Manny Pacquiao will fight Jessie Vargas November 5, a notable bout for many reasons.
One shines above all else as of late — the polarizing Stephen A. Smith will call the fight, marking his boxing broadcasting debut.
Smith will join former world champion Timothy Bradley and others as part of the broadcast team.
Top Rank expanded on the news:
“We wanted to give the viewers a different perspective that informs and entertains and I think we have accomplished that with this fantastic team,” said Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank. “It’s a great combination with Brian, one of television’s top TV announcers, color commentary from Stephen A. and Charissa ‘s balanced hosting style. The expert analysis from Tim will round this out perfectly as he is considered one of the best fighters in the world and has secured victories against both Pacquiao and Vargas. We will expand the reach of this event beyond the boxing fan to an audience that has watched Stephen A., Brian and Charissa as regular fixtures in covering other major sports.”
Smith himself provided a quote for the release:
“To say I’m incredibly excited would be an understatement,” said Smith. “Anyone who knows me knows I fell in love with boxing from the time I was three-years-old, when my Dad showed me Muhammad Ali beating Jerry Quarry in October 1970. Ever since that day, Boxing has been a passion of mine. But never — ever — in my wildest dreams did I imagine I’d ever get a chance to actually call a fight. November 5 can’t get here soon enough.”
Smith, perhaps best known recently for his work on First Take, is a polarizing analyst known for comments and, well, takes. Hearing him step into the broadcast booth for a notable fight sure to be watched around the globe is a notable development.
Pacquiao bested Bradley in April 2016, which marked his return from an injury suffered in the loss to Floyd Mayweather in 2015.
