The Contender: A reflective thread

I love the first series, I used to watch it on a Friday night when it was first aired.

 

The Contender should have kept it more authentic like TUF did. Contender simply didn't evolve enough. It was a platform that could have been a really serious one.

 

I agree with achillesthegreat. The Contender was great but did not progress the way it should have into a quality long term project. I would like to see it come back in some format someday and the Prizefighter events could definetly do with picking up a thing or two from the show.

 

Tbf to Manfredo he had a fair few issues weight and training wise in lead up to losing to Gomez. When they met the next time he took care of him the way he should of.

Very good series but sadly got crapper by the series.

 

Was a great show but sort of faded away. when you think about it there would be no 24/7 etc without the contender.

 

I loved it.

It was mad with Ishe Smith, he came across as a proper warrior. Didn't back down from anybody and had an aggressive style - then I realised in real life he was a runner.

 

i agree,great at getting casuals more into boxing by packaging it nicely.the only fights a casual fan will tune in for are ones involving a big named brit (khan,froch,haye mainly)over their past few fights we've been given such **** heaps such as khan vs mccloskey,haye vs valuev,haye vs harrison,haye vs klitschko.if memory serves there wasnt 1 boring fight in the entire 1st series,this could be down to it being massively edited complete with slow-mo replays during the round,huge portions being cut and sound effects.but if it turns more people on to the sport then thats cool by me.

 

just watched the 1st minute of the 1st episode and its one of the corniest tv shows ever,sly even chiming in with some lines i swear were snagged from a rocky film.i love it though

 

Fond memories of the Contender.

Always remember ol' Bonsante getting sparked by Brinkley.

 

Alfonso Gomez was my fav from the 1st series!!

 

It got me into boxing as a hard core fan. I discovered this site looking for the website for team east side. I thought it was fantastic.

 

I'd really lost interest in boxing after fighting and following in 80's and early 90's and watching The Contender really got me back into the sport.

I know it was very schmaltzy but thought it was good seeing fighters outside of the ring which wasn't covered in the way that it is now with 24/7 and similar.

 

Contender season 2 was brilliant , K9 Bundrage became my favourite because he was picked last as no one wanted him on their team.
He was seen as easy touch so the other team picked him for the first fight which he won scoring a knockdown vs Michael Clark,
K9 ended up finishing 3rd, the eventual winner was Grady Brewer another underdog who beat Steve Forbes(the favourite going into the Season) in the final

Favourite moment from season 2: Walter Wright getting schooled by Shane Mosley in sparring, Mosley beat him so bad his headgear got spun around his head :rofl

 

Anybody remember The Contender V's UK card in Newcastle? I'd ****ing love to see another card like that.