THE TIME HAS ARRIVED!! Usually, that is the choice of phrase that Booms out from the unmistakably smooth vocals of the vastly experienced MC Thomas Treiber. All fight fans know exactly what that means as they lurch forward to the edge of their sofa, clasping their hands or even rubbing their open palms across the top of their legs, depending on their anxiousness. The nervous excitement reaches fever pitch within the arena as the noise of the live crowd builds towards a deafening crescendo.
Well, ordinarily that would be the case, but the Covid restrictions that have governed the UK boxing landscape mean that fans have been absent from most events, and so Treiber’s ring announcer role has been slightly different during the past 12 months. Instead, what greets the accomplished master of ceremonies as he introduces a night of boxing action from The York Hall or The Royal Albert Hall, is a vast and empty void, with production lights bouncing off empty seats as he announces fighters into the ring.
The clinical and often sterile feel to proceedings, is not the only difference that the US based announcer has noticed whilst working events over the last 12 months. “When I did my first event (during the pandemic) for Frank Warren, we did it at the BT Sport studio and I’m standing there, waiting for my cue and it really felt weird because it was so silent and quiet in the studio.
“The other thing that was weird though, is that I’m outside the ring right now, I’m not in the ring, so I feel a bit like a fish out of water, because I’m used to being in the middle of the ring, turning and looking at the fighters and introducing the fighters there.”
It has been a strange feeling for everyone, hearing every shot thud, every instruction from the corner bellowed out. But despite having to watch from their armchair, the most ardent boxing aficionados still appreciate that despite the current obstacles, the ring announcer still has a major part to play in terms of the overall spectacle and feel of an event.
The ring announcements have long been part of the rich history in boxing, there are countless MC’s who are synonymous with the big occasions that have taken place in the sport. They are the scene setters, they get the blood pumping, the adrenaline flowing. People like Jimmy Lennon Jr (someone who was something of a mentor to Thomas Treiber), who could forget his “It’s Showtime”, and Michael Buffer who made famous the “Let’s get ready to rumble” line. It is a role that is not as pivotal in other sports, yet very much a part of boxing’s tradition.
Alluding to some of the other ramifications of the current situation, Treiber added, “Even when it comes down to-and this has been the most challenging part of it-doing the decisions, I’m reliant on the commission or I should say the board member to bring me the result and there’s been a few situations where I have been misinformed and I hate it, you’re basically getting your information brought over to you second hand, where typically I’m in the ring.
“When a fight ends, the referee stops it, I will go right to the referee and I’ll be like ‘Mr Gray, what are you calling this one?’ and he’ll say ‘Oh, referee stops contest, Thomas.’ So, I get to get it clarified, where now, because I am outside the ring and I’m not allowed ringside, whatever I’m told by the board member, I have to announce. Not that I don’t trust the board, but it’s difficult when you are used to being in the trenches.”
It comes as no surprise that a ring announcer would be meticulous regarding the information they receive and subsequently announce, after all, the responsibility that rests with them is huge, it is life affecting. Both camps’ sole attention is on the announcement in that moment. The crowd and viewers at home are waiting to see if there is to be yet another disputable decision.
Treiber, who has worked on platforms such as ESPN, Showtime, HBO, Channel 5 and now covers Frank Warren shows on BT Sport, pointed to a recent decision from a fight between heavyweights David Adelaye and Kamil Sokolowski. A decision that he knew would court some attention and prompt raised eyebrows. “I was waiting for the scorecard from the referee, jeez I didn’t know what to think, I really think Adelaye (who won the contest on points) better go to church and thank a few people, because that could easily have gone in a different direction. “Frank Warren was like two feet from me, and I kept hearing him say ‘Jab! Jab sets up everything else!’
“I am sure the second I said ‘And still undefeated...’ there were a few people saying ‘oh no’.
“When I was handed the scores by Robert W. Smith (General Secretary of the BBBofC), we both looked at each other in the eyes and we were sort of reading each other’s minds, I was like, oh boy. It’s kind of a guilty pleasure of a ring announcer, because you know it is just really you and maybe one other person who knows the decision at that moment and whether it is good or bad, it is always exciting to be in those moments and to hear the crowd react."
