Boxing analyst Larry Merchant “is coming out of retirement for at least one fight card," as he will team with George Foreman to “call Top Rank's excellent slate of fights that will take place on April 6 in Macau,” according to Dan Rafael of ESPN.com. Tim Ryan, who called fights “for many years on CBS, will serve as the blow-by-blow man on the broadcast.” Top Rank is “producing the show and responsible for hiring the on-air talent, but it made a deal with HBO to carry the card in the United States on its HBO2 service beginning at 2 p.m. ET/PT," meaning Merchant and Foreman "will be reunited on HBO.” When Merchant and Foreman worked together on HBO's "World Championship Boxing," their “chemistry and often heated on-air disagreements … made a must-see show regardless of who was fighting in the ring.” Top Rank President Todd duBoef said, "Larry and George are like Abbot and Costello, they work so well together." Although HBO is “paying a small license fee” for the Roman Martinez-Diego Magdaleno card, duBoef said that he “wanted the HBO brand name behind the show more than money, as well as Merchant, Foreman and Ryan" (ESPN.com, 2/28).
