Merchant Machine

Larry Merchant is an 80 year old boxing commentator whose latest confrontation with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a post fight interview proves himself to be antiquated and possibly senile. That interview ended with him saying, "If I was 50 years younger, I'd kick your ass!"

Larry has a long history of asking stupid, long-winded and irrelevant questions and asinine remarks. He's been touted as "The greatest television boxing analyst of all time" by ESPN Boxing analyst Dan Rafael. I completely disagree with that assessment. I actually mute the television when Larry is speaking. He has clashed with many announcers and fighters alike when they don't agree with him.

Merchant has had a long career milking the boxing community. He advocates boxers fighting for years to build up a big record to get their shot. Fighters do this until they have absorbed so many shots to the head, by the time they get to the big time, they are washed up! Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton were both very talented when they were young and could have beaten almost anyone. They were dragged through the ranks at such a slow pace that they weren't the same fighter when they got big fights. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr is another example. 43-0-1 and he's never fought anyone that is worth a shit. Larry thinks that practice is "the way it's done" and it doesn't make sense.

Boxing is losing it's credibility with viewers. Promoters, Boxing associations, bad judges and state athletic commissions are slowly killing the sport. Oscar DeLaHoya improved boxing for a few years by starting GoldenBoy promotions and pushing Don King out of the picture. In order to beat a Don King fighter, you had to knock them out or lose a decision. It's been crooked for far too long.

It's time for HBO to let that dinosaur go. Larry has long outlived his usefulness as a commentator/analyst. He rambles on and on and makes very little sense. He is nothing short of being a bitter old man whose opinion means very little to the audience. I've endured having to listen to him for years. If they have a big HBO boxing match on PPV and the UFC has one at the same time..I'll always opt for UFC so that I don't have to listen to Larry's bullshit! HBO..do as the fighters are asking...FIRE LARRY MERCHANT!