5 Most Hilarious Color Commentators in Boxing History

Boxing has a large amount of colorful characters that make it up.  Some are seedy, others are over the top and some seem like comic book characters.

It's part of what makes the sport the strange circus fans know and accept.  Most of the focus goes on the fighters, but those outside the ring can be just as strange.  

Announcers tell the in-ring action, but many times they also betray whatever odd quirks they have.  Announcers usually come from some other part of boxing and it shows as they make interesting statements that other men wouldn't.

Some of these commentators are funny because they try to make us laugh—others don't, and that makes them even funnier.

Some are still on broadcast teams while others aren't. Let's check them out...

Lennox Lewis

For as great a boxing champion as Lewis was, he was a horrible commentator.  There were many a joke made about his inability to put his point across and the way he stumbled over himself to say what he wanted.

He also had a pretty good run on HBO before he finally left to pursue other endeavors.  While his announcing wasn't great, he certainly gave fans ammunition to either groan or laugh at his attempts.

It made HBO fights memorable, just in a different way.

Harold Lederman

Fans might not recognize Lederman, but that is because he isn't shown on HBO even when he is speaking.  

He is the unofficial ringside scorer for HBO fights, and whenever he is introduced uses his unique voice to get fans' attention.  For a man who has little speaking time on the air, he also has quite a few things that he repeats.

His voice and those traits grate on some fans' nerves, but entertain and endear him to others.

If nothing else, it makes his voice distinguishable from his counterparts.

Jim Lampley

Jim Lampley is a knowledgeable boxing commentator.  He really does know what is going on in the sport.

Unfortunately, he is also a company man, which means he sometimes will try to hype the fight in a way that doesn't make sense.

It doesn't fool any of the viewers watching the fight and it is slightly embarrassing to listen to.

Larry Merchant

Larry Merchant is another boxing commentator who has a serious understanding of the sport, but lets his emotions get the better of him.

Whether it is telling Shane Mosley that he loves him or telling Floyd Mayweather Jr. that he would beat him up, he loses some of his journalistic integrity when he loses his composure. 

It makes for great TV, but it also makes those who write or talk about the sport wince.  For others, it's just another hilarious boxing anecdote.

Teddy Atlas

What can't be said about Teddy Atlas' commentating.  The man comes up with bizarre tie-ins for his pre-fight breakdowns, and during the fights comes up with analogies that leave fans scratching their heads.  

Sometimes he just sounds like he is off in his own little world.

It isn't as if Atlas hasn't been on the other side of boxing.  He led Michael Moorer to a championship.

It makes some fans mute their TV, while others just enjoy the absurdity of it all.