Straight Writes and Jabs: An Inside Look at Another Year in Boxing

Lou DiBella on Epix

Lou DiBella has a frenetic way of doing things. It's never boring. Lou DiBella on Epix The first fight televised on Epix wasVitali Klitschko vs.Odlanier Solis on March 19, 2011.The network now hosts boxing on a regular basis. Fights are shown live approximately once a month on a Saturday afternoon (usually around 4:30 PM East Coast time).That’s a throwback to the era when the sweet science was an anchor for Saturday afternoon sports programming. “Our budget is a small fraction of what HBO and Showtime spend on fights,” Epix acquisitions consultant Roy Langbord says.“But by focusing on the Klitschkos and Europe,we’ve been able to buy good fights that have been overlooked in the US market.” Epix takes the European feed for its telecasts. Fights are called from a three-man studio desk in NewYork. For the past year, Bruce Beck has handled blow-by-blow duties.The number-two seat has been filled by Dan Rafael. The industry-insider role has fallen at various times to Lennox Lewis, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Freddie Roach. On November 10, 2012, Epix embarked on a grand experiment. It brought in promoter Lou DiBella to do commentary as the industry insider for its telecast of Wladimir Klitschko vs.MariuszWach and Robert Helenius vs. ShermanWilliams. In the past, DiBella has done spot commentary on telecasts of his own Broadway Boxing shows. Earlier this year, he sent a video of his work to Travis Pomposello (executive producer of Epix Sports).Travis took it from there. Before long, DiBella was slated for his Epix debut. Inquiring minds wanted to know:“Could Lou sit still through two fights? Could Lou cope with turning his cell phone off for the two hours that he would be on the air? Could Lou control his emotions without stifling his emotional appeal?” Seth Abraham (former president of Time Warner Sports) was the architect of HBO’s boxing program. He and DiBella presided over the network’s sports department during its glory years. STRAIGHT WRITES AND JABS 103 “Wow!” Abraham exclaimed when apprised of DiBella’s pending engagement.“I’m rarely speechless, but this is one of those times. Lou obviously knows boxing as a sport and a business. I think his biggest challenge will be to impose moderation and control on himself. People in boxing know Lou, and they’ll be looking for one set of things from him for entertainment. But the average viewer will be looking for something else. For the average viewer, this will be about the fights, not about Lou. Will he know when to shut up? Will he explain and complement the visual or overwhelm it? It will be interesting; that’s for sure. It’s a fascinating choice.” The commentating team that DiBella coordinated with at HBO was similarly intrigued. “This should be fun,” Larry Merchant said enthusiastically. “Lou always has something to say,” Harold Lederman offered.“I can’t wait to hear what it is.” Jim Lampley was effusive in his praise. “If anything can double Epix’s subscription rate in one night, this is it,” Lampley posited.“Lou has common-man appeal. He’s in psychological harmony with the sport. He looks and feels like a boxing guy the same way that John Madden looks and feels like football. He’s one of my favorite conversationalists, whether he’s ranting or philosophizing. He knows the sport and he knows the business. I can’t imagine that he won’t be great on the air. I think it’s fantastic.” Steve Farhood was behind the microphone when DiBella commentated on a handful of Broadway Boxing fights. “When one of Lou’s fighters scores a knockout,” Farhood noted, “Lou forgets that he’s an analyst on a TV show. He jumps up and down and his headset falls off. So it’s an interesting situation with Epix. On Broadway Boxing,Lou can be Lou.But the higher a commentator goes,the more filters there are and the more he’s expected to be politically correct within the context of boxing. I think it will work out. I do know that it’s enervating when Lou joins us on Broadway Boxing because his energy is contagious.” Steve Albert (who called fights on Showtime for two decades) looked to the past and recalled, “This brings back memories of when I was announcing hockey for the Cleveland Crusaders in the oldWorld Hockey 104 THOMAS HAUSER [18.225.149.32...