Comedy Central’s “The Nightly Show” featured a boxing theme last night, with host Larry Wilmore commenting on the May 2 Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao bout and NBC's "Premier Boxing Champions" telecasts. Wilmore referred to the sport as one which fans “enjoyed 88 years ago.” He said, "I thought boxing was dead, so is boxing back?" NBC is "making an effort to rejuvenate a sport that’s kind of gotten choked out by MMA. Over the years, boxing has suffered from corruption at the top, lack of big stars, apathy from fans. Actually, it's a lot like NBC, when you think about it."
The show also included a panel discussion featuring ESPN’s LZ Granderson, comedian Keith Robinson, boxing manager Jackie Kallen and Mike Tyson. Wilmore said to Tyson, “I think boxing is past its heydays.” Kellen said in the '80s and '90s "fighters would fight anybody, the best needed to fight the best," but today’s fighters "don’t want to do that." Robinson descibed MMA as a “guy lying on the ground getting tea-bagged.” Tyson said of corruption in boxing, “There will always be people like [Don King]. ... There’s people like him now” (“The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore,” Comedy Central, 3/12).
Watch a video clip from the show.
