July 9, 2025 • 13 mins
This recap episode unpacks an interview with veteran sports commentator Jim Lampley explores his long and distinguished career in boxing and sports television. Lampley shares personal anecdotes about iconic fighters such as Muhammad Ali, Roy Jones Jr., George Foreman, and Mike Tyson, offering insights into their training, personalities, and most famous bouts. The discussion also covers the evolution of boxing as a sport, including the shift in network influence, the impact of promoters, and the differences in fighter pay and event structure compared to the UFC. Lampley provides a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges and triumphs of sports broadcasting, touching on controversial fight decisions, instances of foul play, and the unique dynamics of a commentator's role. Ultimately, the conversation highlights the enduring mystique of boxing and the profound personal journeys of its legendary figures.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome to the Joe Rogan Recap and before we get going, you can
now access the full Google notebook with a mind map,
timeline and briefing document by clicking the link in the
description. Today we're taking a deep dive
into a really phenomenal conversation from the Joe Rogan
Experience. This one features the legendary
boxing commentator Jim Lampley. We're going to try and pull out
(00:20):
the essential insights, you know, about the heart and grit
of boxing, its iconic figures and all that fascinating,
sometimes hidden stuff behind the scenes.
Absolutely. Our goal here really is to
distill the most impactful stufffrom Lampley's, well, massive
career and his unique view on combat sports.
We'll dig into some surprising facts, breakdown those big
(00:40):
moments and kind of connect the dots to figure out what really
makes a champion, you know, bothinside and outside that ring.
Yeah. Should be good.
Get ready for, well, an illuminating journey into the
sweet science. It may be beyond.
So let's unpack this first bit. Jim Lampley's entry into boxing
commentary. It wasn't exactly typical,
right? He tells this really wild story
about how he got his first sports gig with ABC way back in
(01:03):
74. They were doing this talent
hunt, literally looking for the face and voice of the American
College student. And imagine this, driving
overnight Chapel Hill to Birmingham, AL for the
interview. Wow.
That's a haul. Only to get there and have one
of the recruiters, Dick Ebersole, call him arrogant,
(01:24):
abrasive, alienated, antagonistic.
Ouch. Seriously.
So not exactly the vibe they were looking for then.
You wouldn't think so, but what's so striking and you
touched on this is how those things, those perceived
liabilities, they almost became assets.
Right. How so?
Well, he got picked anyway, eventhough he was older, had more
(01:45):
experience than the fresh face they supposedly wanted.
OK, and then there's this almostunbelievable coincidence.
Turns out he grew up caddying for the parents of Roon Arledge.
No way, the ABC Sports presidentRoon Arledge.
The very same. It's like it was almost faded,
you know, that's. Crazy.
So that must have helped. You'd think.
And then his audition piece. It was interviewing George Myra,
(02:06):
who happened to be a childhood hero.
Lampley knew Inside now. So a total setup for him.
Exactly a Gimme, as he called it, even though the network
probably thought it was this bigchallenge.
It just shows how sometimes things line up in weird ways.
Yeah, those hidden connections, right.
Speaking of connections and maybe genius, Lampley talks a
lot about his closest male friend, Emmanuel Stewart.
(02:29):
The legendary trainer, Yeah. He calls him the best
commentator, but also a true genius who quietly upended
traditional boxing rules. What was it about Steward?
Steward was just, yeah, way ahead of the curve.
He wasn't just thinking about drills.
He was thinking bigger picture. Like what?
Well, for instance, he figured out stuff like cranking up the
(02:50):
gym heat way high for better conditioning.
Simple now, maybe, but innovative then.
His whole thought process for prepping fighters was deeper,
more psychological. You know, Lampley really
emphasizes how like well-roundedhe was.
Not just a great trainer, but a real human being who connected
with the fighters. That connection seems key.
Totally. And Lampley shares this
(03:12):
incredibly touching detail. Emmanuel Stewart's last public
appearance. It was at Lampley's wedding in
September 2012. And then just three weeks later
he passed away from stomach pains.
It just, it really highlights the huge impact Stewart had
personally on Lampley, but also on the whole sport.
