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- For other uses of this term, see Contender.
Its strapline is 'The Next Great Human Drama'.
The show takes the format of a gameshow, with the boxers divided into two teams based on their place of residence in the United States: East Coast or West Coast (or simply East and West), based upon their area of residence within the United States. These teams compete for the right to choose which of their team members fights that week, and who he fights against. The second half of the hour long episodes are mostly taken up with that fight: the loser is eliminated.
The program is hosted by Sugar Ray Leonard, former champion boxer, and Sylvester Stallone, who famously portrayed the boxer Rocky Balboa in the Rocky series of films, and also is the show's executive producer. It is being produced by Mark Burnett.
On February 14, 2005, one of the 16 contestants, Najai Turpin, shot himself while sitting with his girlfriend in a parked car outside the West Philadelphia gym where he trained. In his memory, the producers set up a trust fund for his daughter Anyae. The show still aired in its entirety, but with a special tribute to Turpin.
On May 16, 2005, the series was cancelled. The first season cost NBC $2,000,000 per episode. NBC was to have been said to been satisfied with the ratings within the demographics it drew. Reruns were seen on CNBC. On August 11, 2005, ESPN announced that it was picking up the rights to a second season of the show, currently set to begin airing on the network in July 2006, although special editions under the "Contender" title are currently airing as of March, 2006. ESPN also announced that it has options to renew the series for two additional seasons.
Before the show premiered, rival US television Fox network rushed to air a competing show The Next Great Champ hosted by Oscar de la Hoya. The show performed very poorly, with the final episodes being relegated to cable FSN. In an effort to distance itself from the Fox disaster, NBC opted to hold airing its show until spring.
Contestants
The West Coast wear yellow, and the East Coast blue. Much of the equipment is being provided by Everlast.
Episode guide
Week One
The Contenders arrive, and are split up into their teams, before moving into impressive living quarters: each boxer having to share a room with a team member.After winning the challenge, an event which involved carrying logs up Hollywood Hill, West Coast are given the choice of fight.
Alfonso makes the controversial, some might say brash, choice to fight Peter, who had a 21-0 (21 wins and 0 loss) record prior to the show. The pre-fight press conference saw the start of a long running feud between Ahmed and Ishe develop. Alfonso wins on a unanimous points decision, having punched more regularly and efficiently over the five rounds and although Peter had sustained a big cut to Alfonso's brow in Round Two, and looked good in Round Four, he was eliminated.
- West Coast Win
Week Two
A dispute between Ahmed and Ishe rumbled on from last week's episode, such that Stallone had to give the pair a dressing down. The West Coast Team were also rewarded for their victory with a visit from George Foreman.This week's challenge took place at the Rose Bowl, and involved the teams running around the stands, retrieving flags and then assembling a large puzzle on the main pitch. Again, the West Coast won, amidst assimptions that Ahmed would be fighting Ishe, although Ishe refused the opportunity to fight.
Jesse offered to fight Jonathon, which was a surprise, Alfonso having warned against it. The pre-fight press conference saw Jesse accusing Ishe of "punking out", having refused to fight.
To the fight then, where Rounds One and Two were reasonably even, in the third Jesse landed a huge uppercut, and although Jonathon did better in Round Four, when he got pushed onto the ropes in the final round the writing was on the wall. Jesse won, Jonathon was eliminated.
- West Coast Win
Week Three
A shell-shocked East Coast emerged at the start of the episode, although on the West, Ishe admitted that he had gone through last week's fight willing Jonathon, not his team-mate Jesse, to win. The West Coast Team's reward this week was being decked out in new designer suits, a particularly emotional experience for Sergio, who had never owned a suit, but said he had always wanted to.Ahmed, who had just promised to beat Ishe, found himself at the centre of a dispute with Juan, who accused him of 'showing off' while sparring with Leonard. Ishe meanwhile re-charged his batteries at home and seemed to benefit - he stopped feeling under so much pressure to fight Ahmed.
This week's challenge was a game of dodgeball. Joey was the hero for a victorious West Coast Team, although he later complained of a hamstring injury. Ishe stepped forward to fight, but he surprised calling up Brent, his "Christian brother", as if to fight him. Instead, he just whispered in his ear that he should pray for him, and called up a psyched Ahmed.
