Boxing is one of the world’s oldest and most popular combat sports. There’s a lot of tradition that goes into the “Sweet Science,” from ring entrances, ring attire, and ring introductions. One of the key elements in ring introductions is the tradition of having boxing announcers, who set the stage for the bout by naming the fighters and hyping up the crowd.
There have been many legendary boxing announcers in the sport’s long and storied history. From Howard Cosell to Don Dunphy to modern-day stars like Michael Buffer and Jimmy Lennon Jr., ring announcers have been an integral part of boxing since its early days.
As a lifelong boxing fan, I’ve seen more than my fair share of boxing announcers. From the classics up until the modern age, these are my picks for the top 15 best boxing announcers of all time.
Table of Contents
15. Kenny Albert
Hometown: New York City, USA
Birthday: February 2, 1968
Estimated salary: $500,000
Years active: 1990s-present
Notable events: Roy Jones Jr. vs. Felix Trinidad (2008), Adrien Broner vs. Mikey Garcia (2017), Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Guillermo Rigondeaux (2017), Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury (2020)
Coming from a lineage of sports broadcasters, Kenny Albert is the son of Marv Albert and the nephew of Al Abert, two other boxing announcers on this list. While he is most known for his work calling NHL games for NBC, he is also a decorated boxing announcer, working as the blow-by-blow play caller for Premier Boxing Champions.
14. David Diamante
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Birthday: November 8, 1971
Estimated Salary: $500,000
Years Active: 2000s-present
Notable events: Anthony Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko (2017), Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin II (2018), Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Jorge Linares (2018), Gervonta Davis vs. Leo Santa Cruz (2020), Canelo Alvarez vs. Callum Smith (2020)
David Diamante is the official ring announcer for Matchroom Boxing with an extensive list of events announced for DAZN, HBO, and Showtime boxing. He has also worked as a boxing announcer for analysis and commentary on NBC Sports, Fox Sports, and ESPN, as well as Spanish commentary for Televisa, TyC and Azteca America.
13. Sal Marchiano
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York, USA
Birthday: March 3, 1941
Estimated Net Worth: $5-7 million
Years Active: 1970s-2000s
Notable events: Mike Tyson vs. Tony Tubbs (1988), Evander Holyfield vs. Buster Douglas (1990), Arturo Gatti vs. Mickey Ward I (2002), Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Zab Judah (2006), Manny Pacquiao vs. Erik Morales III (2006), Joe Calzaghe vs. Bernard Hopkins (2008)
Sal Marchiano is a celebrated sports broadcaster who was one of the original sports anchors for ESPN. Marchiano was the blow-by-blow boxing announcer for Top Rank Boxing telecasts and worked alongside famous boxing commentators like Marv Albert and Howard Cosell.
12. Reg Gutteridge
Hometown: Islington, London, England
Birthday: March 29th, 1924
Death date: January 24th, 2009
Years active: 1940s-2000s
Notable events: Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier III (1975), Barry McGuigan vs. Eusebio Pedroza (1985), Nigel Benn vs. Chris Eubank II (1993), Lennox Lewis vs. Frank Buno II (1996), Ricky Hatton vs. Kostya Tszyu (2005), Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Ricky Hatton (2007)
Reg Gutteridge is a legendary figure in the world of boxing, becoming an iconic boxing announcer during the golden age of the sport. An inductee to the International Boxing Hall of Fame and World Boxing Hall of Fame, Gutteridge also won the Sam Taub Award for his Excellence in Broadcast Journalism and Presenter of the Year. His career as a boxing announcer is detailed in his autobiography Uppercuts and Dazes, which features a foreword written by Muhammad Ali.
11. Harold Lederman
Hometown: Bronx, New York, USA
Birthday: January 26 1940
Death Date: May 11, 2019
Years active: 1986-2019
Notable events: Marvin Hagler vs. Sugar Ray Leonard (1987), Evander Holyfield vs. Riddick Bowe I (1992), Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Meldrick Taylor I (1990), Lennox Lewis vs. Vitali Klitschko (2003), Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez II (2008), Bernard Hopkins vs. Joe Smith Jr. (2016)
Harold Lederman was a boxing “lifer,” having spent his entire career inside the world of boxing. Not only did he work extensively as a boxing announcer, he was also a boxing judge. He worked as a judge from 1967-1986, when he began his career as an announcer for HBO World Championship Boxing. He passed away from cancer on May 11, 2019, 3 years after being inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
10. Larry Merchant
Hometown: Bronx, New York, USA
Birthday: February 11th, 1931
Estimated Net Worth: $7-9 million
Years active: 1970s-2017
Notable events: Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns II (1989), Mike Tyson vs. Buster Douglas (1990), George Foreman vs. Michael Moorer (1994), Evander Holyfield vs. Lennox Lewis (1999), Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez IV (2012), Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor (2017)
Dubbed by ESPN’s Dan Rafael as the “greatest television boxing analyst of all time,” Larry Merchant is an iconic boxing announcer who is known as much for his beefs with boxers as he is for his boxing commentary. Merchant is the longtime boxing announcer for HBO World Championship Boxing, as well as Boxing After Dark and other PPV boxing events. He’s had memorable clashes with boxing icons like Mike Tyson, Oscar de la Hoya, and Floyd Mayweather Jr. He was inducted to the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 2002 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2009.