He just got fighters, you know, watch them day in, day out
(03:34):
through an entire camp, saw everything.
That's a powerful insight. OK, so shifting gears a bit, how
does this individual genius stuff fit into the the business
side? Lampley and Rogan talk about
this giant difference between how boxing and UFC operate,
especially fighter pay. Yeah, that's a huge point.
And it raises that question, whydid boxing for so long kind of
(03:55):
shortchange the undercard fighters, right?
Well, the UFC, they seem to treat the whole thing, the
entire card, as an enormous event.
Exactly, and we learned a big part of the problem in boxing
was it was so top heavy, meaningonly the main event really
brought in the big money and thecrowds.
So the guys fighting earlier, they often got left behind
financially. Unlike UFC where even the first
(04:17):
fights are supposed to be bangers, right?
Get the crowd hyped from the start.
Precisely. It's a different model, and
Lampley points out that HBO's independence back then, being
separate from promoters, yeah, that was a huge strength for
boxing coverage. They could pick commentators,
choose matchups more freely. Which isn't really the case now,
is it? He calls it a subdivided and
(04:37):
widely disparate marketplace. Right where the big name
promoters have a lot more sway. It's fragmented.
Lampley even mentioned Dana White was apparently quite upset
when a potential HBOUFC deal didn't happen years ago.
White thought it would have beengood for both.
Interesting. OK, so beyond the money and the
structure, what about the fighters themselves, their
(04:57):
physical evolution, the training?
That's changed massively, too. Oh absolutely.
It's kind of amazing how modern science just completely reshape
training. Like with Evander Holyfield.
Exactly. Holyfield was a real trailblazer
there, one of the first big names to really dive into
weightlifting with his coach Mackie Shilstone.
He basically proved that old boxing saying wrong.
(05:20):
You know that weights would slowyou down or make you stiff,
right? Right.
And that was key for him, putting on the muscle he needed
to move up to heavyweight successfully.
And then you've got someone likeCanelo Alvarez today, Lampley
says. He's practically knocked down.
Proof. Yeah, and it's not just about
having a great chin. Lampley points to his legs, his
base strength. OK.
(05:40):
And get this a big part of that apparently comes from him doing
2 1/2 hours of 100 jumper ridingevery single morning.
Horse riding. Seriously, how does that help in
boxing? Well, think about it.
That kind of writing builds incredible core stability,
exclusive late power balance, all crucial for taking a punch
and delivering one. Huh.
Never would have thought of that.
(06:01):
It really backs up Lampley's idea that power punching is not
a physical gift. Power punching is a science.
It's about the whole body, footwork, weight shift, angles.
Makes sense. Then there was Roy Jones Junior,
another one Lampley called a unique physical specimen.
Could play any sport. Oh, unbelievable talent.
Just raw athletic ability off the charts.
(06:24):
But even with all that talent, Lampley and Rogan seem to agree.
He made a pretty big mistake going up to heavyweight and then
trying to cut back down to 175. Yeah, that decision cutting,
what, 25 lbs of lean muscle? Yeah, he essentially had to
starve himself. And that had consequences.
Big time. It clearly impacted his
endurance, his durability. Later in his career, you saw his
(06:47):
ability to take a punch wasn't the same.
That incredible speed, the way he could just play with his food
in the rain. Remember him putting his hands
behind his back against Glenn Kelly?
Yeah, classic Roy Jones. That stuff started to fade.
It just shows even generational talent runs up against biology.
You know you push the body too far, make the wrong strategic
calls about weight. There's a price.
A definite cautionary tale, evenfor the greats.
(07:09):
OK, so moving from the physical to the maybe the more symbolic
Muhammad Ali, Lampley's childhood hero, right?
And Lampley tells this story about Ollie's first fight with
Sonny Liston. Lampley was just 14.
And there's a really shocking detail in there.
Yeah, The Dirty business aspect is Lampley put it.
It seems pretty clear there was something on Liston's gloves.
(07:31):
Something that blinded Ollie. Temporarily, yeah.
Ollie was desperate, telling Angelo Dundee to cut the gloves
off. Couldn't see.
