Former boxing heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis — a UFC "aficionado" — could announce UFC events on HBO alongside ESPN analyst and sweet science savant Max Kellerman, according to the NY Daily News.
Here's a snip:
Considering its history, both HBO Sports boss Ross Greenburg and executive producer Rick Bernstein would probably seek new and independent voices with no ties to UFC.
Would they do some crossover with their boxing yackers? Word is both Lennox Lewis and MeMax Kellerman, who work on HBO's "Boxing After Dark" series, are UFC aficionados.
Recent reports indicate that UFC 70, which will take place on April 21 in Manchester, England, will mark the premier of the UFC on the cable channel. It is also rumored that most of the UFC shows aired on HBO will take place in Europe.
Lewis, of course, hails from West Ham, London, England. In theory, it would make sense to have him be part of the show because he is someone with whom British fans can identify.
But, if this turns out to be the case, there's no doubt that the production will suffer.
There are only a handful of personalities who can handle the blow-by-blow and color commentary responsibilities of a live MMA event. Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg fit into that select company.
All of this is mere speculation. However, bringing on two guys — both of whom are boxing experts — doesn't make much sense if it happens.
Keeping Larry Merchant on the HBO payroll doesn't make much sense, either. So, we'll have to see how this pans out.
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