WITH almost 30 years as a boxing MC, renowned announcer Jimmy Lennon Jnr has an opinion on almost everything. Therefore, two pages in our 80-page Christmas issue (currently on sale) was never going to be enough to fully reflect the Showtime maestro?s knowledge and insight. So, just for you online users, it?s bonus time!
Jimmy, if you could change any one thing in boxing, what would it be?
I would clean it up so the casual fan does not need a degree in fisticuffs to understand who the top people are. You almost need ? I don?t see it happening ? a kind of benevolent dictator of boxing who can make all the right, non-politicised decisions, make the good fighters fight each other, take away so much of the politics and posturing of the sport. That?s obviously too much power for one person to have and it would be dangerous but if I had a dream that?s what it would be.
Is it ever an issue when you have to announce the defeat of a boxer you like or know well?
Certainly it?s an issue. I am a fan of boxing and certainly I have fighters that I get closer to or am quietly rooting for. But when it comes to a decision, I never want that to come across in my delivery or performance because I should be neutral. Deep inside I feel it more than anything but I never let it show on the outside.
What has been your most memorable night or fight as an announcer?
It?s a good question and a number of them come to mind. My first megafight was Buster Douglas beating Mike Tyson in Tokyo and almost all of Mike?s fights were so memorable because of the excitement he brought to the arena.
But ? and I?m not just saying this because I?m speaking to a UK publication ? the fights in the UK are a step up from almost all the fights I?ll do anywhere else because of the crowd involvement. The enthusiasm the crowd brings and the loyalty to their fighter is just great.
But the one that stands out as the most memorable would have to be in Mexico City when Julio Cesar Chavez fought Greg Haugen. It was the largest crowd to ever see a fight, there were over 135,000 people in attendance and just to see that massive amount of fans there with such enthusiasm, and the event itself was so amazing. I remember standing there with Don King before Chavez came out and he and I were in the ring ? just looking around and seeing the setting, there was a laser and music light show, and just anticipating the main event. I could even see his eyes getting a little misty, it was quite moving.
That would stand out for me, more than the ear-bite which was a bad memory, something that people remember but I didn?t like what that stood for in boxing, to see such a dirty fight.
How many languages do you speak?
People think I speak more languages than I do because I?m a student of languages. I really only speak fluently in English but I do pretty well in Spanish and I can announce fights in Spanish quite easily. I used to speak Italian better than my Spanish but when I go to Japan, Turkey, France, Germany, Indonesia or Thailand, I?ll make sure to include phrases in their languages. I think I fool people into thinking I speak more of that language than I do.
In all your many years in boxing, have you never been tempted to enter and other facet of the game?
I am so lucky that I don?t involve myself in those tough businesses. You look at the Super Six and the headaches with that and I can?t imagine being a manager or promoter. Promoting?s a tough business and most promoters are not successful so I?m not tempted by that at all. And managing, certainly I see young talent and I?m tempted to be involved with the fighter but I?m so busy with what I have and I?m very fortunate that I can make friends in this game on every side of the fence. I like my role as being neutral.
Do you see MMA as a threat to boxing or can the two co-exist?
I think they can co-exist. It has with me, I?m a big fan of both and they?re different sports, with some similarities of course. One appeals a little bit more to younger fans but boxing needs to get those younger fans. But maybe mixed martial arts is an avenue because striking and boxing skills are so important in mixed martial arts so if we can draw some of those fans over to boxing they can see how beautiful it is and see some great action.
Do you think boxing needs a star heavyweight as a shot in the arm?
We certainly do. The whole world loves a heavyweight and as the heavyweight division goes, the whole of boxing goes as the adage says. We keep looking for a big, tall guy, a big puncher or a charismatic fighter and we look forward to the time when we find one.
Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather ? how would that fight go?
I do think they?re the two best fighters pound-for-pound in the world today and just to think they could fight makes the boxing fan salivate. I?ve always gone for Mayweather being a little bit faster, a little the naturally bigger and would win that fight. But with his recent distractions, time off from boxing, I wonder if the mental edge now goes to Pacquiao. It?s become a lot closer.
I think it depends when they fight. If they fight soon and Mayweather has a nice warm-up fight, I?d tend to go back to Mayweather as being a little more talented. Should that fight take a while and Mayweather continue his distractions, I would favour the toughness of Pacquiao. So how?s that for an indecisive answer?
