Crystina Poncher re-signs with Top Rank Boxing

It’s been a minute, so it was time to catch up with Crystina Poncher.

For a dozen-plus years now, Crystina has been working boxing’s most significant events, starring the sport’s biggest stars, delivering as one of boxing’s best as a ringside play-by-play commentator and analyst for Top Rank Boxing and ESPN.

From some of the world’s most famous arenas like Madison Square Garden in New York, The 02 in London, or the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Poncher has established herself as a leader in boxing broadcasting.

Poncher came to boxing with a deep resume from working as a correspondent on the NFL Network, a host for Fox Sports West and Prime Ticket, and news spots for Fox Sports Flash. But, it has been in boxing where she has really expanded her profile as one of the very best behind the microphone.

While Poncher, a married mother of 2 young children, has clocked into work in a predominantly male-dominated business, she long ago established herself as a hard-working, dedicated professional who brought great insight and knowledge to the sport. She quickly established herself, and built a reputation, as one of the best at what she does. 

Legendary promoter, Top Rank Boxing, long considered the gold standard for promotion over the last half-century in the sport, demands elite-level production and delivery from their on-air staff. Poncher has shown herself to be one of the very best in leading the commentary from ringside for Top Rank with a rotating cast of guest analysts.

Poncher has also been welcomed to the same role with ESPN on many shows working alongside highly respected, award-winning broadcasters like Joe Tessitore and Mark Kriegel, or Hall of Fame fighters like Andre Ward and Tim Bradley, among others.

Top Rank knows a good thing when they have it, so it wasn’t a huge surprise to see they had recently re-signed her to a new deal.

Great news for fight fans.

MaxBoxing caught up with Poncher, on a Top Rank assignment on the road in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for a quick chat.

Bill Tibbs: Hi Crystina, we were due for a catch-up. How are you?

Crystina Poncher: I’m good Bill. Thanks, how are you?

BT: So, you recently re-signed with Top Rank, that is great.

CP: Yes, well, my current contract was coming up for renewal, so we were talking about what was next for me. Am I maintaining my position with Top Rank, my role with ESPN, who I go back and forth with working on certain shows, sometimes doing broadcasts for Top Rank and then the ESPN network on the same show. The deal with Top Rank and ESPN is coming up in 2 years, so we did a deal for two years for right now.

BT: That is an interesting position as you work for Top Rank but often for ESPN on the same show. Does Top Rank mind that? Is there any conflict at all? Or, on fight night, is the event (Top Rank/ESPN) just all rolled into one?  

CP: Top Rank is so supportive and are great about just looking to deliver the best product and broadcasts. Bob (Arum), Brad (Jacobs), Todd (DeBouef), are all very supportive and encouraging. In fact, they will make changes to make sure they have other people in place so I can do that if ESPN makes the request. They are great; very encouraging and supportive.     

BT: Looking back on all the years you’ve been doing this, what is the biggest thing you have learned about in delivering to the fans on fight night?

CP: Well, I think there are a lot of things that go into a broadcast - the back story, the fighters, all the things that go on behind the scenes that we may know about that the fan tuning in doesn’t. But, to deliver all of that in a broadcast can have you talking too much, and then the story becomes about you. I think one thing to always keep in mind is that we are here for the fighters. They are the ones in the ring giving everything of themselves and we have to make sure the show is about them. So, it is important to deliver the fight to the viewer without taking away from the fighter in the ring. The story is the fight, and we have to let that play out while also knowing when to comment and be a part of it. It is a fine line between adding to, and supporting, the show and not taking over and becoming the show. The story is the fight and the fighters, let them tell the story.

BT: You have been doing this a long time, and you are highly respected. But, do you feel there is still a bit of the ‘token female on staff’ attitude ever? You work in a very (traditionally) male-dominated industry in boxing and even more so as a boxing commentator/analyst. 

CP: You know, I get that a bit from the general public but not from within the industry. The people I work with at Top Rank, ESPN, they all see me as a play-by-play announcer or analyst and respect me for that, just think of me as one of the team. I could make the exact same call as a male on air, and use the exact same words, but a lot of people just hear it differently from a man. But, there are more women working in sports all the time, blogs, podcasts, announcers, all sorts of media, so that is great. But, most times when I tell someone I work in boxing they ask me if I am a ring card girl (laughs). So, I think with the public I am still fighting a bit to lose the ‘token female’ tag.  

BT: Hey, someone looks at you and immediately assumes you are one of the ring card girls, I’d take that as a compliment (laughs).

CP: Right! Two kids in and they assume I am a ring card girl, I’ll take that (laughing).  

BT: What is one of the toughest things about your job?

CP: I’d say that working with different broadcast partners all the time can be challenging from a broadcast perspective. They have all been great and they all bring something to the card, but it is hard to build up that on-air chemistry when it changes all the time. Also, you get to know the fighters and I am an empathetic person by nature so it can be tough to see a fighter, who you know, you know their family, you know their children, having a tough night in the ring. As a broadcaster, you have to put those feelings aside and compartmentalize the event, just focus on the fight. 

BT: I know this is hard after all the cards you have done but do any specific memories stand out? I know in a previous interview you told me about a New York show, and you looked up and saw yourself broadcasting from the huge Nasdaq monitor in Times Square, towering over Manhattan, during a media workout. Things like that.   

CP: Oh yeah, exactly. There has been so many. A lot of times I think the things that take on a historical perspective are very special. Doing the call for international feeds, all over Europe, doing a huge card like Fury-Wilder 3 with everything that went on with it, Mikaela (Mayer) and I being the first even all-female lead broadcast team covering a card. There are a lot of ‘pinch me’ moments all the time.

BT: Obviously, you have really cemented your reputation in boxing, but I know you love many other sports – basketball, football, baseball. Do you ever envision yourself doing other things in other sports?

CP: Yes. I would love to do other things. I would love to have my own sports show one day. You know just have different athletes in and talk shop. Really focus on some interesting stories behind the athletes. Get to know them, and share their stories, on a different level. I mean here I am heading into year 13 and I never thought I’d be doing this. I mean I am a California girl. All I ever wanted to do was work for the Lakers (laughs). But, life presents opportunities and here I am in boxing and loving it. I think no matter what I did I will always be around boxing in some way. It just gets you. The athletes, the fights. It would be very hard to leave boxing.

BT: Crystina, it’s weigh-in day and I know you are very busy. As always, you are so generous with your time. Thank you. We’ll see you before long.

CP: No problem, Bill. Happy to do it. Thank you.