Wow, and he still won. He did his sheer will, having to
basically just run around the ring in that fifth round to try
and clear his eyes. Incredible.
And then just two days later, the big announcement.
(07:52):
Right. Cassius Clay is gone.
He's Muhammad Ali, follower of the Nation of Islam, Lampley
said. That moment for him was huge.
Taught him a man's identity is his own.
And that's profound. And Ollie's stance on Vietnam
too, even though Lampley came from a patriotic background.
Yeah, Lampley said. Ollie's opposition really moved
the meter for him. Showed incredible courage
outside the ring as well. And that three-year suspension
(08:13):
Ollie faced, it kind of adds to that whole mystique, doesn't it?
Made him almost mythical. It really did.
I mean, yeah, it robbed him of his absolute prime fighting
years, Yeah, which is a tragedy in a way, right?
But as Lampley and Rogan point out, the fact that he came back
after all that and reached the top again, beating Foreman,
beating Frazier in those wars. Fights nobody thought he could
(08:35):
win at that point. Exactly That cemented his unique
mystique, that resilience, that defiance.
It's unparalleled. Lampley even cares.
That kind of legendary high school story.
The teacher predicting he'd be famous.
Yeah, predicting he'd be the most famous man in the world.
Right? So the school was apparently
hesitant to fail him or deny hima diploma.
(08:56):
Maybe apocryphal, but it fits the legend.
Right, totally. OK, so sticking with legendary
moments may be the most shockingupset ever.
Mike Tyson versus Buster Douglas.
Oh man, Tokyo. And Lampley was right there
calling it live. Just what happened it?
Was a perfect storm, really. You had Douglas, who often kind
of mailed it in. Right.
Known for underperforming sometimes, but his.
(09:16):
Mother had just died. He was fighting with this
incredible emotional fuel, something different about him
that night, and Tyson seemed distracted.
All that constant turmoil with Robin Givens was going on.
Plus, maybe he just felt invincible.
Believed his own hype too much by then.
And his corner didn't help. Oh, the corner was a disaster.
Lampley called it a rank amateurcorner, that image of them
(09:39):
fumbling with a condom filled with ice water for his swollen
eye. Yeah, just unbelievable.
Showed how vulnerable even Tysoncould be.
Totally. And Lampley's call?
Mike Tyson has been knocked out.So simple, so matter of fact.
He said Jack Nicholson gave him advice once.
Don't overact. Yeah, and that's exactly what he
did. He let the moment speak for
itself. It perfectly captured those fine
(10:00):
margins. You know, one guy motivated, the
other makes mistakes. Boom, history changes.
That fight also highlights the referees role doesn't it?
The immense pressure they're under, it can be tragic.
It really can. I mean, Lampley talks about
Richard Steele and the Chavez Taylor fight.
Steele stopped it with two seconds left.
Controversial. Yeah.
Hugely. And Steele apparently faced
(10:21):
immense grief, got booed relentlessly in Vegas afterward.
It shows the weight of those split second decisions.
And sadly, it goes even darker. He mentions other refs like
Mitch Halpern, Richard Green, both committed suicide after
facing intense scrutiny over calls they made.
God, that's heavy. It is.
And then there's the Louis Restoversus Billy Collins junior
fight. That's just chilling.
(10:43):
That was the one with the plaster and the raps, yeah.
Resto's raps were tampered with.It basically destroyed Collins
face and career. He died young tragically.
These stories just hammer home Lampley's point.
The ref is often the only safetybarrier between life and death.
It's incredibly critical, unbelievably stressful job.
Definitely puts it in perspective.
(11:03):
OK, let's switch to the modern day for a second.
Lampley and Rogan talked about apotential mega fight Terence
Crawford versus Canelo Alvarez. Yeah, the big hypothetical, and
Lampley brought in Larry. Merchants take on it.
Merchants 94 now. Still sharp.
What did merchants? Say someone asked him if
Crawford could beat Canelo, and Merchant apparently replied if
Ray Leonard could beat MarvelousMarvin Hagler, then Terence
(11:24):
Crawford can beat Canelo Alvarez.
