The world welterweight title bout on Saturday between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. was to have two links to the storied boxing announcer Don Dunphy. His son Bob was to direct the joint HBO-Showtime pay-per-view broadcast. And HBO’s Jim Lampley, who credits Dunphy with inspiring his ringside work, was to deliver the blow-by-blow call.
“Not only do I believe that I was influenced by listening to him, I believe he is the only influence on my play-by-play style and approach,” Lampley said Thursday by telephone. “In 1985 and 1986, when I was getting introduced to the idea of calling fights at ABC — and was being schooled by Alex Wallau on how to see fights — the only voice in my head was Don Dunphy’s.