WEEK-BY-WEEK RECAP:
Review: Contender Episode 15 - Mora Takes Contender Title
Sergio Mora outpointed Peter Manfredo Jr. over seven rounds to win the $1 million grand prize in "The Contender", NBC's reality boxing tournament. Mora was a slight underdog going into the fight but was much quicker and sharper than Manfredo throughout the bout. All three judges saw the fight for Mora by scores of 70-63, 69-64 and 68-65. On the undercard, semi-finalists Alfonso Gomez and Jesse Brinkley squared off . . .
May 24, 2005 - READ MORE
Review: Contender Episode 14
In episode 14 of NBC's "The Contender", Sergio Mora advanced to the finals with a seven round decision over Jesse Brinkley. One thing that was unique about this series was that the taping schedule (as opposed to the TV air-date schedule) often required the participants to enter the ring at less than 100% and this week was no exception . . .
May 22, 2005 - READ MORE
NBC KOs The Contender
To no one's surprise, NBC has announced that it won't be bringing its boxing reality show, "The Contender", back for another season. Boxing fans are likely disappointed, but the show never crossed over and garnered the non-boxing fan support it needed to survive. As NBC exec Jeff Zucker points out: "At the end of the day, it was a boxing show". Duh.
May 17, 2005
Review: Contender Episode 13
Episode 13 of "The Contender" reduced the field of fighters still in contention for the $1 million jackpot to four: Peter Manfredo Jr., Alfonso Gomez, Sergio Mora and Jesse Brinkley. In the semi-final there is no challenge -- the fighters would have to decide amongst themselves who would fight who in the semi-finals. The fighters quickly agreed that the semis would begin with a rematch between Manfredo and Gomez . . .
May 15, 2005 - READ MORE
Review: Contender Episode 12
Episode 12 of NBC's boxing reality series "The Contender" wrapped up the second round of the tournament, leaving only four fighters still in the running for the $1 million prize. Jesse Brinkley and Anthony Bonsante each had issues to deal with leading up to this bout. Brinkley appeared to be suffering from a lack of confidence/motivation and also had to shed some weight to avoid being eliminated on the scales. Bonsante, a nice guy who could never shut up about doing this all for his kids, was still recovering from a hamstring injury . . .
May 8, 2005 - READ MORE
Review: Contender Episode 11
Episode 11 of "The Contender" saw a match between two of the series' more likeable fighters - Peter Manfredo Jr. and Joey Gilbert. This match was selected by Jesse Brinkley, who won the weekly challenge. Gilbert fought a brave fight before an accidental clash of heads caused a nasty cut over his left eye . . .
May 1, 2005 - READ MORE
Review: Contender Episodes 9 & 10
NBC aired episodes nine and ten of "The Contender" back-to-back. Not sure if they're still trying to boost viewer interest or just trying to burn through the remaining segments to get it over with. Either way, the field of fighters still vying for the $1 million prize has been whittled down to six . . .
April 24, 2005 - READ MORE
Review: Contender Episode 8
The eighth installment of NBC's "The Contender" marks the end of the first round with half of the original 16 participants now eliminated. Week eight featured Jimmy Lange against Joey Gilbert. For some reason, this bout was seen as a mismatch with talk of Gilbert being a 20-1 underdog . . .
April 17, 2005 - READ MORE
Review: Contender Episode 7
In episode seven of NBC's "The Contender", Juan De La Rosa earned a five round decision over Tarick Salmaci. De La Rosa, the youngest boxer in the competition, fought like an amateur - throwing virtually no jabs at all - but still had too much energy for his 33-year-old opponent . . .
April 10, 2005 - READ MORE
Review: Contender Episode 6
Episode six of NBC's "The Contender" was slightly more entertaining than last week's snoozefest ... but not by much. The manufactured drama this week surrounded Anthony "#1 Daddy" Bonsante not calling out the fighter he and his teammates had agreed he would fight and then his teammates all turning on him . . .
April 3, 2005 - READ MORE
Review: Contender Episode 5
In the fifth installment of "The Contender", Miguel Espino made a strategic blunder in selecting Peter Manfredo Jr. as his opponent. Manfredo suffered his first professional defeat in episode one, only to be brought back to replace an ill fighter in edisode four. Espino obviously felt Manferedo would still be in a funk about losing his undefeated status . . .
March 27, 2005 - READ MORE
WEEK-BY-WEEK RECAP CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
THE FIGHTERS:
Profiles and fight-by-fight records for ever participant in "The Contender" on following page.
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