OK, So what does that mean tactically?
It means Crawford can't just stand there and trade.
He has to be brilliant. Use movement angles, get in, get
out, get in, get out. As Lampley described it.
Land punches, avoid the big shots, frustrate Canelo.
So it's a mental game as much asphysical.
Absolutely. It underlines that idea that
(11:46):
maybe the greatest asset for anyfighter isn't just power or
speed, but the mind being able to objectively analyze, adapt,
execute a perfect game plan against a dangerous opponent,
intelligence winning out. And that focus on the
intellectual side, the analysis,that was really the hallmark of
the HBO boxing coverage Lampley was part of, wasn't it?
(12:06):
Oh completely that team, LampleyMerchant, George Foreman.
They were often called the greatest three man broadcasting
team in the history of sports television.
High praise. And deserved.
I think they treated boxing likean intellectual event.
It wasn't just yelling about punches.
It was intelligent, articulate analysis.
Plus that unique HBO factor. No commercials during the
fights. Right, that allowed them to show
(12:28):
the corner stuff between rounds.Exactly that critical between
rounds stuff. The instructions, the drama, the
adjustments. It gave you such a deeper
understanding. It really elevated the whole
experience beyond just a brawl. Made it strategy, made it
theater. Yeah, it really did.
So thinking back on all this, from the kind of crazy business
side, the promoter dynamics to the actual science of hitting
(12:50):
and not getting hit, and then these deeply human stories, you
know, Ollie, Tyson, Stewart, thelegends and the tragedies, we've
covered a lot of ground. We really have.
You see how resilience makes these unexpected paths like
Lampley's own start, how strategy and smarts are just as
vital as raw power, and how eventhese huge, epic moments in the
(13:10):
ring, they come down to human choices, human genius, and
sometimes, yeah, human flaws. Hopefully going through this
leaves you, the listener, with adeeper appreciation for just how
complex and dramatic combat sports really are.
There's so much going on beneaththe surface.
So it leaves us with that question, doesn't it?
After hearing all this, what does it really mean to be the
(13:32):
greatest in this world? Is it just about winning belts
and staying undefeated or? Is it something more?
Yeah, is it maybe that mental strength to overcome insane
odds? The guts to define yourself on
your own terms, like all he did.The ability to leave a mark on
history, even knowing the potential cost.
Definitely something to think about.
Thank you for joining us on thisdeep dive.
Welcome to the Joe Rogan Recap and before we get going, you can
now access the full Google notebook with a mind map,
timeline and briefing document by clicking the link in the
description. Today we're taking a deep dive
into a really phenomenal conversation from the Joe Rogan
Experience. This one features the legendary
boxing commentator Jim Lampley. We're going to try and pull out
(00:20):
the essential insights, you know, about the heart and grit
of boxing, its iconic figures and all that fascinating,
sometimes hidden stuff behind the scenes.
Absolutely. Our goal here really is to
distill the most impactful stufffrom Lampley's, well, massive
career and his unique view on combat sports.
We'll dig into some surprising facts, breakdown those big
(00:40):
moments and kind of connect the dots to figure out what really
makes a champion, you know, bothinside and outside that ring.
Yeah. Should be good.
Get ready for, well, an illuminating journey into the
sweet science. It may be beyond.
So let's unpack this first bit. Jim Lampley's entry into boxing
commentary. It wasn't exactly typical,
right? He tells this really wild story
about how he got his first sports gig with ABC way back in
(01:03):
74. They were doing this talent
hunt, literally looking for the face and voice of the American
College student. And imagine this, driving
overnight Chapel Hill to Birmingham, AL for the
interview. Wow.
That's a haul. Only to get there and have one
of the recruiters, Dick Ebersole, call him arrogant,
(01:24):
abrasive, alienated, antagonistic.
Ouch. Seriously.
So not exactly the vibe they were looking for then.
You wouldn't think so, but what's so striking and you
touched on this is how those things, those perceived
liabilities, they almost became assets.
Right. How so?
Well, he got picked anyway, eventhough he was older, had more
(01:45):
experience than the fresh face they supposedly wanted.