9. Al Albert
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY, USA
Birthday: June 22, 1949
Years Active: 1970s-2010s
Notable events: Mike Tyson vs. Michael Spinks (1988), Riddick Bowe vs. Evander Holyfield I (1992), Julio Ceesar Chavez vs. Greg Haugen (1993), Oscar de la Hoya vs. Julio Cesar Chavez II (1998), Floyd Mayweather vs. Juan Manuel Maruez (2009), Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto (2009)
Al Albert is a throwback sportscaster who worked in boxing and other sports for many decades. In addition to his work as a boxing announcer, he also called basketball games for the New York Nets and Denver Nuggets, as well as hockey games for the New York Islanders. However, his work in boxing is legendary.
Working for networks like ESPN and Showtime Championship Boxing, Albert called many historic events such as Mike Tyson’s 91-second knockout of Michael Spinks, Julio Cesar Chavez’s legendary victory over Greg Haugen in Mexico City, and Manny Pacquiao’s WBO welterweight title fight win over Miguel Cotto.
Al Albert won the Sam Taub Award for excellence in boxing broadcasting journalism for his work as a boxing announcer in 1995.
8. Al Bernstein
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Birthday: September 15th, 1950
Estimated salary: $90,000
Years active: 1980s-present
Notable events: Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Marvin Hagler (1987), Evander Holyfield vs. Riddick Bowe (1992), Mike Tyson vs. Buster Douglas (1990), Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao (2015), Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson (2002), Oscar de la Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (2007)
Al Bernstein is a boxing historian who has made great contributions to the sport as a boxing announcer, commentator, and journalist. He’s written multiple books on the history of boxing, including Boxing for Beginners and 30 Years, 30 Undeniable Truths About Boxing, Sports and TV.
Bernstein worked on ESPN’s Top Rank Boxing series as an analyst. His work in boxing broadcasting earned him the Sam Taub Award in 1998 and an induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2012. He currently works as the boxing announcer and analyst for Showtime Championship Boxing.
7. Jimmy Lennon, Jr.
Hometown: Santa Monica, California, USA
Birthday: August 5th, 1958
Estimated Net Worth: $3-5 million
Years Active: 1980s-present
Notable Events: Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield II (1997), Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez IV (2012), Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Conor McGregor (2017), Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin II (2018)
The son of legendary boxing ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Sr, Jimmy Lennon Jr. followed in the footsteps of his father to become an iconic boxing announcer. He is currently the boxing ring announcer for Showtime Championship Boxing and Premier Boxing Champions, as well as Top Rank’s ESPN events. He is known for his catchphrase “it’s showtime!” which is only utilized during Showtime Championship Boxing events.
6. Jimmy Lennon Sr.
Hometown: St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
Birthday: April 13th, 1913
Death: April 20, 1992
Estimated Net Worth: $700,000
Years Active: 1950s-1992
Notable Events: Muhamma Ali vs. Joe Frazier III (1975), Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns (1981), Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Ruberto Duran II (1989), Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Meldrick Taylor I (1990), Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Marvin Hagler (1987)
Jimmy Lennon Sr. paved the way for his aforementioned son to follow in his footsteps as a boxing ring announcer. Jimmy Lennon started his career as a ring announcer in Santa Monica, California at the Ocean Park Arena. The gig started off with him only singing the national anthem, but he replaced the ring announcer after an event coordinator asked him to fill in. The rest was history, going on to become one of the most iconic boxing announcers in history.
5. Don Dunphy
Hometown: New York City, New York, USA
Birthday: July 5th, 1908
Death: July 22nd, 1998
Estimated Net Worth: ~$1 million
Years Active: 1930s-1980s
Notable Events: Rocky Marciano vs. Jersey Joe Walcott (1952), Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston II (1965), Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Roberto Duran II (1980), George Foreman vs. Joe Frazier (1973), Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier (1971)
Don Dunphy is one of the most prolific boxing announcers in history, with over 2,000 boxing fights called on his ledger. He worked primarily in radio broadcast throughout the golden era of boxing, having called the Friday Night Fights broadcast for forty years between 1939 and 1981.
