The poetry that once rolled from Merchant's tongue has taken to stumbling now and then
Off-camera, Larry Merchant is a soft-spoken and humble guy. He’s not very tall. He’s skinny. He’s no spring chicken. One doesn’t sense that there’s this huge ego lurking somewhere that he’s trying his best to hide. Merchant knows what he knows, knows what he doesn’t know, and would probably be the first to admit he’s not always right. He has his detractors, and perhaps rightfully so. He has slowed down. The poetry that once rolled from his tongue has taken to stumbling now and then. But insofar as Merchant being a big, bad villain, well, not on your life.
When Floyd Mayweather overreacted to Merchant asking questions he deemed inappropriate after his controversial victory over Victor Ortiz in September, many thought it he had it coming. Floyd claimed Larry has been disrespecting him for years and has never given him the credit that is his due. Mayweather may have had a point. Some felt that Money May was ganging up on an old white guy, whereas others thought it was about time.
In the first episode of HBO’s Mayweather-Cotto 24/7, Floyd said that he won’t allow Larry Merchant to interview him after the fight. Forget about letting bygones be bygones. Forget get about forgiving and forgetting. Forget about Merchant’s responsibilities as a journalist. Money May doesn’t want to hear it. Although he suggested HBO fire Merchant, a suggestion HBO hasn’t taken to heart, he’ll be damned if he’ll let anyone downplay his success on the air. Floyd hasn’t asked for anyone specific, but if he has his way—and when doesn’t he have his way—Larry won’t be conducting the post-fight interview.
Speaking with Chris Robinson at boxingscene.com, Merchant was more contemplative than defensive.
“I’m trying not to just get the fighter’s thoughts on the fight,” he said, “but his personal reaction and to give him an opportunity to show who he is and get some information…To me, there are no tough questions if you have the answers. I don’t classify questions in that way. It’s not personal and it’s not a popularity contest.”
Merchant has been around the block a few times. Some would say he’s been around the block a few times too many. But as he stated, “I respect the fact that they’re fighters. I respect the fact that they’re coming off of the hardest thing there is to do, hitting and being hit for an hour so. But they’re professionals who get paid a lot of money and attract a lot of fans. They should be willing to communicate with them. I’m trying to be as professional as I can be and I hope they can be professional as they are. And I’m still there to get them to be the stars of the show. They are the stars of the show.”
Merchant can talk until he’s blue in the face. Nothing he says will change the minds of those who think he’s the devil incarnate. But it’s boxing, not softball, and hard questions seem more in line with a hard sport. Merchant is an old pro, perhaps too old a pro for some people’s tastes, but he has a job to do, and if what he does rubs some people the wrong way, it goes with the territory.
When Floyd Mayweather overreacted to Merchant asking questions he deemed inappropriate after his controversial victory over Victor Ortiz in September, many thought it he had it coming. Floyd claimed Larry has been disrespecting him for years and has never given him the credit that is his due. Mayweather may have had a point. Some felt that Money May was ganging up on an old white guy, whereas others thought it was about time.
In the first episode of HBO’s Mayweather-Cotto 24/7, Floyd said that he won’t allow Larry Merchant to interview him after the fight. Forget about letting bygones be bygones. Forget get about forgiving and forgetting. Forget about Merchant’s responsibilities as a journalist. Money May doesn’t want to hear it. Although he suggested HBO fire Merchant, a suggestion HBO hasn’t taken to heart, he’ll be damned if he’ll let anyone downplay his success on the air. Floyd hasn’t asked for anyone specific, but if he has his way—and when doesn’t he have his way—Larry won’t be conducting the post-fight interview.
Speaking with Chris Robinson at boxingscene.com, Merchant was more contemplative than defensive.
“I’m trying not to just get the fighter’s thoughts on the fight,” he said, “but his personal reaction and to give him an opportunity to show who he is and get some information…To me, there are no tough questions if you have the answers. I don’t classify questions in that way. It’s not personal and it’s not a popularity contest.”
Merchant has been around the block a few times. Some would say he’s been around the block a few times too many. But as he stated, “I respect the fact that they’re fighters. I respect the fact that they’re coming off of the hardest thing there is to do, hitting and being hit for an hour so. But they’re professionals who get paid a lot of money and attract a lot of fans. They should be willing to communicate with them. I’m trying to be as professional as I can be and I hope they can be professional as they are. And I’m still there to get them to be the stars of the show. They are the stars of the show.”
Merchant can talk until he’s blue in the face. Nothing he says will change the minds of those who think he’s the devil incarnate. But it’s boxing, not softball, and hard questions seem more in line with a hard sport. Merchant is an old pro, perhaps too old a pro for some people’s tastes, but he has a job to do, and if what he does rubs some people the wrong way, it goes with the territory.
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