OK, and then there's this almostunbelievable coincidence.
Turns out he grew up caddying for the parents of Roon Arledge.
No way, the ABC Sports presidentRoon Arledge.
The very same. It's like it was almost faded,
you know, that's. Crazy.
So that must have helped. You'd think.
And then his audition piece. It was interviewing George Myra,
(02:06):
who happened to be a childhood hero.
Lampley knew Inside now. So a total setup for him.
Exactly a Gimme, as he called it, even though the network
probably thought it was this bigchallenge.
It just shows how sometimes things line up in weird ways.
Yeah, those hidden connections, right.
Speaking of connections and maybe genius, Lampley talks a
lot about his closest male friend, Emmanuel Stewart.
(02:29):
The legendary trainer, Yeah. He calls him the best
commentator, but also a true genius who quietly upended
traditional boxing rules. What was it about Steward?
Steward was just, yeah, way ahead of the curve.
He wasn't just thinking about drills.
He was thinking bigger picture. Like what?
Well, for instance, he figured out stuff like cranking up the
(02:50):
gym heat way high for better conditioning.
Simple now, maybe, but innovative then.
His whole thought process for prepping fighters was deeper,
more psychological. You know, Lampley really
emphasizes how like well-roundedhe was.
Not just a great trainer, but a real human being who connected
with the fighters. That connection seems key.
Totally. And Lampley shares this
(03:12):
incredibly touching detail. Emmanuel Stewart's last public
appearance. It was at Lampley's wedding in
September 2012. And then just three weeks later
he passed away from stomach pains.
It just, it really highlights the huge impact Stewart had
personally on Lampley, but also on the whole sport.
He just got fighters, you know, watch them day in, day out
(03:34):
through an entire camp, saw everything.
That's a powerful insight. OK, so shifting gears a bit, how
does this individual genius stuff fit into the the business
side? Lampley and Rogan talk about
this giant difference between how boxing and UFC operate,
especially fighter pay. Yeah, that's a huge point.
And it raises that question, whydid boxing for so long kind of
(03:55):
shortchange the undercard fighters, right?
Well, the UFC, they seem to treat the whole thing, the
entire card, as an enormous event.
Exactly, and we learned a big part of the problem in boxing
was it was so top heavy, meaningonly the main event really
brought in the big money and thecrowds.
So the guys fighting earlier, they often got left behind
financially. Unlike UFC where even the first
(04:17):
fights are supposed to be bangers, right?
Get the crowd hyped from the start.
Precisely. It's a different model, and
Lampley points out that HBO's independence back then, being
separate from promoters, yeah, that was a huge strength for
boxing coverage. They could pick commentators,
choose matchups more freely. Which isn't really the case now,
is it? He calls it a subdivided and
(04:37):
widely disparate marketplace. Right where the big name
promoters have a lot more sway. It's fragmented.
Lampley even mentioned Dana White was apparently quite upset
when a potential HBOUFC deal didn't happen years ago.
White thought it would have beengood for both.
Interesting. OK, so beyond the money and the
structure, what about the fighters themselves, their
(04:57):
physical evolution, the training?
That's changed massively, too. Oh absolutely.
It's kind of amazing how modern science just completely reshape
training. Like with Evander Holyfield.
Exactly. Holyfield was a real trailblazer
there, one of the first big names to really dive into
weightlifting with his coach Mackie Shilstone.
He basically proved that old boxing saying wrong.
(05:20):
You know that weights would slowyou down or make you stiff,
right? Right.
And that was key for him, putting on the muscle he needed
to move up to heavyweight successfully.
And then you've got someone likeCanelo Alvarez today, Lampley
says. He's practically knocked down.
Proof. Yeah, and it's not just about
having a great chin. Lampley points to his legs, his
base strength. OK.
(05:40):
And get this a big part of that apparently comes from him doing
2 1/2 hours of 100 jumper ridingevery single morning.
Horse riding. Seriously, how does that help in
boxing? Well, think about it.
That kind of writing builds incredible core stability,
exclusive late power balance, all crucial for taking a punch
and delivering one. Huh.
