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Well, it's over and Sergio Mora is now a millionaire! He made it all the way by beating Peter Manfredo. Jr. Everyone's favorite--Alfonso Gomez--won the Bronze Fight when he came out on top in his battle with Jesse Brinkley. Here are some photos from my personal photo album.... |
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Well, we are down to the wire now. I have to admit that seeing Alfonso lose to Peter made me cry. I already knew the results of the fight, of course. But seeing Alfonso after the fight--looking so sad and bruised--definitely choked me up. These guys are both so awesome that I would have been happy to see either one win.
Now we go to the final elimination fight next Sunday. Will Sergio end up fighting Peter in Vegas or will it be Jesse? Again--I hate to see either guy lose. I have so much respect for Sergio and his intellect. What a reader. That guy is so smart!
The fan favorite voting was fun to watch. Jimmy Lange and Tarick Salmaci did great jobs rallying their fans to vote for them. Their numbers climbed daily and it looks they will be fighting each other. It was also great to see that Jeff Frazha will get a chance to show what he's got. He got derailed due to chickenpox but now he'll get to do what he's been wanting to do all along--FIGHT!
I was upset that Espino and Reid didn't get more votes. They are both good fighters who would have loved the chance to fight again. Juan de la Rosa didn't get much support, but that's probably because he quit after his fight and went home. Ahmed Kaddour didn't score high with the fans, either, and that is no doubt due to his cockiness.
We all head to Vegas next weekend to see who will end up winning that $1 million |
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After the dramatic fight between Jesse and Anthony, we have our FINAL FOUR. Jesse Brinkley, Peter Manfredo jr., Sergio Mora and Alfonso Gomez are the last four standing.
Peter is the most surprised to be in the Final Four since he was originally out of the competition after losing to Alfonso. But he was voted back and got a second chance. Now he is on his way to #1,000,000.
Jesse was always picked by boxing insiders to make it to the finals. He has a solid record and can hit like a mule. His personality has earned him millions of fans and he gets tons of email every week.
Sergio--The Latin Snake--is a slick boxer who has given all his opponents more than they could handle. This $1,000,000 would mean so much to him and his family. Anyone who faces Sergio in the ring will have to be at their sharpest.
As for Alfonso, he is the teddybear of the group and has more fans than any of the contestants on American Idol! His heart and determination is a wonderful example for all athletes.
There will be six contenders voted back to fight on May 24 in Las Vegas. Go to the Contender website and cast your vote for which fighters you want to see again. The guys are counting on their fans to vote them back. |
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I am still shaking after watching that battle between Peter and Joey. Even though I was there and knew exactly what was going to happen on this episode, it was startling to see it all over again.
There are very few boxers in the world with heart and soul like Joey Gilbert. He is one-in-a-million. He came to this show with just eight pro fights under his belt. That didn't stop him from facing some of the toughest boxers in his weight class. He may have come across on the show as nervous and insecure, but he walked into the ring each time with his strength and confidence guiding him. Some people are wondering whether Joey would have pulled off an upset if he hadn't gotten cut so severely.
As for Peter, he is one of the best guys I've ever known. He always handles himself with poise and dignity. His dad is awesome, also. They both came to my boxer Matt Remillard's pro debut a few weeks ago and it was a great plus having them there.
I must say that the shopping trip on Rodeo Drive with Sergio and Alfonso was one of my favorite experiences on the show. Just to see these guys trying on elegant, expensive clothes made me smile. They looked so good! When they wore their new clothes to the next fight night, they looked like GQ models. |
We all know that Jesse fights Anthony next week. You can expect another serious contest. These two guys don't play around. The winner goes on to the final round and the loser goes home. So there is a lot at stake. Only one of them will join Sergio, Alfonso and Peter in the Final Four.
By the way, you can see by the photo below that Joey was fine a week after his fight (which is when this picture was taken). He healed fast and if you see him now, you can barely see the scar. |
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It seems that everyone enjoyed the double, back-to-back episodes. My biggest complaint is that none of my good scenes never made it onto the show. Nuts! I had some really great conversations with the guys. Sometimes they show the unseen footage on the yahoo website. So check it out!
Wow. Ahmed got a big chance to come back and redeem himself and Alfonso totally derailed that plan. Never underestimate a guy with a big heart. Alfonso is a naturally lighter boxer than Ahmed. But when it comes to HEART--he's got enough for twelve guys. Most viewers did notice, though, that Babyface was a bit humbler the second time around. He really is a great guy and the boxing world hasn't heard the last of him.
Sergio's win over Ishe was really impressive. Going into the fight, many boxing fans in the stands were predicting that Ishe would win. And the fight was even closer than it looked on TV. Both guys wanted the win. Sergio pulled it off with a superior effort and a gracious attitude. Both men earned a lot of respect.
A few of you have written me emails saying that Anthony Bonsante is a crybaby. I was at the racetrack the day he pulled that hamstring and I can tell you that he was in intense pain. He could barely stand or walk. But he never once considered giving up and going home. He's a tough guy with a soft heart. Nothing wrong with that combination.
All the guys are busy training now. The final show is a month away and all 15 fighters are getting themselves in the best shape ever. |
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Wow. What a surprise. Based on the emails I'm getting, it seems many people were shocked that Joey was able to suck it up and beat the formidable Jimmy Lange. When it comes to having heart, Joey has the market cornered. Just seeing his dad was like spinach to Popeye. It empowered him to dig deeper than he has ever had to dig before.
