If you’ve been following the conversation on any of the more popular message boards for boxing, you know that the commentary by HBO for Saturday’s Marco Antonio Barrera/Juan Manuel Marquez has come under great scrutiny. As witty scribe Steve Kim put it, Home Barrera Office does it again.
But how bad was it really? I’ve had a distaste for HBO’s commentary for quite some time now, yet I’ve never taken the time to do any type of formal study on the matter (if you have a hint that’s about to change, you’re right). So here’s the plan for this article. I’m going to watch the MAB/JMM fight again and try to note each time Lampley and Merchant swallow their comments following a significant sequence by either MAB or JMM. If we use a consistent approach, we should be able to tell, by the end of the fight, whether Lampley and Merchant called the action more for any fighter than the other. I will not attempt to ascribe some reason if we find a bias but it’s important to determine if a bias exists or not.
And what’s a significant sequence as defined for this study? Here’s my methodology. In boxing, the jab is the most important punch but it’s also the most frequently thrown punch by boxers. Therefore, it may be hard for an announcer to call every jab thrown when two master boxers face off. On the other hand, a series of multiple jabs, any power punches, and any combination landed should be called by a competent announcing team. After all, in a fight like this, a sequence like that is evidence that one fighter is imposing his will successfully, if only for the duration of that sequence.
If the commentators don’t have any bias, your expectation would be that they’d miss the sequences of both fighters equally. If they don’t, you’d have to look for some reason. Possible reasons could be that one fighter is a lot flashier than the other, one fighter seems to be punching a lot harder than the other, or that one fighter seems to be changing the overall momentum of the fight. Other reasons could be a definite bias or just incompetence.
Having set the stage, lets review the 1st six rounds of MAB-JMM and see if HBO was playing favorites. I’ll do the final six rounds tomorrow.
Round 1:
The two fighters spend the 40 seconds flicking jabs at one another until the 2:25 mark. At that point, it looks like JMM lands a hard jab and MAB counters with a hook. His back is to the camera however, so it’s impossible to tell if it lands, although the sound is thudding. The commentators make no call for any of that action. The action is tense for a few seconds afterwards and Lampley makes the call that both fighters are hooking and landing. So far, it’s a very balanced call. They continue calling equal action until 1:48 or so when JMM lands a big right hand and Lampley calls it! MAB responds and Merchant describes MAB as being Sugar Ray-esque in his ability to respond to a punch. Wow.
However, at 1:12 or so, Merchant says “Barrera’s left jab is beating Marquez to the punch!” As Larry says it, however, JMM lands two good jabs of his own and no one calls it. Accident? Lets just say this is 1 missed call for JMM’s own jab.
At :53 or so, they trade shots and Lampley calls them both again. At :44 MAB lands a good right (that Lampley calls) and the action is both even and called pretty even for the rest of the round.
Verdict: It’s hard to complain about the 1st. The commentators were respectful of both fighters and although Larry missed JMM’s own jab, you could make the argument that it was because JMM’s action came after MAB’s. This was an excellent round both in terms of the action and the commentary.
Round 2:
At 2:42 of the 2nd, it looks to me like JMM caught MAB with at least two out of three shots and none were called. However, Lampley was giving the stats from the last round and MAB had a high guard so they may have been blocked. At 2:29, it looks like JMM lands two shots to MAB but Lampley is giving his analysis of the 1st round still so there’s no call. In fairness, the shots from JMM may’ve been scoring shots but they didn’t have heat. MAB comes on with an uppercut and some action and the crew remark that MAB seems faster than they thought. At 1:49, JMM comes on with a good combination and MAB responds with a counter. Lampley calls none of it because he’s busy discussing MAB’s training camp. At 1:20, Merchant makes the claim that MAB has made some necessary adjustments. I have no clue what he’s talking about. The action looks identical to the 1st round to me. Of course, Larry makes me out to be a fool because at 1:16, MAB slams JMM with a good hook. The old man has some wheels left. And so does MAB.
Great exchange at 1:02 or so and Lampley calls it clean. At this point, Lampley agrees that MAB is beating JMM to the punch. I don’t see it that way but it’s not that big of a deal and the HBO guys are right there so I can give them the benefit of the doubt. MAB starts sticking the jab hard at :30 or so and proves HBO is right about him being the 1st man to get there. Again, the HBO guys prove why they get paid to watch fights and I just get fat from watching fights.
However, from :26 to :18, JMM lands three separate shots, the last of which causes MAB to grimace and retreat. No call from the HBO team as they’re busy saying how relaxed MAB is. MAB makes it academic however as he outboxes JMM at the final bell.
Verdict: Same as Round 1. Excellent action. Balanced call for the most part although HBO tends to ignore single shots by both guys except MAB’s jab.
Round 3:
The two dance around with Emmanuel Steward praising MAB’s all-around skills and performance and no one calls a very nice right hand at 2:35 or so from JMM. Bad miss by the crew. JMM and MAB are trading at 2:28 or so and Lampley calls it square, giving JMM the lead on the call. The action is even and JMM lands a solid shot at 2:02 and it’s called by the guys. Good even action for the next few moments and it does seem like JMM is doing more chasing than cutting the ring off. Is MAB soundly out-boxing JMM? Maybe not but he does seem to be jabbing well and the call is pretty even. Great action at :18 or so and the crew calls it fair. MAB finishes the round by out-jabbing JMM pretty well.
Verdict: Again, the call seems very fair to me. The guys are giving JMM credit when he lands more than one at a time and, to be fair, MAB is enforcing his will with the jab at times. More and more, he does seem to taking the fight over. At this point, I don’t think the call is biased at all. In fact, most of the announcing refers to the great back and forth action.