Never would have thought of that.
(06:01):
It really backs up Lampley's idea that power punching is not
a physical gift. Power punching is a science.
It's about the whole body, footwork, weight shift, angles.
Makes sense. Then there was Roy Jones Junior,
another one Lampley called a unique physical specimen.
Could play any sport. Oh, unbelievable talent.
Just raw athletic ability off the charts.
(06:24):
But even with all that talent, Lampley and Rogan seem to agree.
He made a pretty big mistake going up to heavyweight and then
trying to cut back down to 175. Yeah, that decision cutting,
what, 25 lbs of lean muscle? Yeah, he essentially had to
starve himself. And that had consequences.
Big time. It clearly impacted his
endurance, his durability. Later in his career, you saw his
(06:47):
ability to take a punch wasn't the same.
That incredible speed, the way he could just play with his food
in the rain. Remember him putting his hands
behind his back against Glenn Kelly?
Yeah, classic Roy Jones. That stuff started to fade.
It just shows even generational talent runs up against biology.
You know you push the body too far, make the wrong strategic
calls about weight. There's a price.
A definite cautionary tale, evenfor the greats.
(07:09):
OK, so moving from the physical to the maybe the more symbolic
Muhammad Ali, Lampley's childhood hero, right?
And Lampley tells this story about Ollie's first fight with
Sonny Liston. Lampley was just 14.
And there's a really shocking detail in there.
Yeah, The Dirty business aspect is Lampley put it.
It seems pretty clear there was something on Liston's gloves.
(07:31):
Something that blinded Ollie. Temporarily, yeah.
Ollie was desperate, telling Angelo Dundee to cut the gloves
off. Couldn't see.
Wow, and he still won. He did his sheer will, having to
basically just run around the ring in that fifth round to try
and clear his eyes. Incredible.
And then just two days later, the big announcement.
(07:52):
Right. Cassius Clay is gone.
He's Muhammad Ali, follower of the Nation of Islam, Lampley
said. That moment for him was huge.
Taught him a man's identity is his own.
And that's profound. And Ollie's stance on Vietnam
too, even though Lampley came from a patriotic background.
Yeah, Lampley said. Ollie's opposition really moved
the meter for him. Showed incredible courage
outside the ring as well. And that three-year suspension
(08:13):
Ollie faced, it kind of adds to that whole mystique, doesn't it?
Made him almost mythical. It really did.
I mean, yeah, it robbed him of his absolute prime fighting
years, Yeah, which is a tragedy in a way, right?
But as Lampley and Rogan point out, the fact that he came back
after all that and reached the top again, beating Foreman,
beating Frazier in those wars. Fights nobody thought he could
(08:35):
win at that point. Exactly That cemented his unique
mystique, that resilience, that defiance.
It's unparalleled. Lampley even cares.
That kind of legendary high school story.
The teacher predicting he'd be famous.
Yeah, predicting he'd be the most famous man in the world.
Right? So the school was apparently
hesitant to fail him or deny hima diploma.
(08:56):
Maybe apocryphal, but it fits the legend.
Right, totally. OK, so sticking with legendary
moments may be the most shockingupset ever.
Mike Tyson versus Buster Douglas.
Oh man, Tokyo. And Lampley was right there
calling it live. Just what happened it?
Was a perfect storm, really. You had Douglas, who often kind
of mailed it in. Right.
Known for underperforming sometimes, but his.
(09:16):
Mother had just died. He was fighting with this
incredible emotional fuel, something different about him
that night, and Tyson seemed distracted.
All that constant turmoil with Robin Givens was going on.
Plus, maybe he just felt invincible.
Believed his own hype too much by then.
And his corner didn't help. Oh, the corner was a disaster.
Lampley called it a rank amateurcorner, that image of them
(09:39):
fumbling with a condom filled with ice water for his swollen
eye. Yeah, just unbelievable.
Showed how vulnerable even Tysoncould be.
Totally. And Lampley's call?
Mike Tyson has been knocked out.So simple, so matter of fact.
He said Jack Nicholson gave him advice once.
