Howard Cossell vs Tex Cobb. Boxing disgrace vs boxing legend

[Jersey Joe]

I was just watching a clip of the Cobb Holmes fight, and found myself appalled and disgusted - not at the one-sided victory that Holmes put over Cobb, but at Cosell's craven, lily-livered, disrespectful commentary.

In the later rounds, Holmes is (no surprise) clearly light-years ahead of Cobb, and is easily beating him on points. However, Cobb is game, and despite being beaten, and *knowing* he is beaten, the Texan keeps coming forward, keeps throwing shots, he doesn't give up even though the cause is hopeless. Now to me, and surely to any red-blooded boxing fan, this is the kind of warrior spirit that makes all fighting sports great. Isn't part of the appeal of boxing the idea of seeing an inferior fighter triumph against the odds through sheer courage and force of will? As I saw those last rounds, I wanted to raise a glass to Randall Cobb and his planet-sized balls and willpower. Even though Holmes was systemtically thrashing him, he just kept coming and refused to give up. To me, that was something beautiful.

All this was spoiled, however, by the disgustingly cynical, weak, cowardly commentary of Cosell. Instead of saluting the warrior spirit of Cobb, he just said nothing, except the odd interjection where he complained that the fight had not been stopped. Excuse me, but how dare he patronize a fighter so badly, saying they need to be carted off out of the ring like a lame duck, when the fighter is still in there battling it out? Cobb was at no point out on his feet, he was throwing punches at all times, he was actually coming forward not retreating. Seeing the bafflement on Holmes' face as Cobb kept coming forward despite being pummeled was one of the most memorable things I've been privileged to witness. Yet this chickenshit lawyer, who never fought even 1 round of boxing, dares to suggest that Cobb should be denied his moment of contender-glory? Who is this fuckface, this arrogant, patronizing shit who dares to speak thus? If Cobb had been out on his feet; if Cobb had been backed up with numerous Holmes flurries whilst unable to throw a punch in return; if Cobb had been floored several times - then I could understand the calls to stop the fight. But to want to stop a fight just because one guy is better than the other...to stop a fight despite the losing fighter showing a lot of heart, grit, and determination...where is the respect? The thing I most loathed about this was that Cosell did not give a shit about Cobb's dignity and honour. Don't you realise the guy knew he was beat? Of course he didn't think he was going to take the fight in the last 2 rounds (although as always in boxing, he had a puncher's chance). But maybe he wasn't fighting to win. Maybe he was fighting to prove he could keep on fighting. Maybe he was fighting to show everyone that despite being beaten, he was tough as nails with the heart of a warrior, that he could take a good licking and still keep going. Like Lamotta against Robinson, maybe the inferior fighter still wanted to salvage some honour by proving he could take a pounding, that he could be defeated but never beaten. His body and skills might not match up, but his toughness and will never wilted.

To me, this fight showed the difference between true fighters and those who appreciate them, versus the ivory-tower lily-livered shits who see them as nothing but dollar signs or "things" to be exploited for personal advantage. Fuck Howard Cossell and all like him. Maximum respect to Randall "Tex" Cobb and his ilk, and to Holmes and other champs like him too.

I thought I would finish this post off with a few tributes to the character and wit of good ole Tex:

"Let's party!" To Holmes as they touched gloves for round 15.

"I don't think his hands could take the abuse." On a possible rematch with Holmes.

best of all: "I can do my sport no greater service." On being informed that commentator Howard Cosell had hung up his mike after being so appalled at the one-sidedness of the Holmes-Cobb fight.

Randall "Tex" Cobb, I and all true boxing fans everywhere salute you!

[young griffo]

Amen to that.

Cosell was a grandstanding arrogant prick who dcided to appoint himself as the concience of boxing based on whatever he happened to think.Arrogance personified.

The noble warrior who's bowed but not beaten is one of the greatest feature's of boxing and for them to be belittled by some arsehole with a microphone shit's me to tears.

I include Larry Merchant in this as well.The disrespect this old cunt shows fighters sickens me.A perfect example is Byrd-Ibeabuchi where the much smaller Byrd is using his slickness and boxing skills to keep out of harms way only to have this curmudgeon call Byrd's display "garbage".And then when Byrd was knocked senseless by a monster shot by Ike,Larry takes umbrage with Chris arguing with the Ref even though it's clear to anyone with half a brain that Chris didn't know where he was.

I watch boxing to see fighters fight not to hear some arrogant fuck who's never fought,critisize those who have the courage to put their body on the line.

