the Year in 1979 and 1981….while the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) named him Fighter of the Year in 1976, 1979, and 1981. In 2002, Leonard was voted by The Ring as the ninth greatest fighter of the last 80 years….while BoxRec ranks him as the 27th greatest boxer of all time, pound for pound.