ESPN recently announced that they are not going to renew the boxing reality TV show “The Contender” for a new season.
“The Contender” was a big hit for most boxing fans and it also got a lot of new people interested in the sport. However if ESPN are dropping it, are we too assume that its popularity has tailed off?
We do not know of many boxing fans that have stopped watching The Contender, in fact the majority are pleased to see more boxing on TV and therefore are keen to support it.
I suspect that the reason for the drop in support stems from the large influx of new boxing fans that got interested in “The Contender” for a short while, before moving on.
However, just because ESPN has dropped “The Contender” that does not mean that the show won’t go on!
The Contender was on NBC for a year before going over to ESPN so it will probably go to another network. Jeff Wald, the Executive Producer for The Contender is apparently hoping to make a fourth season with a yet to be named network.
I would like to see The Contender continue as not only am I in support of more boxing on TV, but I thought the series was actually getting better, with the season three finale between Sakio Bika and Jaidon Codrington being the highlight of the series,
But what do you think of The Contender?
Do we need more boxing on TV?
I like the show. It was just average boxing that I could watch while waiting for the weekend fights. Plus it did give us a few “OK” fighters; Peter Manfredo, who LAUGHED at Calzaghe’s punches but lost, Sergio the Latin Snake Mora and Steve Forbes who is fighting/loosing to Del La Hoya. That’s about it. Anyway it’s just a show. I hope they will continue. Maybe HBO will pick it up? LOL yeah right!
Comment by WES — April 14, 2008 @ 3:54 pm
I agree with you there WES, it was like a warm up to the real fights. Personally I think the Manfredo-Calzaghe fight was stopped too soon, but thats life and I think Joe still would have gone on to win the fight.
Comment by Boxing Daily — April 15, 2008 @ 9:48 am
Yes, but for Manfredo it was a win win situation. It gave him a bigger name plus a short lived good experience. Calzaghe proved all the critics correct in that fight. He fought a B class fighter that laughed at him about his power, not to mention Calzaghe claming Manfredo to the BEST TOP CONTENDER in the US. Once the fight was over Manfredo couldn’t believe the outcome but understood WHY he fights in a SHELTERED home land. I understood it too once that fight was over as well, that fight made it clear. Now that he’s fighting a REAL, again A “REAL” world class champion in the STATES away from his safety net. I think it’s a NEW game for him. I think a defensive fighter that is undefeated against SOUTHPAWS will shock him and throw him off his game. I don’t think he knows what’s coming. Hopkins is going to hold and SLOW him down and cut the ring off. Those 1000 punches a round or what ever it is, will do nothing when Hopkins doesn’t let them connect or even throw. This is BY FAR the toughest fight of his career, and it will end with a loss, due to frustration and having to fight at a slower style. Hopkins is smart and I will take a WISE more experienced fighter any day than a fast puncher that has been undefeated for 10 years fighting only a few big names in his own back yard. Calzaghe is nothing more than a homeland hero. Old man Hopkins will expose his flaws.
Comment by Wes — April 15, 2008 @ 1:47 pm
no i really liked the show they should carry it on i enjoyed watching it
Comment by antony higham — April 19, 2008 @ 11:18 pm