[Russell]

I include Larry Merchant in this as well.The disrespect this old cunt shows fighters sickens me.A perfect example is Byrd-Ibeabuchi where the much smaller Byrd is using his slickness and boxing skills to keep out of harms way only to have this curmudgeon call Byrd's display "garbage".And then when Byrd was knocked senseless by a monster shot by Ike,Larry takes umbrage with Chris arguing with the Ref even though it's clear to anyone with half a brain that Chris didn't know where he was.

I watch boxing to see fighters fight not to hear some arrogant fuck who's never fought,critisize those who have the courage to put their body on the line.

You'd figure someone who was involved with the sport for such a long time, as Merchant, wouldn't be such a depreciating cunt.

Anyway, on Cossell...

Supposedly he actually quit because the fight going 15 rounds made him miss a flight to go on vacation with his wife. I guess he was expecting a few round thrashing but it turned into a 45 minute match, at which point Cossell had the hissy fit of hissy fits and quit the sport trying to glamorize himself as some martyr to the brutality of boxing.

Sorry asshole, you made your living off that sport for years.

[ChrisPontius]

I strongly dislike Cossell.


I very much like how he probably contributed to boxing's popularity, but in the end he was a boxer's fan, not a boxing fan. And when his favorite, Ali, was gone, he pissed on sport that made him who he was. Classless.

His terribly boring style of using formal, law-language to commentate puts me to sleep and his extreme bias for certain fighters makes him one of the most annoying commentators that i know. Only Kellerman is worse.

[McGrain]

Cossell scored the first round of Frazier-Foster for Foster.

For that alone, he is to be despised.

[Jersey Joe]

Also notice how at the end of the fight, Holmes puts his arm around Cobb - at least Larry respected his guts, even if Cosell and the other arselicking commentator didn't.

[fists of fury]

Wonderful post Jersey Joe.

I think you hit the nail on the head with Cobb knowing he could never beat Holmes in that fight, but still showing Holmes he could win a moral victory of sorts.

[WhataRock]

Howard Cosmell

[younghypnotiq]

where was the distain and ill will for the sport a few years ago when his home boy was getting beat around the ring corner to corner by holmes... no he watched that entire fight ..cheerleadin the whole way

[bigjake]

I strongly dislike Cossell.


I very much like how he probably contributed to boxing's popularity, but in the end he was a boxer's fan, not a boxing fan. And when his favorite, Ali, was gone, he pissed on sport that made him who he was. Classless.

His terribly boring style of using formal, law-language to commentates puts me to sleep and his extreme bias for certain fighters makes him one of the most annoying commentators that i know. Only Kellerman is worse.

it's a fact cosell was in boxing because of muhammad ali but i enjoyed it through the 60's and into the 70's,wide world of sports back then carried all of ali's fights it was a fun time.

[DamonD]

Supposedly he actually quit because the fight going 15 rounds made him miss a flight to go on vacation with his wife. I guess he was expecting a few round thrashing but it turned into a 45 minute match, at which point Cossell had the hissy fit of hissy fits and quit the sport trying to glamorize himself as some martyr to the brutality of boxing.
Huh. I never heard that before. Even funnier if true!

It's harsh but, really, I can't disagree with what Jersey Joe wrote. Cosell was always a bit pious but he seemed to turn incredibly sanctimonious, as if he'd never been aware of the brutality that exists in boxing. Either he was incredibly deluded for years or, much more likely, just got in a strop about this particular fight and took the faintly ludicrous stance of trying to appear above it all. He'd seen brutal bouts before without this kind of disgusted grumbling.

Cobb's guts and sheer humour in the face of a better figher was arguably the definition of heroic.

Of course, Howard's there next year doing the commentary for the '84 Olympics boxing, so I guess his morals had a kind of delayed reaction.

[prime]

In Cosell's defense, his immediate disapproval of Ali's taunting of Terrell during his calling of their fight was to me quite typical of him.

He was biased, yes. I think he only begrudgingly admitted Holmes' greatness. But when push came to shove, I happen to think his decent side emerged and he had no trouble expressing genuine concern and even affection for fighters.

[Russell]

Huh. I never heard that before. Even funnier if true!

It's harsh but, really, I can't disagree with what Jersey Joe wrote. Cosell was always a bit pious but he seemed to turn incredibly sanctimonious, as if he'd never been aware of the brutality that exists in boxing. Either he was incredibly deluded for years or, much more likely, just got in a strop about this particular fight and took the faintly ludicrous stance of trying to appear above it all. He'd seen brutal bouts before without this kind of disgusted grumbling.