Pre-fight, the atmosphere was tense, with a lot of mud-slinging. The pair barely shook hands or even made eye contact as they prepared to fight. Ahmed lost an explosive first round, and Ishe eased into control of Round Two. Ahmed pushed his luck at the end by pushing his opponent in Round Three, and landing blows after the bell in Round Four. Ishe controlled the final round, and won. Ahmed promised revenge, but was still eliminated.
- West Coast Win
Week Four
The start of the episode saw a chicken-pox infected Jeff, who had complained of feeling ill on a family visit, withdrawn from the competition. The competitors were allowed to vote for who could replace him, and Peter won with eight votes, against Jonathon's four and Ahmed, who didn't receive a single vote.West Coast's reward for Ishe winning was a VIP dinner in downtown LA.
The week's challenge saw the teams having to drag a 5,000 lb (2,000 kg) truck along a riverbed, and then had to construct a phrase from the letters in the bags they should have picked up along the way. East Coast lead from the front to win their first challenge.
Najai choose to fight Sergio, despite their huge height disparity. Pre-fight, both boxers said that their families gave them something to fight for.
In the ring, Sergio edged out a win in Round one, and in the second the tide turned to an advantage for Najai. Round three looked similar to round one, Sergio just the better fighter, although he eased ahead to victory with some wonderful flurries in round four and five. Sergio won and notably the post fight atmosphere for Najai and his family didn't look too bleak.
- West Coast Win
Week Five
Peter began the episode by suggesting that he might not be ready to come back and fight, despite Miguel pledging to fight whoever got reintroduced. While sparring Peter did look tired, giving Miguel a boost.As their reward for Sergio winning, West Coast donned their new suits and were taken to meet boxer Antonio Tarver. Sergio won a poker game at this meeting, and was awarded plane tickets to go anywhere in the world.
The next challenge was an 'urban obstacle course' taking place in LA, which involved teams having to collect tires to place into dumpsters, before assembling a ladder to reach up to victory. West Coast converted their numerical advantage into victory. Miguel converted this victory into the promised line up: himself versus Peter.
Peter and those around him lacked confidence, while Miguel predicted a knock-out. In the ring, Miguel started well in both rounds one and two, but in the first Peter was able to peg him back. Miguel retained his upper hand pushing Peter onto the rope in the third, but Peter bounced back in the final two rounds and landed some huge blows. Peter was awarded a close victory. In the locker room, Miguel cried, stating that he had failed his family and that his 'sister will still have to take the bus to school and my (his) mother would still have to ride the metro to work'.
- East Coast Win
Week Six
Having finally felt the sting of losing, West Coast were down, but nobody felt bitter towards Peter, least of all Alfonso, his initial conqueror, as is demonstrated here. Peter said that the next three fights line ups' had been decided: this week would be Jimmy (E) would fight Anthony (W). Anthony said that he actually didn't want to fight Jimmy at all, but would rather face Brent. He kept this secret, except to the cameras of course, and indeed had to test his acting skills.East Coast enjoyed their first reward, going to see The Tonight Show and meet Jay Leno, Jimmy saying he hoped to return one day as a guest.
While this seemed to make the challenge unnecessary, it still went ahead, with the teams dragging some medicine balls around. West Coast won, coming from behind. Anthony ended his charade, and picked Brent instead of Jimmy - nobody had suspected that, especially the shellshocked Jimmy.
Anthony said he had picked the fight that was best for his family, having felt pressurised into picking Jimmy, but Joey and Jesse still were upset. Through the following evening, it became clear that everyone wanted Brent to win. At the pre-fight press conference, Ishe started to squabble with Anthony. In his dressing room, Anthony broke down in tears as his children visited him - but said he felt even more determined to win.
When the fight started, it certainly lived up to the hype, the first round being equal, and the second more in Anthony's favour, as he hit a shot to Brent which made his eye swell up. Ishe pleaded for the fight to be stopped in the uneven third, and it was. He had not stopped the fight to see his team-mate win, but because Brent was in trouble, and this anti-Anthony sentiment was echoed around the camp, but not the crowd, who cheered strongly for the victor.
