Laugh at me all you want, I still like the show a little... Ok. Tony Danza is a great choice. I stopped watching just because I hated hearing Ray Leonard's voice. "Next week.....onthecontender.....Sergio Mora....talks about.......reading.......abook." Here are the guys I'm familiar with... Frlix Cora Jr. -- I like the guy. He hasn't fought in over a year, and is coming off of two stoppage losses though. But they were two good cruisers in Tokarev and Godfrey. He's a good guy though, and a texas native. Also holds a victory over Darnell Wilson. Ehinomen Ehikhamenor -- I'll be rooting for him. Great kid, very cocky. Is a model as well as a boxer. Has a few stupid losses, but a talented fighter and was once a very good amateur. He's small for the weight, but didn't do much at light heavyweight either. He's very bulky. He's very funny to hang out with. Finds himself getting into brawls when in the ring, so it'll be fun to watch him. Alfredo Escalera Jr. -- Son of Alfredo Escalera. I like this kid. Much like Ehikamenor, he's to small and bulky for cruiserweight, and brawls alot. He's got power though. He'll be fun but can be outboxed easily. Puts designs in his hair. Hopefully he worked on his head movement, because the one fight I've seen of his, I had him losing, despite the official scorecards. Rico Hoye -- The guy whose name I always confuse with Kendall Holt's for some reason. He's an actual cruiser. Has some good wins on his record and some questionble decisions. Suffered his two losses to Clinton Woods and Adrian Diaconu. He's probably better suited as a cruiserweight than a light heavyweight. Wonder if he can handle the power. Troy Ross -- Ok, I've never seen the guy, but I had to comment. He's got some respectable wins as a prospect, but his one loss came against a journeyman in Greensboro, NC, where fighters go to get an easy win and is constantly questioned for questionable fights, to say the least. Weird. Jon Schneider -- The fighting Marine. Former Marine who lives in Yonkers, NY. Nice guy. Very quiet. Also does some personal training to make ends meet. Works hard. But he's tiny. He'd be considered too small for middleweight, let alone cruiserweight. Jimmy Vinns(sp) Jr. is/was his manager. Nice duo. What's wierd about him being selected is I think him and Ehikamenor have the same trainer. Has some highlight reel KO losses, one of which was on ESPN2. Fun style. Lawrence Tauasa -- Don't know him at all. But he's Samoan! Erick Vega -- No relation to Vincent Vega or his brother. Darnell Wilson -- We all know this guy, and this is the one I really want to win.
The following I've either never seen or only in limited capacity: Deon Elam Alfredo Escalera Jr Tim Flamos Richard Gingras Lawrence Tauasa Erick Vega ... and therefore have no opinion on them one way or another. I've seen the following: Mike Alexander - Considering the circuit on which he fights, better than most on that level. Has no real notable wins, but survived the type of fights where if he were a complete scrub he'd have lost. Gave Chazz Witherspoon a decent showing on Shobox a couple of years ago, and his exp. at heavyweight could come into play in this tournament. I consider him to be a sleeper pick, though without having seen six of the fighters, tough to gauge how far he advances. Felix Cora Jr - I've always liked watching him fight. Never saw him as more than a mid-level cruiserweight contender, but in this format, it's enough to make some serious noise. the long layoff is a bit of a concern, especially coming off of back-to-back KO losses. But if he's rested and reloaded, I like his chances here. Ryan Coyne - typical Midwestern fighter, padded record for the sake of securing a TV fight. Landing on the Contender is an even better cashout package. Will lose to the first halfway decent fighter he faces, which is to say he probably doesn't make it out of the Round of 16. Ehinomen Ehikhamenor - Almost forgot about this guy. Was never really impressed. He's 1-3 in the fights I've seen him in, the worst being when he lost to the absolutely shitty Danie Sackey a few years ago on an Eric Harding undercard (I think against D-Judah). I;m sure his personality had everything to do with his being cast on the show, but would be surprised if he lasted beyond even the quarterfinals. Joell Godfrey - absolute shit. typical mid-south bred fighter (lives elsewhere, but mainly fights in tn/ms). Is 9-0-1, but should really be (at best) 8-2. Flat out lost to DeLeon Tinsley twice, but escaped w/ a draw and a bullshit decision. Might shoeshine his way to a win or two on this show, but will eventually get got. Rico Hoye - maybe cruiserweight turns out to be a better fit. but to be honest, he looked pretty damn shot the last time I saw him. Will have to be matched carefully in order to advance in this tourney - read: against a featherfisted cruiserweight or two. I don't like his chances at all. Akinyemi Laleye - Scrub. got by on his catchy nickname (AK47, easier to pronounce than his birth name), but quickly discovered that he can't fight a lick. Such will be proven once the cameras start rolling. Troy Ross - Bum. never heard of him until Bobby Gunn was heavily campaigning for a shot at his Canadian cruiserweight title. watched tape of him - Gunn would beat him with room to spare. Jon Schneider - Ff this is the same guy I'm thinking of, then he got lit up on ESPN2 by some fighter w/ an upside down record. He might belong in the other category, as it's the only time I've seen him fight. But I can't say he made any impression whatsoever on me, other than a guy who doesn't boast a particuarly decent beard. Unless he's got boxing skills for days, not sure he lasts very long here. Darnell Wilson - if you don't know him by now, you haven't been paying attention for the past couple of years. How he fares here will depend on how well everyone else can box. I don't think any fighter on this list can take his best punch, but it's not out of the question to limit his incoming long enough to last in a five round fight.