Cobb's guts and sheer humour in the face of a better figher was arguably the definition of heroic.

Of course, Howard's there next year doing the commentary for the '84 Olympics boxing, so I guess his morals had a kind of delayed reaction.

One of our best posters, Duodenum, posted that story. So I take it as fact.

[ThinBlack]

Cossell was a bit of a negative characters in varying ways, but the major boxing bouts wouldn't be the same without him annoucing, that and that toupee'

[red cobra]

This Tex Cobb episode clearly depletes whatever good memories I have of Cosell in his heyday in the 60's and 70's..apparently none of the other ass whippings he called during his career were important or appalling enough to move the guy to renounce the sport even earlier. what a grandstanding hypocrite he was.

[mr. magoo]

Cosell was a great commentator and one of boxing's most memorable personalities, but I don't know what drove him to be so bitter over that fight. I guess we all have our bad days....

[TAC602]

Cosell was distraught about SRL's retirement too. He'd found his new ALI and suddenly he was gone.

[Boxed Ears]

I don't judge him that badly. This bitter disgust was a long time building. He was being terribly melodramatic but if you listen to some earlier calls on Holmes' fights, leading up to it, and what was going on around that time, it wasn't terribly surprising. Cossell wanted out and he didn't have the stomach for it anymore and a lot of things were pressing a lot of his buttons.

[ThinBlack]

Cosell was distraught about SRL's retirement too. He'd found his new ALI and suddenly he was gone.

That's a very good point, though he was on Greg Page's ass until he lost to Berbick.He turned on him especially after the Tillis win.

[clark]

Howard added excitement to the sport. He also was funny as hell. The Lyle-Foreman call was hilarious. Sitting next to Ken Norton: "The man who knocked you out Kenny in the second round."

[slip&counter]

He became a VERY VERY bitter man. He was never really a lover of boxing, just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

The best Cosell moment was his call of the Ali/Spinks second fight. Particularly the closing rounds. Forever young and all that.

[red cobra]

Howard added excitement to the sport. He also was funny as hell. The Lyle-Foreman call was hilarious. Sitting next to Ken Norton: "The man who knocked you out Kenny in the second round."
Yeah, that was priceless...Kenny must have just loved that observation.:D

[Clinton]

:goodGreat fucking post:goodI strongly dislike Cossell.


I very much like how he probably contributed to boxing's popularity, but in the end he was a boxer's fan, not a boxing fan. And when his favorite, Ali, was gone, he pissed on sport that made him who he was. Classless.

His terribly boring style of using formal, law-language to commentate puts me to sleep and his extreme bias for certain fighters makes him one of the most annoying commentators that i know. Only Kellerman is worse.

[cuchulain]

A pompous, preening, strutting, vain, arrogant sycophant with a ridiculously ill-fitting hairpiece and next to no actual knowledge of the sport.

Randy Cobb should be in the Hall of Fame for ridding us of this gobshyte.

[Clinton]

:good:lol:Yet another great post:goodA pompous, preening, strutting, vain, arrogant sycophant with a ridiculously ill-fitting hairpiece and next to no actual knowledge of the sport.

Randy Cobb should be in the Hall of Fame for ridding us of this gobshyte.

[junior-soprano]

one thing to say............

some of you talk about cossell and merchant as being disrespectfull an old cunt and so on and son and calling them names.
what the hell is that then ?? i see it more and more on the internet. and it is cowardness in his purest form.
if you like someone or not if you agree with someone or not. but calling names anonymus and save behind you're pc is not onkly childish but also bad manners

[Clinton]

one thing to say............

some of you talk about cossell and merchant as being disrespectfull an old cunt and so on and son and calling them names.
what the hell is that then ?? i see it more and more on the internet. and it is cowardness in his purest form.
if you like someone or not if you agree with someone or not. but calling names anonymus and save behind you're pc is not onkly childish but also bad manners
So it's ok for someone like Cosell to behave like a piece of shit,but It's not ok for people on the internet to take him to task over it?I had the misfortune of personally meeting Howard Cosell.Coupled with that shitty encounter,his "performances" during boxing and his "performances" during gridiron games as well as his testimony and post testimony comments during the NFL v USFL trial,give us all the proof that you need that he WAS INDEED a "pompous,preening,strutting,vain,arrogant sycophant with a ridiculously ill-fitting hairpiece and next to no actual knowledge of the sport."(Thanks Cuchulain:good).

[clark]

Howard was arrogant, so what? As I stated before, he added excitement.