It can be far more nerve-racking in a packed arena, with a partisan crowd though, as the man from San Antonio added, “There are a few fights that really stand out for me, like when I did the Josh Warrington, Lee Selby fight. We were outdoors, soccer stadium, Leeds United and there was well over 20,000 people there and even though it was pretty clear Josh won that fight in my eyes, it was still a split decision and as soon as you say, ‘We go to the scorecards and we have a split decision.’ Then you hear the crowd go ‘oohhhh’, no matter how you saw it, now you’re going, oh no did the judges see it differently? It adds that element of intrigue.”
It is a fascinating insight offered by Treiber, who it seems, is just as invested in the currently contentious debate surrounding the scoring format of a fight as the rest of us. You almost forget that the ring announcer has a central role within that scenario. Seeing one camp elated and overcome with joy and equally having to watch the despair and anguish etched on the unsuccessful fighter’s face, that is if you are lucky, it could easily be incandescent rage if a team and fighter feel aggrieved at a ‘dodgy’ decision.
Judges scores have been a continuous thread through the history of boxing, with decisions being debated years, if not decades after the event. Fights like Hagler vs Sugar Ray Leonard and De La Hoya vs Whittaker still prompt raging debates even now and will always divide opinion. Calls for a change in the way boxing is scored is nothing new, the question is, do we want to lose the tension and spontaneity that creates so much drama, suspense and talking points? Or is it more about having a transparent system to be able to understand the reason behind how a fight is scored in that way? That is for others to decide and contest, but Treiber agreed with the sentiment that it brings a uniqueness to boxing that other sports simply do not have. He said, “That is what makes boxing so interesting, as opposed to some other sports, where there’s absolutely no doubt who won. I mean, when you watch tennis, unless there is a close call or maybe the ball was over the line, you typically know who won, there is no controversy.”
Treiber now stands as one of the most accomplished announcers on the circuit, but vividly remembers how is journey started out as a 17-year-old beginner .He said, “How I ended up ring announcing my first gig, was a friend of mine’s brother was a professional boxer. I was just interested at that time, in getting into broadcasting. I didn’t know how, but I knew that is what I wanted to do from a very young age.
“It was a local event, and I was very nervous, being in the ring for the first time. Thankfully, I didn’t do too much of a bad job and the promoter said, ‘Hey Thomas, I’ll have you do our next event in three months.’ I continued to do events locally and then eventually, started getting opportunities to get on television doing it and in 1995, I made my national tv debut in the United States on ESPN and for me as a twenty-one-year-old being on national tv, it was a big deal.”
As I enquire about some of the biggest fights he has covered, Treiber explained his love for British boxing shows and even proved his extensive knowledge, reminding me of the boxing baptism of a certain charismatic heavyweight. “My first event here in England was in Nottingham, in December of 2008, Carl Froch versus Jean Pascal, Carl’s first world title fight. It was a tremendous fight, and it is really those moments that never leave you and you never forget. I can tell you, the fans that night at the Trent FM Arena, the hair still stands up on my arms. It is those first opportunities that I get, that really stand out to me the most.”
He added, “Do you know who made his pro debut that day? Tyson Fury. I have had the opportunity to do quite a few world champion’s pro debut’s, it is always interesting because you never know, it is not always someone with a stellar amateur career that goes on to become a world champion.”
On the topic of events that he would love to be a part of, Treiber admitted it would be special-having seen Fury’s debut-to be able to cover the impending fight between The Gypsy King and Anthony Joshua. He told me, “Let’s be honest, Tyson Fury versus Anthony Joshua I think is the most mouth-watering event out there right now at this time, you know the world is going to be watching that.
“Historically in boxing, the biggest attraction has always been the heavyweights, I mean there has been great lightweight fights and middleweight fights, super middles, and light heavies, but there is something special about the heavyweight division, the big boys of boxing.
“So, as we sit here now, I think it would be that fight, I would love the opportunity to work that fight and because I worked Fury’s debut and I consider him a friend. I have known him and his family, his father, his brother, his cousins, I have known all of them. I have known Tommy since he was 8 years old. It would be a little bit extra special, having known Tyson for so many years and to be part of that monumental fight would be incredible.
It can be the case that the boxing fraternity overlook the importance of a ring announcer/MC. They are a vital cog in the industry and the hours that are put in behind the scenes, ensuring that every fighter’s name is pronounced correctly, and every town or city is said just as the natives would say it, shows that they understand our sport more than most.
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