Round 4:
Jim Lampley starts the 4th round by saying the judges will have a huge problem scoring this fight. Pretty fair call, Jim. Ironically, Harold Lederman jumps in to say he has it 3-0 MAB. Lederman says he has MAB up because he looks confident and is coming forward. I may need to review this fight again. I thought MAB was mostly jabbing and retreating. Oh well. Jim counters by saying he’s curious as to whether any of the official judges could be that confident.
Good action but at 1:36 or so, JMM reaches badly and MAB slides away cool and calmly. Even though the action seemed even up until that point, smooth defensive moves like that can sway me if not the judges.
JMM lands a hard body shot at 1:14 or so. MAB smiles (and probably poots) and Lampley calls it. JMM lands a nice right but MAB rolls with it just moments later. Emmanuel makes the point that JMM seems to be looking for a hard right. Larry Merchant hasn’t said anything in quite some time so he’s either harassing a cocktail waitress or sleeping.
At :33 or so JMM lands a good body shot but MAB responds with what Jim calls a nice one-two. MAB seems to land a very nice inside shot at :15 or so and the HBO crew miss it. JMM chases MAB across the ring and the two trade, wild and mostly missing shots at the end.
Verdict: I’m just not seeing a bias. The action is good but MAB is doing the things for which HBO is giving him credit. In contrast, when JMM lands, it’s usually just one shot. To his defense, however, JMM is pressuring always and I wonder if his relentless come-forward style is winning the judges if not the commentators. It always seems like he’s putting more on his shots.
Round 5:
We begin the round the same way we started round 4. Jim says the judges have a tough night tonight. However, Harold Lederman gives JMM the last round so JMM is making some impact on the crew. MAB has that roll away from a punch thing down cold (best since Holyfield?) but it seems to me that JMM’s right hands are starting to land more and more flush. Hard to tell from home, however, and the HBO guys aren’t calling it.
In fact, no one’s calling anything right now but Emmanuel Steward is making the case for JMM’s overall determination. I agree because the story of this round to me is how JMM seems to be catching MAB with those right hands. Yet, as HBO points out, MAB is quick to retaliate. Interesting fight.
JMM cracks MAB at 1:33. Lampley calls it!
Merchant makes the point that MAB isn’t attacking. I don’t think so either Larry so Harold’s 3-0 call at the end of round 3 still has me scratching my bald head.
JMM cracks MAB with a right at :58. The crowd reacts and HBO is silent on the punch. JMM then racks MAB with an uppercut at :48 and Lampley calls it. MAB throws a neat left hook and JMM reaches badly with a counter. MAB finishes the round throwing jabs like a 5’3” Ali while JMM lands a few rights but misses just as many.
Verdict: At this point, I’m wondering what the impact of JMM’s punches are live. When he lands, the crowd seems to oooh and aaah a bit more than they do for MAB. On the other hand, MAB is jabbing and moving well. Is HBO biased?
I don’t know. They seem to miss a lot of single shots by either guy. Is that because they’re looking for combinations or just slow to make the call. Hard to say but they seem to be very admiring of JMM even while thinking MAB is winning.
Round 6:
We begin round 6 with Lampley describing how JMM landed 17 power shots to MAB’s 7 in round 5. I can believe it as I thought the story of that round was JMM’s ability to land one hard shot at a time. Harold Lederman agrees by giving JMM the 5th round, making it a one point fight at the time.
Biased? Not at this point in my opinion.
JMM drops a nifty four punch combination, landing two and pressing MAB across the ring. Lampley calls it. Merchant wakes up to say that MAB seems a bit more aggressive and, to Larry’s credit, Marco does try to press the action.
Emmanuel makes the statement that JMM is throwing everything with power (Jack Mosley is somewhere yelling “POWER BOXING” right now) and that MAB is more varied with his attack. JMM finishes off a neat combination as they trade body shots at 1:44 or so. Lampley calls it. MAB lands a nice right and another shot at 1:23 or so. JMM blows his nose ala Tito Trinidad versus Oscar De La Hoya and then punches MAB in the thigh. For a second, I think I really am watching Felix. Who else could do the blow your nose/punch the balls combo with such panache?
JMM lands another hard shot at 1:09 but Lampley calls it. MAB comes back with a few shots but they just don’t have the heat of JMM’s punches. Still, MAB seems to be taking everything well. At :40 or so, Jay Nady warns JMM for being Hispanic or something because I really couldn’t see any foul. MAB comes back with a nice uppercut and jab. At :25, MAB pushes JMM off hard and tries the old George Foreman push you and then cross you trick. Fittingly, MAB missed the punch and Jay Nady jumps in to warn MAB.
Good combination for both at :12 or so and there’s no call for either guy until Lampley explodes with “They trade combinations!” at :06 or so. Good action that JMM seems to win with a long right hand at the end of the round.
Verdict: Look, I wanted to see some bias from HBO but I’m not. If the judges thought JMM was winning easily, I can only guess it had to do with the power of his shots because the punches landed and thrown seem pretty close and MAB is definitely winning in the jab department.
Am I wrong? Let me know. But take me up on my challenge. Don’t just tell me I’m full of beans. Watch the HBO broadcast and tell me “Hey Ruthless, what about X:XX of round X. I’ll watch and see if I think you’re right.
But for the 1st part of this fight, I’ll give HBO a “C” for Joe Cortez. They’re fair but firm. Tomorrow, I’ll grade the rest of the announcing and see if HBO turned on the fix for the last few rounds.
