Misplaced Pages

David Diamante (born November 8, 1971) is an American ring announcer, TV host & boxing historian. He is best known for his trademarked catchphrase, The fight starts now! and his distinctive announcing style in which he repeats each fighter’s last name twice.

Early Life

Diamante was born in Baltimore, Maryland. At age 20, Diamante moved to San Francisco, California and actively pursued the sport of boxing, training out of King’s Gym in East Oakland, CA.

Career

Boxing

Diamante began his ring announcing career in New York City. His first fight was in the basement of the Church Street Boxing Gym in Lower Manhattan.

Diamante volunteered for several years in the New York boxing community announcing fights for USA Boxing Metro and the New York Golden Gloves. He has since gone on to announce for HBO, Showtime, ESPN, DAZN, Fox Sports, NBC, CBS, Sky Sports and many others.

In 2018, Diamante signed an exclusive deal with Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing with broadcasts appearing on DAZN and Sky Sports.

NBA/NCAA Basketball

In 2012, Diamante was selected by Jay-Z and Nets management to become the official voice of the new NBA franchise, the Brooklyn Nets. He signed a multi-year deal and announced the final season for the Nets in New Jersey in 2011-2012 before following the team on their move to Brooklyn.

He has also announced numerous NCAA Men’s Basketball games for schools across the US.

MMA/Muay Thai

Diamante has announced various MMA and Muay Thai events, including the first ever legally sanctioned MMA show in New York City in May of 2013.

Civic Work

As a NY-native, Diamante has announced a variety of culturally significant boxing events in NYC. In October of 2012, Diamante hosted the co-naming ceremony of 45 Street in Sunnyside, Queens, to Sunnyside Garden Way in celebration of the famed, now-demolished Sunnyside Garden boxing arena.

TV

Diamante anchored The 'Lights on NBC Sports Network, a daily morning sports highlights program that was launched in August of 2012 as an alternative to ESPN 's SportsCenter. Diamante hosted the show Cigars with David Diamante produced by Unarmed Media.

Emcee

In December 20, 2013 David Diamante emceed Choices the NYC DOT launch of their anti-DWI Campaign with New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan and former Net Kerry Kittles.

Diamante voiced the 2016 and 2017 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year Awards, won by LeBron James and co-won by José Altuve and J. J. Watt, respectively.

In September 7, 2013 Diamante served as the emcee for the Friars Club Roast of Boomer Esiason at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

Drumming

Diamante played drums in several bands over the years including LDK (Reston, VA) and Sharkbait. He drummed with Sharkbait as the headline act for Burning Man on September 4, 1994. Diamante recorded with and gave drum lessons to Kirk Hammett from Metallica in the early 90’s.

Cigars

Diamante is the former owner and founder of Diamante's Brooklyn Cigar Lounge in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. He logged time in Cuba, Nicaragua, Honduras and Dominican Republic learning the tobacco trade. He produces his own brand of cigar named Diamante's, which is made of Cuban-seed Nicaraguan, Honduran and Dominican tobaccos hand rolled in the Dominican Republic.

Honors

Diamante has been recognized as the 2015 Ring Announcer of the Year by Ring 8, The Veteran's Boxing Association of New York.

Charity

Diamante is involved in a variety of charitable causes and has hosted events for Haymakers for Hope cancer charity, Team Fight to Walk, WBC Cares, and others.

Filmography and TV records

Films

Television

Mini-series documentary

See also

• The 'Lights
• Ring announcer
• Brooklyn Nets

References

1. ^ Jim Sheridan,"Who is David Diamante, why does he repeat surnames and how old is Sky boxing ring announcer?". thesun.co.uk. 8 February 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
2. Mary Pilon,"Nets Announcer Shows Flair and Hair". nytimes.com. December 19, 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
3. Robert Mladinich,"Ring Announcer David Diamante: Vive le difference". tss.ib.tv. February 15, 2007. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
4. Joshua Peck,"David Diamante: Why does boxing announcer REPEAT surnames? Reason revealed". express.co.uk. December 7, 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
5. "New York State Boxing Hall of Fame Induction Dinner Quotes and Pictures". boxing247.com. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
6. David Yi,"HBO World Championship Boxing announcer David Diamante calls floor-grazing dreadlocks 'spiritual'". nydailynews.com. April 14, 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
7. Joseph Lightfoot,"David Diamante reveals why he announces the surname of any boxer twice". express.co.uk. October 12, 2018. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
8. Ralph Gardner Jr.,"Lord of the Ring and King of the Court". wsj.com. April 13, 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
9. Danny Flexen,"Andy Ruiz vs Anthony Joshua 2 KEYS TO VICTORY by David Diamante". secondsout.com. September 6, 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
10. Bob Trieger,"Record Turnout For New York State Boxing Hall Of Fame Induction Dinner". boxing247.com. April 30, 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
11. Bryan Fonseca,"He said, "Brooklyn Ball!!"". netsdaily.com. August 14, 2017. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
12. Mike Mazzeo,"Diamante is new 'voice of the Nets'". espn.com. December 17, 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
13. Christian Murray,"Sunnyside Street Co-Named After Famous Sporting Arena". sunnysidepost.com. September 23, 2014. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
14. Blair PFander,"David Diamante on Motorcycles, Cigars and the Brooklyn Nets". stylecaster.com. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
15. Blair PFander,"Cigars With David Diamante". unarmedmedia.com. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
16. ^ "NYC DOT Launches Anti-DWI Campaign at Barclays Center, Home of the Brooklyn Nets". www1.nyc.gov. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
17. "The Friars Club Roast Honoring Boomer Esiason". zimbio.com. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
18. ^ Andrew Marantz"The Voice of the Nets". newyorker.com. April 13, 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
19. Paul Zanon,"Smoking the opposition: David Diamante interview". express.co.uk. March 17, 2018. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
20. Rafi Kohan,"Blowing Smoke with Boxing's Big Voice". gq.com. February 2, 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
21. "Ring Announcer of the Year" (PDF). ringtv.com. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
22. Liam La Guerre,"Real Estate on the Ropes: Lo Russo Gets Pounded, Young Chetrit Victorious". commercialobserver.com. November 21, 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
23. "Team Fight to Walk Charity Gala a Huge Success!". worldboxingcares.com. May 18, 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2020.

External links

• David Diamante on IMDB

Category:Living people Category:American sports announcers Category:American television talk show hosts Category:American television personalities Category:Boxing commentators Category:Masters of Ceremonies Category:1971 births