Is it just me or is Larry Merchant just rubbish at his job and clueless about boxing?

He asks the questions so slowly that the adrenaline-high fighter who's won is jumping on his toes waiting to give an answer, all his questions are bland and obvious and when he talks about a fighter he his often negative about them saying that they need to prove themselves in areas he knows sod all about. I stood and applaused mayweather's rant. Why has it never happened before?

You welcomed Mayweathers rant at a 80 year old guy? Very classy.

He's just old and passed it now. He was good once, but time has taken its toll. The rest are infururiating too, with the exception of Manny and Roy. Kellermen pi55es me off a lot lately.

Kellerman is ok.

Merchant is passed it but I like the guy. Been around a long time.

Steward is class, Jones jr used to be awful but has improved.

Lennox Lewis should never commentate on anything.

Merchant has his favourites. Always has been a has been imo. Never liked him and his delivery of questions is irritating.

I dont mind Merchant or Kellerman purely because I like the fact they will ask difficult questions in era where most interviews are simply pointlessly mundane leading questions inviting equally pointless and mundane cliched answered. Anyone ever witnessed Garth Crooks on the BBC? Occassionally Merchant and Kellerman cross the line but I would rather that happen every so often than the monotony of Garth Crooks style interviewing.

Commentating-wise I think Kellerman can be guilty of being a bit cheerleadering at times and Merchant a bit slow but as long as someone like Steward is there to balance it out it works ok I think.

Larry asking difficult questions? I am yet to hear one.

As in questions not merely designed to stroke an ego or invite a pointless reply. Sadly the responses tend to be pretty much irrelevant with most fighters these days anyway. Its usually along the lines of thanking god, being willing to take on all comers etc etc

Not many interviewers would have grilled Mayweather about the shot he ended Ortiz with and to be fair in that particular instance I didnt think Merchant actually did a whole lot wrong.

i think the hbo team could do with a shake up, manny is the only level headed one who doesnt repeat himself over and over.

It does get me how long LM takes when forming a question or an opinion, especially when there is one of those big pauses from him in the middle of commentary.

Having said that, he is usually the only one who has the gumption to disagree with Steward, or Foreman when he was doing it. He gets credit for that, IMO, especially when Foreman was doing commentary. I don't think I've ever agreed with anything that guy has ever said, I remember when Haye fought WK, didn't he have it even going into the last round?

Merchant is getting on a bit, so maybe allowances should be made. I hope he carries on while longer, he gives a good balance along with Steward and the other expert commentators.

Steward is the best around, Larry annoys me, Kellerman isn't as bad as he once was, Roy is suprisingly pretty good, Bob Sapa I also like, Lampley is good too. Thinking about it, I quite like the HBO commentary team, they just get sidetracked from talking about the fight a lot.

Of the HBO lot, it's Kellerman I can't stand, and I don't particularly like Lampley, either. Kellerman's 'interview' with Mayweather after the Marquez fight was a total embarrassment - just seemed as if he wanted it to be all about him.

Also - did you see the look on his face after the RJJ fight with calzaghe. He looked like he wanted to butt him