- West Coast Win
Week Seven
Ishe, incensed by Anthony's behaving as he did, vowed that he wouldn't take part in his team's reward and Joey felt he could no longer be his roommate. Tarick did congratulate Anthony though, saying he had done nothing wrong - but he had done enough wrong to not see eye to eye with Ishe.Tarick revealed that himself had had scheduling problems with his career, once being ranked as number ten in the world, and being scheduled to a fight against the world champion, but having to withdraw.
Juan managed to rub Joey up the wrong way, implying that he was the weakest fighter. Stallone claimed that Brent held no grudge against Anthony though, who appeared to be losing his status as a hate figure, except in Ishe's eyes of course, despite what his friend Alfonso wanted him to feel.
As a reward, West Coast spent a night at a club with Ja Rule, who presented them all with a new watch - Ishe excluded of course, of whom Sergio said he had let his pride get in the way. If letting his pride get in the way meant throwing vases at walls, he had a point. Sergio enjoyed the night especially, and much of the team looked to have forgiven Anthony.
This week's challenge was a case of demolishing some walls and seeing who could get the most rubble into a truck. Joey was instrumental in a West Coast win. Tarick chose to fight against Juan. This meant Jimmy and Joey would fight next - Jimmy said he had no problem with that.
The fight, which was billed as youth (Juan) against experience (Tarick), was refreshingly free of bitching pre-fight. When it kicked-off, Juan manicly punched in the first, but Tarick was holding his own. The second allowed Tarick to take advantage of this, with a more measured approach. Juan continued frienziedly, but Tarick remained punching through three and four, and Juan was examined by the ringside doctor at the end of the fourth - and his eye was deemed OK. Two exhausted men slugged out the final round, and Juan was declared the unanimous winner.
Tarick was calm in defeat, and was glad to have been given his chance - before effectively declaring his retirement.
- East Coast Win
Week Eight
Juan's victory wasn't as sweet as it could have been - declaring his injuries from the fight might mean he would withdraw from the competition and he would have to assess any risk. This was baffling for all, considering the injury was just a cut to the eye.The reaction to Juan having won wasn't overwhelming - the increasingly large-mouthed Ishe calling him 'over-hyped'. Regardless of all this, Juan's health was actually starting to look bad, an infection making him largely immobile.
Joey, who was about to fight, got a visit from his father, who had spent a large period of time posted in Afghanistan.
There was no challenge this week as the match was already decided.
Jimmy started well, and after some time on the back foot, Joey fought back to dominate the second round. A huge missed punch from Joey in the third strained his hamstring, which limited his movement and reduced him to playing defensive. He was able to recover during the fourth, and in the fifth managed to deck the exhausted Jimmy. This bizarre twist in the tail actually saw a unanimous decision for the person everyone said had lost before the end of round three, Joey.
- West Coast Win
The seven remaining boxers travelled to Las Vegas, where two of them would eventually fight in the fight at Caesar's Palace. Sergio added to his poker prize by winning a new truck - thrilling a man who didn't have a car at the moment and had never owned one first hand. The boxers settled in to their luxury lifestyle, but not before voting for which of the out eliminated (but fit) boxers would take Juan's place. The candidates were Jonathan, Ahmed, Miguel, Tarick and Jimmy. The winner will be revealed next week.
Week Nine
The episode started with the announcement that Ahmed would return to the competition - thanks to a group of Anthony, Jesse, Joey and Peter teaming up in an attempt to get under Ishe's skin and eventually eliminate him. It was then Ishe who started and argument with Jesse and Peter - although it was probably heightened by the fighters being sleep deprived following the Vegas day-trip. Sergio reacted to the camera by suggesting that the fighters felt threatened by Ishe because he was the best fighter there.Ahmed declared himself back as "someone's nightmare". A number of boxers commented that he was "no bum", but a good fighter. The next challenge, a medicine ball based obstacle course was won by Jesse, giving him the power to match Ishe and Sergio in the next fight. This was a surprise - everyone foresaw Jesse vs. Ishe.
In the first fight as individuals, Ishe appeared in gold as "Sugar Shay". Sergio opted for a more refined all-black robe and shorts. The fight's first round went to a tie, with the second two edged by Ishe, before Sergio overpowered him in the final two. An absorbing fight was won by the Latin Snake, who claimed he had allowed Ishe to beat himself.