Dunphy is an inductee in the National Radio Hall of Fame and the International Boxing Hall of Fame, as well as a winner of the Sam Taub Award for Excellence in Broadcasting Journalism in Boxing. Dunphy’s electric play-by-play style is emulated by boxing announcers to this day.
4. Gil Clancy
Hometown: Queens, New York City, New York, USA
Birthday: May 30, 1922
Death: March 31, 2011
Estimated Net Worth: $1 million
Years Active: 1970s-1990s
Notable Events: Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier III (1975, “Thrilla in Manila”), Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns, Larry Holmes vs. Gerry Cooney (1982), Evander Holyfield vs. Riddick Bowe I (1992), Marvin Hagler vs. Sugar Ray Leonard (1987)
Gil Clancy is one of the few boxing announcers on this list who also participated in the sport as a trainer. Not only did he work as a boxing announcer for CBS and HBO, he also trained legendary boxers such as Joe Frazier, George Foreman, and Muhammad Ali. Clancy was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and received the Sam Taub award for excellence in boxing broadcasting in 1983.
3. Jim Lampley
Hometown: Hendersonville, North Carolina, USA
Birthday: April 8, 1949
Estimated Net Worth: $16 million
Years Active: 1970s-2018
Notable Events: Evander Holyfield vs. Mike Tyson II (1997, “The Bite Fight”), Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman (1974, “The Rumble in the Jungle”), Diego Corrales vs. Jose Luis Castillo I (2005), Oscar de la Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (2007)
Jim Lampley is one of the most famous boxing announcers of all time, having worked as the blow-by-blow commentator on HBO World Champion Boxing for three decades. In addition to his work as a boxing announcer, Lampley has also covered 14 Olympic games on television, which stands as a record.
In addition to his thirty years as the boxing announcer for HBO, Lampley also hosted Boxing After Dark and Legendary Nights documentary series. For a time, he hosted The Fight Game with Jim Lampley on HBO.
2. Howard Cosell
Hometown: Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
Birthday: March 25th, 1918
Estimated Net Worth: $5 million
Years Active: 1960s-1980s
Notable Events: Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier I (1971), Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman (1974, “Rumble in the Jungle”), Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns (1981), Muhammad Ali vs. Leon Spinks II (1978), Roberto Duran vs. Sugar Ray Leonard II (1980)
Howard Cosell was a sports broadcaster and boxing announcer whose fiery personality matched up perfectly with the electric world of boxing. Cosell was ABC Sport’s primary broadcaster for many years, providing commentary for all boxing events covered by the broadcast network.
Cosell also served as the main boxing announcer during the 1976 Olympic boxing events in Montral, which saw Sugar Ray Leonard win the gold medal. He followed up his role as the main boxing announcer for the Olympic games in 1984 in Los Angeles.
However, Cosell’s contributions to boxing doesn’t end with his work as a boxing announcer. He famously criticized professional boxing during a live broadcast on November 26, 1982, calling out the failure of the referee to stop a one-sided beatdown. This led to major reforms in the sport of boxing that have lasted to this day.
1. Michael Buffer
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Birthday: November 2, 1944
Estimated Net Worth: $400 million
Years Active: 1982-present
Notable Events: Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield II (1997), Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao (2015), Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson (2002), Oscar de la Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (2007), Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez IV (2012)
In the world of boxing, there is no ring announcer more famous than Michael Buffer. His catchphrase “Let’s get ready to rumble!” has been the staple for boxing bouts for the last 40 years, over a career that has seen Buffer be the boxing announcer for some of the most iconic fights in history.
Buffer, whose younger brother Bruce is the Octagon announcer for the UFC, worked as Top Rank’s ring announcer throughout the 1980s and 1990s, in addition to working for all events hosted by the Trump casinos. He currently has an exclusive deal as DAZN’s boxing ring announcer.
FAQs
What is a boxing announcer?
A boxing announcer can refer to either the ring announcer, who introduces the fighters, or the commentators and analysts who do the play-by-play during a boxing broadcast. Ring announcers give the fighters’ names and records before the bout and are generally inside the ring before and after the fight. Announcers work from the “booth” and are usually located ringside.
Who is the best ring announcer for boxing?
There’s no right answer for who the best ring announcer for boxing is. However, most people think of Michael Buffer as the most iconic boxing ring announcer.
How much do boxing announcers make?
Salaries for boxing announcers vary widely. Ring announcers may make as little as $300-3000 per event if they are just starting out, while the top earners can make up to 7 figures. Boxing announcers that do commentary and analysis can earn as little as $5000 per event, up to $100,000.
How much does Michael Buffer make per fight?
It is estimated that Michael Buffer earns between $25,000-$100,000 per event, with some events reaching as high as $1 million.