Max Kellerman returns to broadcast booth for Canelo-Crawford fight, two years after ESPN exit

NEW YORK — Two years after being let go by ESPN, longtime boxing analyst Max Kellerman is returning to the commentary booth for one of the sport’s biggest events of the year.

Dana White, one of the lead promoters of the Sept. 13 super-middleweight bout between Canelo Álvarez and Terence Crawford at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, announced Saturday that Kellerman will be part of the broadcast team for the fight, which will stream globally on Netflix.

“I’ve been waiting for a fight like this to call,” Kellerman said at Saturday’s press event. “Canelo versus Crawford — it’s that historic crossover no one fully believed would happen. I’m thrilled to be a part of this broadcast.”

Kellerman, 51, was one of ESPN’s signature boxing voices for more than a decade, serving as an analyst for “Friday Night Fights” and later as co-host of “First Take” and “Around the Horn.” In June 2023, he was among several prominent on-air personalities laid off by ESPN during a round of company-wide budget cuts.

Saturday’s announcement marks Kellerman’s first major return to the sport’s broadcast spotlight since his ESPN departure. The former ESPN Los Angeles talk show host has been off social media and and hasn't been seen or heard from publicly since his firing in late June 2023.

“Max is one of the best voices in boxing, period,” White said. “It’s a huge fight, and we wanted the best people calling it.”

The matchup between Álvarez (62-2-2, 39 KOs), a four-division world champion, and Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs), an undefeated three-division champion, is one of the most anticipated in recent boxing history. The event will be Netflix’s first major foray into live boxing.

Kellerman’s return to the booth adds even more gravitas to a broadcast that is already drawing considerable attention from both fight fans and the media industry.

“It’s going to be a historic night,” Kellerman said. “I can’t wait.”