Joey beat a helluva a boxer. Jimmy Lange is a fantastic fighter who had only suffered one loss in his career (and that was way back in 1998). Going into the final round it could have gone either way. I have a feeling that--win or lose--Jimmy earned a lot of fans during this fight.
Jimmy also got good news about his sister Ally. Doctors were able to remove 97% of her brain tumor and the test results came back benign. No cancer. Everyone's prayers certainly helped.
About Juan, viewers seem to be divided as to whether he did the smart thing or took the easy way out. At only 18 years old, he felt he should get himself back into healthy condition before risking his career. What do you think? |
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This past episode was especially hard for me since Tarick Salmaci is a former protege of mine. I have known him since he was a teenager and I turned him pro in 1992. He has become like family to me. I know what he is capable of and although he hadn't been in the ring for over three years, I had hoped he would be able to pull off a win.
I could tell in the early rounds that Tarick was running out of gas. He couldn't use his height and reach advantage over Juan because he was simply too exhausted. That was not Tarick Salmaci at his best. If he were in tiptop shape, he would have boxed circles around most guys. I have seen Tarick when he is in shape and he is a hard guy to beat.
On the other hand, it was good to see Juan win. At his young age, it must have been very empowering to score a win over an experienced veteran boxer like Tarick. Juan's father was overjoyed. And Tarick was, as always, gracious after his defeat. He is a class act at all times.
Now that the next fight is already set--Joey Gilbert vs. Jimmy Lange--it will be interesting to see and hear people's predictions. They are both good fighters and tough competitors. And both men are smart enough to take each other seriously.
Speaking of Jimmy Lange, his 15 year-old sister recently had surgery for a brain tumor. They removed as much of it as they could, but the prognosis is as yet uncertain. I know he will welcome all of your prayers and good wishes.
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OK, a lot of you are down on Anthony Bonsante after last night's episode. He definitely went against the flow when he picked Brent Cooper instead of Jimmy Lange. He led his teammates to believe that he would fight Jimmy and allow Joey Gilbert to fight Brent.
Anthony is a single dad who lives for his two kids. He thought it over and decided that fighting Brent would give him the best chance to advance to the next round. He desperately craves that #1 million.
Looking back, he probably should have argued his point with the other boxers on the West team instead of deceiving them. It left a bad taste in everyone's mouth. Jimmy was psychologically prepared to fight Anthony. Brent was not.
Anthony's plan worked for him. But is that the way to play the game? Some argue that winning is the objective and a player must strategize cleverly. Others feel that there is a code of honor and Anthony broke it.
What do you think? |
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We now have five "Contender" shows under our belt. If you watched the 5th episode, you saw Peter Manfredo, jr. redeem himself with a close, but stunning, victory over the talented Miguel Espino. What an exciting bout. No one was certain who won until the ring announcer gave the results.
I have gotten so many emails about Peter's adorable daughter. She sure is a smart and adorable little girl. All the kids on the show are extraordinary. Keep watching! Tony Bonsante has two great kids and Tarick Salmaci's daughter is gorgeous. And wait until you see Jimmy Lange's twin boys. |
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| Thanks for all your emails about the fourth episode of "The Contender." It seems to have touched everyone's heart. Some of you have asked why Jeff Frazha was disqualified just because he had chickenpox. We shot each episode in three days. So there really wasn't enough time for Jeff to get well enough to be competitive. He was contagious at first and then had to get over the flu-like symptoms that accompany chickenpox. Next Sunday's show will feature another surprise matchup. The fights have all been very competitive so far and this one coming up is another heart-stopper. If you watched the previews you may have noticed some famous faces in the audience like Melanie Griffith and Chuck Norris. I will head to Connecticut next week for the April 1 pro debut of my featherweight contender Matt Remillard. The fight will be in New Haven. A top amateur prospect, Matt is expected to be a huge success in the pros. I am looking forward to a long, rewarding association with Matt and his team. |
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| Be sure to watch this Sunday's episode of THE CONTENDER. This is the episode that features Najai Turpin, the boxer who committed suicide on Valentine's Day. There are some intriguing scenes that offer an insight into Najai's troubled life. In one scene, I am seen asking him if he has any friends. He answered, "I don't hold people close like that 'cause they'll cross you." There is also an unusual situation that develops on this week's show. One of the Contenders is unable to stay in the competition. You'll be amazed when you learn why. It's not anything you could have imagined. This is one of my favorite episodes. There is so much emotion in this one and some surprises, too. After you watch this one, Id love your feedback. |
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Well, the show is finally off and running. Based on your emails, it seems that everyone enjoyed it and will keep tuning in. Tell your friends!
I know that everyone was sad to see Peter Manfredo leave. He is such a terrific young man with a beautiful wife and darling little girl. But Peter is a great boxer with a solid future. He will not simply fade away. The world will definitely see more of Peter Manfredo.
As for Alfonso, everyone loves the under dog and he did a true David and Goliath. Looking at this match-up on paper, 9 out of 10 people would pick Peter. He is bigger, has more experience and came into the fight with an undefeated record."
This is the beauty of boxing. On any given night, any boxer can beat any other boxer. It's a matter of conditioning, attitude and desire. Alfonso Gomez had it all together. People certainly sat up and took notice of Ahmed Kaddour and his colorful sport jacket. He is quite a character. His confidence level is as high as it gets. Everyone wondered if he would live up to his hype. Time will tell. |
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