MICHAEL BUFFER has been the iconic voice of boxing for more than four decades – but he hates hearing himself on the microphone.The legendary ring announcer – who was rightly inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2019 – began his legendary career all the way back in 1982.
Michael Buffer has been the voice of boxing for over 40 yearsCredit: Bongarts – Getty
The 78-year-old has called some of the biggest fights in the history of the sportCredit: Getty
But the American has never been a fan of hearing himself announce fightsCredit: THE TIMES
Buffer has called some of the biggest fights of that time, introducing the likes of Sugar Ray Leonard, Evander Holyfield, Floyd Mayweather, Anthony Joshua and Canelo Alvarez.
Introducing some of the biggest names in the sport is well and truly second nature to the American, as it should be after 40-odd years in the business.
But he never imagined eventually taking to the gig – which his brother Bruce performs for the UFC – like a duck to water after his first few outings.
He told The Telegraph: “I was dreadful to begin with forty years ago. I mean really dreadful.”
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Buffer – who has become just as big as some of the fighters he’s announced down the years – still remembers the pit he had in his stomach the first time he began introducing fighters.
He recalled: “The very first time I did it man, oh my god my guts were churning. I was like, ‘What am I doing here?'”
Despite his early jitters, Buffer’s talent shone through – so much so that he was scooped by up Top Rank Chief Operation Officer Brad Jacobs in 1983.
The rest, as the old and often said saying goes, is history.
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Michael Buffer never expected to have a Hall of Fame career when he began announcingCredit: GETTY
He said: “Brad Jacobs, who’s one of the top executives with Bob Arum’s Top Rank right now, was the guy that hired me.
“And it was at the urging of the entertainment director at the Playboy Hotel in Atlantic City that he did that.
“Nobody knew me, I’d never done anything, I kind of like bluffed my way into getting the job.
“But I had always been a fan of boxing [he first watched Rocky Marciano and Jersey Joe Walcott on a black and white TV in 1951] and I idolised Floyd Patterson.
“Then Muhammad Ali and have always loved the sport.
“In the early 80s I was working as a model at the time and I had a headshot so I sent letters to the Atlantic City casinos and hotels that were having all the fights.
“Literally an hour drive away from me and got a response and they got my foot in the door with the promoter.
“I suppose the rest is history.”
Buffer’s career – which has also included cameo appearances on The Simpsons and South Park – has been made even more remarkable by the fact he survived throat cancer.
Michael Buffer’s stardom even saw him written into an episode of The SimpsonsCredit: FOX
He said: “I forget about that stuff and just hearing you go down the list I’m like oh yeah, I did that. It’s almost unbelievable.
“Not bad for a kid who messed around at school and was the class clown. Really! It’s been a pretty amazing life.”
Buffer has cast his eye and lent his voice to thousands of fights in his 41-year career, so you could forgive him for forgetting one or two bouts.
One fight, however, which will forever live in his memory is George Foreman’s stunning tenth-round knockout of Michael Moorer in 1994, which saw Big George create history by becoming the oldest heavyweight champion in boxing history.
He said: “Foreman’s losing every minute of every round and in the 10th round he lands that one-two between the gloves and then follows it up with another one-two and knocks him cold.
“The moment was so unbelievable, because usually when you have a knockdown – you’ve been there so many times – it’s that spontaneous instant roar of excitement.
“In this case it was a spontaneous fraction of a second gasp… and then disbelief.
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“My lips were quivering, I had tears in my eyes. I could barely speak to make the announcement.
“I was just so emotionally blown away with the heartbreak and the thrill of seeing this old guy win that fight, and that’s happened many times.” More
