Boxing ring announcer, Michael Buffer, famous for the trademarked phrase, "LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE", is currently recovering at his home in Los Angeles following surgery to remove cancerous tumors from the throat and neck. Buffer has issued the following statement:<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="100%" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td class="backGround6" align="left" height="800" valign="top" width="517"> "The cancer was detected at a very early stage in mid-February and three weeks ago I was operated on by one of the best surgeons in the field. I am recovering well and feel stronger every day. The early detection prevented any spread that would have jeopardized my vocal ability. I am looking forward to being back in the ring next week (Saturday, April 19th) as Bernard Hopkins faces Joe Calzaghe on HBO PPV from Las Vegas. The support and encouragement for a return to good health received from my friends and members of the sports promotion and broadcasting community was overwhelming and greatly appreciated. I was very surprised to learn how many cancer survivors are out there and how they instantly rallied to my support. As a new member of that group, I intend to keep up that tradition. "My physicians are not sure of the cause as many things can contribute to cancer but one very distinct possibility is smoking. After a decade of smoking, I quit 35 years ago but the damage may have begun. Hopefully, my circumstances will encourage others to avoid smoking and second hand smoke when possible, and please get regular checkups." For more than 25 years, Buffer has been recognized around the world as boxing's premiere ring announcer. He is a staple on HBO boxing and regularly travels to Europe and Asia for fight telecasts. The words, "Let's Get Ready To Rumble" are actually a registered trademark and the licensing of the phrase has generated hundreds of millions of dollars with video games (a new one coming out late this year), toys, food products, clothing and sporting goods to name a few. Buffer's appearances and introductions have not been limited to boxing as he has also opened World Series games, NBA Finals, Stanley Cup games, NCAA events, WWE matches, the Olympics and concerts featuring JayZ, Black Eyed Peas and Aerosmith. He has appeared in numerous TV commercials and on dozens of shows such as the ESPYS, Academy Awards, BET Awards, the Grammys, SNL, Mad TV, Leno, Letterman and Conan. Buffer has played himself many times over in motion pictures but will be seen in a featured role as an unscrupulous NYC realtor in "YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN" starring Adam Sandler due this spring. </td><td class="backGround6" align="left" height="60" valign="middle" width="11"> </td></tr></tbody></table>
He's probably trying to tell him, "Donate generously to the women's scoliosis trust".:crafty: you knip.
dsimon writes: Those little ironies are really something. I had a friend (one of my martial arts students) and who was a great fencer. His name? MIKE SHARP. ::
....that's really not related at all but anyway. Hopefully Michael gets better soon, he really adds allot to the occasion of a big fight. Does anybody know if he is gonna pass his catch phrase down to anybody when he retires? What will big time boxing be without 'lets get ready to rumbbbbbllllleeeeeeeeeee'?
