Announcer Joe Tessitore hospitalized before calling Crawford-Khan fight card

Boxing fans heard an unexpected voice calling the play-by-play for Saturday night’s Bud Crawford-Amir Khan fight card on ESPN pay-per-view.

The undercard on ESPN2 began with Bernardo Osuna serving as the announcer. Joe Tessitore, the network’s lead boxing play-by-play announcer, joined the commentary team later in the broadcast and explained his previous absence.

Tessitore said he had been hospitalized due to a “neurocardiogenic” episode. That is the medical term for a drop in heart rate and blood pressure, leading to fainting. The veteran announcer even had his hospital bracelet on during the telecast.

Did anyone notice Tim Bradley helping Joe Tessitore cover up his hospital bracelet? Weird moment. pic.twitter.com/QXA4hyfNPc

— T-Bone Delmore (@IronFist1982) April 21, 2019

There were nine fights on the Top Rank card, which was taking place at Madison Square Garden. The main event between Crawford and Khan was for the WBO welterweight title.

In addition to being the lead announcer for ESPN’s Top Rank Boxing, Tessitore served as ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” play-by-play announcer last year.