In the lead-up to the Canelo-Crawford fight, Max Kellerman came under fire for his comments. Two months later, it seems his colleague Mike Coppinger is now the one facing the music. Seemingly, the veteran boxing insider has drawn criticism for his commentary at The Ring IV: Night of the Champion. Featuring David Benavidez‘s headlining title defense against Anthony Yarde, the Riyadh Season event at the ANB Arena boasts four title fights, an unprecedented lineup.

Across social media, however, a common theme emerged. Spearheaded by lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson, many believe Mike Coppinger should be removed from his commentary duties. It was in April, when news broke that Coppinger would be joining The Ring team in a role that involved breaking news, analyzing fights, and covering live action. However, his latest performance doesn’t seem to have impressed fans.

Shakur Stevenson lands verbal shots at Coppinger

Calling for Coppinger’s dismissal, Shakur Stevenson didn’t mince words: “Mike Coppinger should be fired.” The lightweight champion has been highly active on social media throughout fight night, offering comments and views as events unfolded.

But surprisingly, Stevenson wasn’t the only one expressing frustration. A wave of criticism has swept across X (formerly Twitter), with fans and even a few notable figures delivering harsh assessments of Coppinger’s commentary.

Much of the backlash appears to stem from Coppinger’s fight scoring, which came under intense scrutiny. Those familiar with the sport know that Stevenson and Coppinger share a history of back-and-forth. Ahead of Stevenson’s fight with William Zepeda, Coppinger questioned the champion’s inability to produce exciting bouts. Months prior, an interview between the two went viral when Stevenson called Coppinger ‘the worst reporter and commentator in boxing.’

Let’s take a look at how others reacted to the Ring Magazine insider’s commentary.

Fans fire off shots at Coppinger on X

Former professional boxer and now trainer Dave Coldwell expressed his frustration bluntly: “Mike Coppinger. 🤦🏽♂️” The wide scoring in the Mason-Noakes fight seemed to shock many, including Coldwell. That’s why one user blasted, “Mike Coppinger has Noakes winning just two rounds. How the fuck does he have that job?”

Then another fan took issue with Coppinger’s criteria altogether, saying, “Mike Coppinger is a dummy. “Hand speed” and being “classy” isn’t a scoring criteria.”

One user echoed Shakur Stevenson’s sentiments: “I want Mike Coppinger off the comms; I can’t stand dude talking.” Coppinger was working alongside Sergio Mora and Todd Grisham. Perhaps their performances deserve equal review?

Another fan took it a step further, arguing that Coppinger should be kept away from scoring duties entirely: “Mike Coppinger should never ever score a fight. The guy doesn’t know what he’s watching.” Considering he has spent decades covering the sport, Coppinger undoubtedly knows more about boxing than most critics online.

Perhaps fans should understand. Unlike judges, who must remain strictly impartial, commentators often provide subjective interpretations based on their experience and viewpoint.

Mike Coppinger shared his personal assessment. It doesn’t have to align with everyone’s. Outliers deserve scrutiny, of course, but casual fans can also misinterpret commentary without fully grasping the nuances of the sport.

What was your take on Mike Coppinger’s commentary?