The end was near for Nick Charles, and he knew it. The popular broadcaster was in the final stages of a battle with bladder cancer in early 2011. It had ravaged his body and stolen his movie star looks, but it did nothing to lessen his spirit.
He was as vibrant and joyous as ever on March 26, 2011.
If there were a Hall of Fame for good guys and people who were great to be around, Charles would be a charter member.
On March 26, 2011, just three months prior to his death on June 25, 2011, Charles was telling anyone who would listen how lucky he was. That night, regular play-by-play man Bob Papa stepped aside and Charles, an inveterate boxing fan, got to call one last match.
Charles did the play-by-play for the opener of an HBO Sports broadcast at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall, calling Mikey Garcia’s 10-round stoppage of Matt Remillard.
Charles was one of the most accomplished sportscasters of his era, having teamed with Fred Hickman on CNN’s Sports Tonight. But he was partial to boxing and couldn’t get enough of it. A few days before he called his final fight, he spoke to Yahoo Sports about his love for the game.
I love boxing; I love everything about it. Of course, I love the fighters, but I love the officials and the timekeepers and everyone who is around it and a part of it. There is nothing like it, if you ask me. I?d rather go to a fight than anything else: Super Bowl, World Series, Masters, you name it. I love it.
He was that way for the nearly 20 years I knew him.
He was also kind and gracious and an example to so many people. Even staring down death, he was at peace and exuded charm. He wanted to continue enjoying life for as long as he could.
You know, you don?t have to be terrified about this thing. You really don?t. I want to be an inspiration to people. I still have a lot of great books I want to read and champions I want to see crowned and music and literature that I want to experience. This is a great world with a lot of amazing things and tremendous, caring, giving people. I don?t want to give up on all of that just because I am sick. I want to continue to experience it and try to be an inspiration to people who maybe need someone to tell them to keep up the fight.
It was Rick Bernstein, HBO Sports’ talented executive producer, who came up with the idea to give Charles one final call. He offered Charles the shot to call the Garcia-Remillard fight. Papa would call the main event between Yuriorkis Gamboa and Jorge Solis that was to follow.
Papa classily agreed to the plan.
“Nick was a dear friend and a respected figure in our business for so long,” Papa told Yahoo Sports Thursday. “It was HBO’s idea, but it seemed like the natural thing to do. Nick was so passionate about boxing. It was an honor for me to sit there and watch him do it. He knew what he was facing, but he had the sparkle in his eye and he was fully prepared and he just did an exceptional job.”
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Nick Charles calling his last fight from ringside on March 26, 2011. (Will Hart/HBO Sports) One thing that a lot of people may not understand is how physically taxing a play-by-play job in a fast-paced sport like boxing can be. Broadcasters are often physically worn down by the time the game or the fight has ended.
Charles was frail and weak by this point, and there had to be at least some concern about how he’d do.
Papa knows as well as anyone how rough it can be.
Legendary broadcaster Marty Glickman once advised Papa in his early days to stay in shape.
“He said, you not only look better on camera, but it makes for a better broadcast, and he was 100 percent correct,” Papa said. “When you do a football game, or a basketball game, or you do boxing, even though you’re sitting, if you use your body and you speak from not just your throat, but your diaphagrm and really get into it, when you’re done at the end of the night, you feel a physical drain. The emotion you’re putting into it, the concentration level, definitely wears you out.
“For Nick to do what he did, to come across so perfectly considering where his body was, to summon that energy and to bring it from the diaphragm is something that, quite frankly, was awesome to see. … The adrenaline takes over when you’re on the air, and Nick had it that night. He was incredible.”
He was incredible that night, and he was an incredible person.
When you’re watching HBO’s broadcast Saturday of a doubleheader headlined by Andre Ward against Sullivan Barrera, take a moment to think of Nick Charles. It will have been five years to the day since he did his last fight.
He passed away on June 25, 2011, but for the many people who knew and loved him, he’s never been forgotten.