- Sergio progresses to next round
Week Ten
Peter said that Ishe's absence was like an exorcism of the groups' demons. Ahmed, a Lebanese who grew up in Denmark, had Sergio read a letter from his girlfriend, as he couldn't read English - although Sergio added that he was a bright kid - knowing five languages. Ahmed was then the only boxer not to be impressed by a sparring Alfonso.Sergio took Alfonso on his reward - a trip to a golf club with Stallone and Leonard, which both enjoyed, having never played before. Joey, back at the living quarters, started to stir up some mind games of his own - with the volatile Ahmed, but to his credit he kept cool.
The challenge involved the boxers pulling carts round the Santa Anita Racecourse - which were loaded up with the boxers' wives, mothers, girlfriends or children. Anthony carried on through a leg niggle, and was eliminated half way through. He had carried on so as to avoid quitting in front of his kids. On person who didn't carry on was Joey. He stopped on the line to let Peter take the victory, and the accompanying Toyota, more of his mind games.
A tearful Anthony was told he might not be able to carry on in the show, but said that he'd only be pulled out in a bodybag. Sergio and Jesse began to speculate about Joey's mind games. Peter then stepped up to pair up Ahmed and Alfonso. Anthony was impressed that Joey didn't take advantage of an injured man and choose to fight him - admitting he would have.
Alfonso said that now was time to pay his family back for their sacrifices. He did so effectively, dominating most of the rounds, albeit with strong flurries of punches from Ahmed in between. Alfonso won on a unanimous points decision, and Ahmed was seen by Stallone to have lost because he couldn't hold his nerve. But he still promised to "be back". If Anthony was taken out in a bodybag, might he be bought back?
- Alfonso progresses to next round
Week Eleven
Rumours circulated that the final fights would probably be Joey-Peter and Jesse-Anthony, whose hamstring was still problematic - this probably fuelled Joey's secret desire to fight him, not Peter. Jesse said that this wasn't going to happen, although the possibility of backstabbing worried him.Alfonso's reward for winning was shared with the man who took him golfing last week, Sergio - the men went on a shopping spree. Anthony chose not to compete in the baseball-esque challenge, which Jesse won, making the matches he had promised.
Joey said that it would be an honour to fight Peter, and pre-fight was swamped with support from his family. Peter appeared in a snazzy pair of shorts - Italy's flag on the front and America's on the back. Peter dominated the first two rounds and Joey then started to shift his weight - bringing himself back into the equation through rounds three and four, up to an equal last round. He was then headbutted by Peter, and as it was accidental the fight would go straight to points. Peter won by split decision, and Joey was taken to hospital - although he refused to be stretchered out of the arena, insisting on walking - much to the paramedics' dismay.
- Peter progresses to next round
Week Twelve
Jesse admitted to having been shaken by the previous fight, while Anthony continued to spend time posing with his children and telling anyone who would listen that he was going to be 'The Contender'. Jesse might have had something to say about that though, despite being 10 lb (5 kg) over fighting weight (161 lb) and in an emotional mess, he said. He would have to lose the weight or be disqualified.Peter got a visit from Angelo Dundee as his reward. He was chuffed to bits by the pointers and experience he got. Jesse went to drastic measures to lose his weight, going jogging in a suit designed to make him sweat. He was 0.5 lb (200 g) over the weight at the weigh-in, and managed to lose the weight on a treadmill with his sauna suit. Anthony said he felt he could gain a mental advantage by enforcing the rule on fighting weight. This left Jesse looking weak in the eyes of Peter.
Anthony started to cry as he read a good luck card from his children, and admitted this was his last shot at boxing. Jesse admitted that his confidence could have been higher, and his girlfriend was concerned for his health. Jesse was sluggish in the first two rounds, taking a lot and giving little back to Anthony. Jesse frustrated his opponent in the third, and in the fourth Anthony had gone crazy, Jesse's last hope being a knock-out. He did, and even though Anthony got up, he was unable to defend himself - even Jesse's girlfriend asking for the fight to be stopped. It was, to Anthony's horror. An unsurprising list of clichés came out from Anthony, that his kids thought he was a winner, that he could go home with his head up here. Thus was the end of a lovable and hatable character in The Contender.