This just Might B THE WORST Class of Fighters "The Contender" has EVER Had... Cora Jr. Shows Up @ the Texas State Golden Gloves Every Now & Then...Cool, VERY Approachable Cat...REED'll Openly Root for him to Win... If Not, then Hopefully "Ding-a-Ling" Does... REED:bears:
Looks like there's some highlight reel KO's waiting to happen here. As usual Versus tries to compete with ESPN without knowing exactly what they're getting into and gets taken to the cleaners by the promoters.
Cora is a good kid and a nice fighter to watch, but he dosen't have real knockout power and he has a rather weak chin to compete at a world class level. I pick Cora to win this group of not real world class fighters. Last I heard from Rico Hoye he turned down a fight with Chris Henry for some relatively fair money he had originally agreed to, then Rubin williams stepped in for him after he turned the fight down.
Henry would've decapitated Hoye, especially at any point within the past couple of years. That said, given the timing (you're talking about this past summer, correct), I'm sure the biggest reason was that Hoye was already looking into participating on The Contender. Most of the guys on the list all but stopped fighting around May. A couple of them had a fight over the summer, but against cans.
Cora Jr beat th fucking piss out of Wilson a couple of years ago. It wasn't competitive. He's the most talented guy, along with....Lawrie Tuasa. Seen a bit of him; a true talented, lazy cunt. Very tricky style....will be hard to solve for most of these guys over five rounds.
I think Tony Danza wins. He was goet at leapfrogging a shark tank on waterskis so I like him to win. He has calmness under pressure. Either that or Hoye who is also goet. The rest of the lineup is pathetic. I would not make any of these a contender. At least Bika, Brewer and Mora were of a moderate level. This lot are urine.
I too question the integrity of the show. It is sad that we trawl for 50-100 rank boxers and wonder if they are too goet for the show. It should call its name 'The ok fighter in his home village town who is never a champion and in the desperate world of boxing is looking for any scraps of money cash even though he would be beaten by most female boxers at the same wait show.' These fighters have no interest to boxers only stupid idiot types and /or Uzbeks. I would rather they match a paedophile with a crocodile - at least it rimes. With my Marketing expertise the show would be potential great to be brutally frank.
This has to be the worst group of fighters put together as far as talent. But I think as Jake eluded there will be plenty of highlight reels. The fighting marine is complete crap and is managed by his mom. That normally spells disaster for good fighters. This guy is crap so you can imagine his future. I'd bet $50 that Joony would put him to sleep. I've seen Alfredo Escalera Jr. fight. His father is a better dance and a better fighter. Escalera barely got past this bum in a card in the Bronx. He might make the second round but he has no power. Cupey
Danza is an incredible talent...you are just too perverted and derranged to realise it, you think it's all pitch and poise in this business?.. Who would you prefer to guide this particular ball?...:nono: That mouldy talentless tart in your av giving deep throat to the mic?.. Typical,.. why not just keep the cameras poised to the planks, and dump a bucket of rubber breasts and a leather snatch onto the floor, horse hearts motherfucker, horse hearts.
do you get excited every time Tony Danza plays an Italian guy from Brooklyn named Tony? :: I watched Who's the boss as a kid only for Alyssa Milano. I hope somebody in the contender Ko's Tony DAnza just for being a cheese ball.
Decent records. I think there has been worse groups of fighters before. Someone should put them up to compare.
*************SPOILER ALERT************** *************SPOILER ALERT************** *************SPOILER ALERT************** *************SPOILER ALERT************** I hear Ehinoman Ehikamenor beat Darnell Wilson and will be facing Troy Ross in the finals on February 26. I'll have to verify, so don't cruicify me if I'm wrong.
I think Sugar Ray Leonard was the worst f'n host anyone could have had. I don't think any host is necessary. Just have the trainers do the "hosting." SRL: Tonight.....onthecontender.....sakio.....bika......doesagaypose.....after a victory.
I've never watched a full episode of The Contender. I tuned in a few times late in the broadcasts to see if some fights were actually on and watched a few of the live episodes...but I can't really comment on any hosts...just that Lopez is almost unbearable to listen to.
So Far, So Good... Last Night's Episode Showed "Hino" Beating "The Ding-a-Ling Man" via UD...Ding a Ling was Pretty PUDGY, had CHIPMUNK Cheeks & was Step BEHIND Hino the Entire Fight... Thus Far, Felix Cora, Jr. Beat Joell Godfrey, Alfredo Escalera, Jr. Beat Jon Schneider & "A.K." Laleye Beat Erick Vega...Every Fight has Gone to the Scorecards.... REED:hammert:
I thought Felix Cora Jr. would be a champ at some point:doh: His fight with Michael Simms was pretty good.