Don't overact. Yeah, and that's exactly what he
did. He let the moment speak for
itself. It perfectly captured those fine
(10:00):
margins. You know, one guy motivated, the
other makes mistakes. Boom, history changes.
That fight also highlights the referees role doesn't it?
The immense pressure they're under, it can be tragic.
It really can. I mean, Lampley talks about
Richard Steele and the Chavez Taylor fight.
Steele stopped it with two seconds left.
Controversial. Yeah.
Hugely. And Steele apparently faced
(10:21):
immense grief, got booed relentlessly in Vegas afterward.
It shows the weight of those split second decisions.
And sadly, it goes even darker. He mentions other refs like
Mitch Halpern, Richard Green, both committed suicide after
facing intense scrutiny over calls they made.
God, that's heavy. It is.
And then there's the Louis Restoversus Billy Collins junior
fight. That's just chilling.
(10:43):
That was the one with the plaster and the raps, yeah.
Resto's raps were tampered with.It basically destroyed Collins
face and career. He died young tragically.
These stories just hammer home Lampley's point.
The ref is often the only safetybarrier between life and death.
It's incredibly critical, unbelievably stressful job.
Definitely puts it in perspective.
(11:03):
OK, let's switch to the modern day for a second.
Lampley and Rogan talked about apotential mega fight Terence
Crawford versus Canelo Alvarez. Yeah, the big hypothetical, and
Lampley brought in Larry. Merchants take on it.
Merchants 94 now. Still sharp.
What did merchants? Say someone asked him if
Crawford could beat Canelo, and Merchant apparently replied if
Ray Leonard could beat MarvelousMarvin Hagler, then Terence
(11:24):
Crawford can beat Canelo Alvarez.
OK, So what does that mean tactically?
It means Crawford can't just stand there and trade.
He has to be brilliant. Use movement angles, get in, get
out, get in, get out. As Lampley described it.
Land punches, avoid the big shots, frustrate Canelo.
So it's a mental game as much asphysical.
Absolutely. It underlines that idea that
(11:46):
maybe the greatest asset for anyfighter isn't just power or
speed, but the mind being able to objectively analyze, adapt,
execute a perfect game plan against a dangerous opponent,
intelligence winning out. And that focus on the
intellectual side, the analysis,that was really the hallmark of
the HBO boxing coverage Lampley was part of, wasn't it?
(12:06):
Oh completely that team, LampleyMerchant, George Foreman.
They were often called the greatest three man broadcasting
team in the history of sports television.
High praise. And deserved.
I think they treated boxing likean intellectual event.
It wasn't just yelling about punches.
It was intelligent, articulate analysis.
Plus that unique HBO factor. No commercials during the
fights. Right, that allowed them to show
(12:28):
the corner stuff between rounds.Exactly that critical between
rounds stuff. The instructions, the drama, the
adjustments. It gave you such a deeper
understanding. It really elevated the whole
experience beyond just a brawl. Made it strategy, made it
theater. Yeah, it really did.
So thinking back on all this, from the kind of crazy business
side, the promoter dynamics to the actual science of hitting
(12:50):
and not getting hit, and then these deeply human stories, you
know, Ollie, Tyson, Stewart, thelegends and the tragedies, we've
covered a lot of ground. We really have.
You see how resilience makes these unexpected paths like
Lampley's own start, how strategy and smarts are just as
vital as raw power, and how eventhese huge, epic moments in the
(13:10):
ring, they come down to human choices, human genius, and
sometimes, yeah, human flaws. Hopefully going through this
leaves you, the listener, with adeeper appreciation for just how
complex and dramatic combat sports really are.
There's so much going on beneaththe surface.
So it leaves us with that question, doesn't it?
After hearing all this, what does it really mean to be the
(13:32):
greatest in this world? Is it just about winning belts
and staying undefeated or? Is it something more?
Yeah, is it maybe that mental strength to overcome insane
odds? The guts to define yourself on
your own terms, like all he did.The ability to leave a mark on
history, even knowing the potential cost.
Definitely something to think about.
Thank you for joining us on thisdeep dive.
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