- Jesse progresses to next round
Week Thirteen
Rather than getting a reward for his win, Jesse found he had a cut above the eye which he would rather take a number of months to let heal. Stallone let the contestants know the rules for the final rounds - fights would be seven rounds long, and the boxers would have to agree on the matches made.Quickly, it was agreed that there would be a Peter-Alfonso rematch, and that would be the first fight. The boxers were given a day on the beach with their families as a reward for getting that far.
Peter was the better fighter - marginally - in the first round, and Alfonso began to edge him in the second with some good combinations. This two round pattern of each boxer just dominating a round and then losing the next continued, until Peter scored a huge uppercut in the final round - winning him the fight by unanimous decision. The fighters embraced after the fight.
- Peter progresses to final
Week Fourteen
Jesse, having recently fought, realised he would be tired for his bout with Sergio, who saw a hazard coming up - he had never fought someone he had been so close to. He re-affirmed his dream of winning, and allowing his mother never to have to work another day again in her life.The three remaining boxers; Jesse, Sergio and Peter paid tribute to the eliminated boxers. Another legend, Tommy the trainer kept everyone amused over breakfast. Peter told the slightly pessimistic Jesse that he believed in him.
A cagey opening round was won by Sergio, but Jesse got the Judges and the crowd on his side in round two, although he was unable to hold onto this - Sergio pounding him in rounds three and four. Jesse fought his way back, cutting Sergio above his eye, although this seemed only to push Sergio on further - by the sixth round Jesse's corner knew he needed a knock-out. Sergio won on a unanimous points decision.
- Sergio progresses to final
Week Fifteen
Staged some months later, from a packed Caesar's Palace, the episode began with three "Fans Favourites Fights": Jeff beat Brent, Ishe won a grudge match against Anthony and Jimmy beat Tarick. Jesse then fought Alfonso for the position of third place. Alfonso bagged a nice prize in a confident victory.In the early rounds of the main event, everything got heated. Peter held the upper hand early, but Sergio ultimately pulled through to win the fight.
- Sergio becomes "The Contender".
Tournament Tracker
While The Contender is a reality TV show, it does contain a serious competition with a proper format - a 16 man knockout tournament.
Preliminary Round
- 1. Alfonso (W) beat Peter (E) on points.
- 2. Jesse (W) beat Jonathon (E) on points.
- 3. Ishe (W) beat Ahmed (E) on points.
- 4. Sergio (W) beat Najai (E) on points
- 5. Peter (E) beat Miguel (W) on points.
- 6. Anthony (W) beat Brent (E) by knockout. (Brent was declared unfit to continue.)
- 7. Juan (E) beat Tarick (W) on points.
- 8. Joey (W) beat Jimmy (E) on points.
Quarter finals
Quarterfinal bouts are determined by the individual winner of each challenge. The winner can choose whom he wants to fight, or become the "matchmaker" and select two fighters to compete against each other.- 9. Sergio beat Ishe on points.
- 10. Alfonso beat Ahmed on points.
- 11. Peter beat Joey on points. (Fight stopped in 5th due to accidental headbutt.)
- 12. Jesse beat Anthony by knock-out. (Although Anthony was still conscious.)
Semi finals
These two matches will take place between the four remaining boxers, Sergio, Alfonso, Peter, Jesse.- 13. Peter beat Alfonso on points.
- 14. Sergio beat Jesse on points.
The Final
For $1,000,000, from Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas.- 15. Sergio beat Peter on points.
- (For third place, Alfonso beat Jesse on points.)
Fans Favourite Fights
These three bouts were staged as warm-up events for the final.- Jimmy beat Tarick on points.
- Ishe beat Anthony.
- Jeff beat Brent.
Guest Appearances
- James Caan
- Tony Danza
- Angelo Dundee
- George Foreman
- Mel Gibson
- Ja Rule
- Jay Leno
- Chuck Norris
- Burt Reynolds
- William Shatner
- Bill Goldberg
Head Trainer
- Tommy Gallagher
- Sugar ray
Boxing Manager
External links
- NBC.com
- itv.com - ITV4
- About.com Contender Guide
- Yahoo TV Contender Guide
- CBS News article on Najai Turpin's suicide (February 15th, 2005)
NBC network shows | Reality television series | The Contender | CBS Paramount Television shows
"The Contender (TV series)"