Jon Anik’s first boxing assignment in 15 years put him front and center as the voice of a historic night at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium. The longtime UFC play-by-play announcer joined boxing commentator Max Kellerman and Olympic gold medalist Andre Ward on the broadcast for Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford. With Dana White and Turki Alalshikh co-promoting the card, a preview of Zuffa Boxing’s 2026 launch, expectations were sky-high. But while some fans were intrigued to hear Anik back in the boxing booth, others questioned whether his MMA background made him the right fit, especially with a UFC event airing simultaneously.

What many may not realize is that Anik’s career in sports media began with boxing nearly 25 years ago, long before he became synonymous with the UFC. Still, his return wasn’t exactly smooth. As the fight unfolded, fans noticed Anik being pushed to the background of the commentary, sparking criticism online. For some, seeing the UFC’s lead voice sidelined during one of boxing’s biggest nights came across as outright disrespectful. So what exactly happened inside that booth at Allegiant Stadium?

Is Jon Anik outclassed by Ward and Kellerman on paper?

Yesterday, user StephBoyarthree shared a clip on X that captured an awkward moment inside the commentary booth during Canelo vs. Crawford. In the footage, Jon Anik could be heard saying, “You can look at me if you want to, it’s ok,” after asking Andre Ward and Max Kellerman for their thoughts on the fight. Instead of responding directly, both men kept their eyes locked on the camera, prompting Anik’s comment. Only then did Ward briefly turn toward him. The moment quickly went viral, with fans accusing the boxing legends of brushing Anik aside during his much-anticipated return to the sport. But was it really because Jon Anik doesn’t have the same résumé as his co-hosts? That doesn’t seem to be the case.

Jon Anik, of course, is no stranger to the spotlight. After anchoring several UFC events for ESPN, the Boston native officially joined the UFC in 2011 and became the promotion’s lead play-by-play voice in 2017 following Mike Goldberg’s departure. Over the years, he’s earned consistent praise for his professionalism and sharp calls, which ultimately landed him the high-profile assignment on September 13, 2025. Saturday’s card marked his first return to boxing commentary in over two decades.

Leading up to the fight, Anik spoke with The Schmo about the differences in preparing for boxing compared to MMA. “It’s interesting. When you sit down to watch film, a lot of these fights (in boxing) take you an hour to ingest,” Anik explained. “There aren’t a lot of finishes. So the film study is definitely prolonged. … I think the biggest challenge of the preparation was just that the 36-minute fights take an hour to ingest compared to a first-round (UFC) knockout.”

However, despite Jon Anik’s résumé, he still seemed sidelined, a move fans didn’t take well, with some even speculating on the real reason behind it.

Jon Anik hailed as the GOAT commentator after boxing return

Some fans defended Ward and Kellerman, arguing there was no disrespect intended. As one user clarified, “Max and Ward are used to how they worked at HBO. They talk to the camera,” where broadcasters traditionally addressed the camera rather than each other. For example, HBO’s long-running broadcasts often had Jim Lampley and Larry Merchant speaking directly into the lens, keeping the home audience as the focus, rather than turning toward fellow commentators.

Others, however, felt it went deeper. “At the end of the day, they’re never going to fully respect Jon Anik because he’s from what they’d see as the “competitor” league,” one user wrote. Boxing and UFC might share a combat sports audience, but they’ve often been painted as rivals, UFC’s rise has chipped away at boxing’s dominance, and fans felt that stigma carried into the broadcast booth.

The criticism didn’t stop there. A number of fans called out Andre Ward, claiming he often played favorites during commentary, hyping one fighter while downplaying the other’s work. This, they argued, made the contrast with Anik’s balanced, professional delivery all the more obvious. To them, Anik showed how to call a fight without bias. “Because they suck as commentators, Andre ward picked a favorite every fight and would glaze them nonstop ignoring anything that was landed on them,” the comment read.

Another segment of viewers was far harsher on Kellerman, mocking what they saw as his over-the-top attempts to inject drama. One fan bluntly called it a “ridiculous, hyperbolic lie fest,” saying it looked comical next to Anik’s straightforward, sharp analysis. They felt Anik exposed just how outdated and forced the old-school boxing approach had become.

Finally, many praised Anik directly, writing, “Anik masterclassed them.” Some even went so far as to declare him the “GOAT commentator,” saying he set a standard that Ward and Kellerman simply couldn’t match. To those fans, Anik represented the modern style of commentary: action-focused, engaging, and professional, while the boxing veterans looked stuck in the past. But what are your thoughts on Anik Jone’s commentary?