Max Kellerman is an American media personality who is popularly known as a commentator for boxing and sports television. He is also an actor and has appeared in films such as Rocky Balboa (2006), Creed (2015), and Playmakers (2003).
Kellerman began working as a co-host on ESPN’s First Take on July 25, 2016, and had worked as a studio commentator on two shows, including Friday Night Fights and Around the Horn.
Max Kellerman was born on August 6, 1973, in the Bronx, New York City, the son of Henry Kellerman and Linda Kellerman. He is a graduate of Public School 41 in Greenwich Village, where he grew up; he graduated from Hunter College High School in 1991 and later moved to Columbia University, where he graduated in history in 1998.
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Sports Broadcasting Career
Kellerman’s career began when he was still a teenager with a cable TV program about professional boxing in New York City called Max on Boxing.
Despite its simplicity, the show caught the attention of the boxing world and champions like the now-retired Mike Tyson. Shortly after graduating from university, Kellerman got a job at ESPN as an analyst for the boxing series Friday Night Fights. A few years later, in November 2002, he earned his own show at the station and later became the architect and original host of Around the Horn.
Two years later, Kellerman became famous with the show, but after failing to reach an agreement with ESPN, he switched to Fox Sports Net, where he started a new show, I, Max – which was later canceled by Fox on February 18, 2005.
From 2005 to 2009, Max Kellerman worked with a number of television and radio programs, including
- MSNBC show Tucker
- Spike TV’s 2006 series, King of Vegas.
- WEPN 1050 ESPN Radio
- XM Radio on ESPN Xtra.
On March 9, 2009, Kellerman reciprocally quit ESPN Radio and continued his work as a boxer at Home Box Office, HBO. The station originally hired him to broadcast Boxing After Dark, but he joined the HBO main boxing team in 2007.
Kellerman is reported to have interfered in sports and pop culture issues on CNN American Morning and other programs, the station announced on May 12, 2010. In the same year, he was the new lunchtime presenter on ESPNLA 710.
He also reported in particular on the boxing match Floyd Mayweather, Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao for HBO in May 2015 – a boxing match for which he was criticized for his alleged “patronage” of the Filipino boxing legend. On July 25, 2016, Kellerman was then selected to co-host ESPN’s first take and permanently replace Skip Bayless.
He currently combines this job with his work as a color commentator for the HBO Boxing World Championship and HBO Boxing After Dark.
His acting skills as Airman Joseph in Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! were described as not so bad for a TV presenter. In the last two Rocky movies, he played the role of the boxing analyst as “himself” and was celebrated as himself in both Creed and Real Husbands of Hollywood.
Family, Brother
Kellerman grew up in a family of three brothers, including his beloved younger brother Sam Kellerman, who was murdered on October 17, 2004, in his apartment in the 1400 block of Vista Street in Los Angeles. According to one report, he was killed in the most horrible way by former boxer James Butler, who killed the young and promising artist by repeatedly hitting his head with a hammer and setting his apartment on fire.
Sam Kellerman was only 29 years old at the time of his murder. Butler was later arrested during an investigation and sentenced to 29 years in prison.
When he learned of the tragic incident, Max Kellerman took time off from the new show I, Max on Fox Sports Net to mourn his brother. He described Sam as a creative genius who was destined to write and be on camera. In his opinion, it was only a matter of time before his late brother would have become famous.
Max Kellerman Wife Erin Manning
Kellerman has been married to his wife Erin Manning for more than two decades and they have three children, Esther Kellerman, Sam Kellerman, and Mira Kellerman.
The couple, who have been lovers since college, married in 1994 and have remained together without any problems ever since, except for one time when Kellerman admitted that he had beaten Manning once when they were still together during their college years.
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According to him, it was at a college party when they were both drunk, and that was the only time he ever hit a woman.
Nonetheless, nothing controversial has ever been linked to the couple. Since he is a media personality, it’s usually surprising that Kellerman is less active in social media; not on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. Although he has Twitter as his official account, he only shares his professional work on the platform.
Salary
The renowned boxing expert and presenter made it onto the list of the top 10 highest paid analyst commentators for sports films in 2017, and reportedly takes home $3 million each year as host of the highly-rated ESPN film First Take.
Kellerman’s net worth is estimated at approximately $7 million.
Quick Facts about Max Kellerman
Birthday: August 6, 1973
Birthplace: The Bronx, New York City, New York, United States
Nationality: American
Ethnicity: North American
Occupation: Boxing commentator and sports television personality.
Height: 1.8 m (5 ft 7 in)
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Blue
Music Preference: Hip Hop
Max Kellerman and his late brother Sam Keller were rappers before they became sportscaster and sportswriter respectively. The first singles together, Young Man Rumble, shown on cable television featured James Butler (his brother’s murderer) as part of the cast.
Kellerman is extremely private about his private life, thus pictures of himself, his wife, and his kids are rarely seen on the internet.
