Controversy!MMA/Boxing

HBO’s Jim Lampley Compares Pacquiao Knockout To Tsunami, Is A Dick About It

Anyone who saw Juan Manuel Marquez’s knockout of Manny Pacquiao Saturday would definitely say Pacquiao was KO’d in the most devastating of ways. But how devastating is too devastating? Thanks to HBO’s Jim Lampley, we now know.

Before we get into it, let’s read Lampley’s actual call of the knockout:

“The tsunami that hit the Philippines was just replicated by Marquez.”

Wow. Insensitive doesn’t begin to describe that description by Lampley, not only because it demeans the impact of tsunamis and typhoons that often hit the Philippines, but because one literally did just hit the country. As of today, 900 people are still missing. That is the very definition of “too soon.”

Even Dwyane Wade waited over eight years before comparing losing a basketball game to 9/11 happening. You can’t even wait a day, Jim?

Lampley has since issued an “apology” today, stating:

“Last night’s comment was in no way intended to belittle or dismiss the grave severity of the typhoon’s effects or the humanity of the victims. We all know the difference between a boxing match and an event of cataclysmic human suffering. To anyone who was discomfited by the metaphorical comparison I offer my sincere and heartfelt apology. No disrespect was in any way intended.”

After reading that, you can see why I put “apology” in quotes. Nice fake apology, Jim. The ol’ “I’m sorry you overreacted” apology. The “I’m sorry you were offended by the offensive thing I said” apology. Pretty sincere.

Sounds like you really feel bad for comparing the loss of human life to a dude getting punched in the face, Jim. Why don’t you get some perspective before you hurt yourself?

[USA Today]

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