“Pacing Is A Big Deal” : Jon Anik On Working Canelo Vs Crawford
UFC commentator Jon Anik has been calling fights for the promotion since UFC on FX: Guillard vs. Miller in January 2012. Since then, he has become a staple of the sport. Known for his analysis backed by statistics, Anik quickly established himself as a hallmark of UFC broadcasts. His professionalism and the seriousness with which he approaches the sport have helped elevate the perception of MMA, bringing a level of polish previously seen only in leagues like the MLB and NFL.
On his show, The Anik and Florian Podcast, Jon Anik recalled his earlier experience working a boxing event, covering Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. the late, great Ricky Hatton in 2007. Now, eighteen years later, and a seasoned veteran behind the mic, Anik has been tapped to provide ringside commentary once again, this time alongside Max Kellerman and Andre Ward. On the latest episode of his podcast, Jon Anik provided details on what it was like to work such an event.
Jon Anik Reflects on Boxing Broadcast Experience
During a segment of The Ray Longo Minute on his podcast, Jon Anik shared his experience working the recent boxing event. He first commented on the length of the show, especially considering that UFC Noche was airing the same night.
“I would’ve just been fighting it [sleep] so hard as a boxing fan,” Jon Anik said. “At 12:39 a.m. Eastern, when Canelo started to walk… it’s really difficult. I know you’re catering to a lot of different masses and audiences, but it’s a big deal. Pacing is a big deal, and you know that if Dana White had his way, he’d do something about it.”
He continued after Longo mentioned staying up late to watch the fights due to a party:
“I’m not suggesting that the co-main was anything spectacular, but I was there for eleven hours, and the co-main event winner between Callum Walsh and Fernando Vargas Jr. doesn’t even get an interview. I understand that, in that moment, promotionally, these walks are going to take a while. We have all these musical acts. We don’t have seven minutes to work all of that traffic in there. I get it. But if we’re going to be there for twelve hours, I feel like Callum should get a microphone.”
Ray Longo then asked Jon Anik how he was treated and whether he felt like an outsider as an MMA guy working a major boxing event. This brought immediate smiles from Anik and co-host Kenny Florian.
“No, I felt the warmest of welcomes,” Jon Anik replied. “I’m sure there were a lot of people maybe talking trash behind my back when I left the room, but no—I had my head down, as I always do, trying to condense a decade’s worth of preparation into about 25 days. I ate every single meal in the room. My room service bill was $940. I did nothing but prep and put myself in a position to succeed.”
It should come as no surprise that Jon Anik handled the event with the utmost professionalism. He was one of the standout voices of the night, carrying the flag of MMA into the world of boxing and representing the sport with class and credibility. Anik has every reason to be proud of his work, and if Netflix continues hosting crossover boxing events in the future, many fans will be hoping to see him ringside once again.
