BoxRec

Cracking final show, no need for that rap (especially saying that this was the music of the contendor). However, on the whole it was very enjoyable.

Nice to see the fights in full and nice to see Gomez involved in the final (he deserved to be in the final match).

A worthy winner none the less, I hope a new series is commisioned - I have the feeling it will be on normal ITV next time as it has been a ratings success here (although wasn't well recieved in the states).

1-16 were all very good fighters, Segio Mora I think has the ability to achieve even big paydays and more honours.

I would love to see Gomez in the Light Welterweight mix (he weight 135 for one fight in 2003). I appreciate he is not on that level yet, but Hatton vs Gomez would be a thriller.

I'm sure I read somewhere that NBC had cancelled it because, as a prime time show, it didnt reach enough of their target demographic (ie women aged 18-30)

Another series may be too much but maybe they could make a promotion out of the belt, inter contender fights. #1 contenders and such.

split_decision wrote:I'm sure I read somewhere that NBC had cancelled it because, as a prime time show, it didnt reach enough of their target demographic (ie women aged 18-30)

Another series may be too much but maybe they could make a promotion out of the belt, inter contender fights. #1 contenders and such.

I think they are scouring the networks for a buyer for a second series.

The shows creator - not Stallone or Leonard, but the guy who created the Apprentice said that the ratings were pretty good (up with Joey and Will and Grace) but the channel prefers to stick to the comedies.

Was impressed, far better final show than I was expecting with a good amount of action shown. Sergio was a well worthy winner.

Apart from the rap the only other thing that annoyed me was Sly commentating. I glad the sound wasn't too good so I could still hear the action but not pay attention to Sly talking about a rematch in round 2 of a fight and then repeating it every 30 seconds. OK try and hype another show after the event but not all the way through it.

Enjoyed the series, chessy as f*ck, but enjoyable all the same. How do people think people like Dann, Lockett and Elcock would have got on in that show?? Not sure how close to world class middleweights any of them were but think Smith and Gomez could maybe do something at welter.

Stallone is still hopeful of getting a second series done, even if NBC are no longer interested. Not sure why they dumped it as the tickets for the final sold out in minutes and the show got better as it went along. Maybe he could come over to the UK and do it, bringing a few US fighters with him?

stujones wrote: Hatton vs Gomez would be a thriller.

For the 2 rounds it lasted before Gomez was KO'ed.

Mora looks a bit special to me, I think he could go a long way. I dont see what all the fuss was about with Manfredo to be honest, he's too one paced and pedestrian.

How many times did Stallone and Leonard mention a rematch? They were talking about it in the first fornicating round for christs sake. More money in their pockets perhaps......?

And Stallone's presentation was brilliant.

"Here's your................BELT"

Loftgroov wrote:

stujones wrote: Hatton vs Gomez would be a thriller.

For the 2 rounds it lasted before Gomez was KO'ed.

I think it would go a few rounds more than that, Gomez's chin looks good - Manfredo wasn't sparring with him and neither was Berkley. These are Middleweights. Has never been KO'd in his career

Undoubtedly, Hatton would win as things stand now and inside the distance. Not sure if Gomez can keep up his action for much beyond five rounds (as the Manfredo rematch suggested). It would still be a an all action affair for a few rounds.

Lenny Albert wrote:
Enjoyed the series, chessy as f*ck, but enjoyable all the same. How do people think people like Dann, Lockett and Elcock would have got on in that show?? Not sure how close to world class middleweights any of them were but think Smith and Gomez could maybe do something at welter.

Jonathon Reid fought a prime William Joppy a few years ago for the WBA title and got a outclassed. Having said that he lost heavily to Brinkley in the opening round here.

I don't think the Brit boys mentioned would have gone past the opening round, but might have beaten some of the guys who failed to progress to through the opening round. They wouldn't have looked idiots but certainly not amongst the favourites.

nickd wrote:"Here's your................BELT"

Hahaha, pleased I wsasnt the only one who noticed that, it was absolutely priceless.

stujones wrote:Jonathon Reid fought a prime William Joppy a few years ago for the WBA title and got a outclassed. Having said that he lost heavily to Brinkley in the opening round here.

I don't think the Brit boys mentioned would have gone past the opening round, but might have beaten some of the guys who failed to progress to through the opening round. They wouldn't have looked idiots but certainly not amongst the favourites.

You think? I'm not really up to speed, having only seen the semis and final, but Manfredo Jr & Brinkley looked odinary, Gomez looked too small and Mora looked only a bit better than those 3. The short fight format seemed to suit Mora, who didn't look to be a hurtful puncher. I'd like to see him keep Dann or Elcock or Alexander off him for 12 rounds.

I note Mora is up to 8th on Boxrec's rankings on the strength of beating... errm, not much.

Manfredo was a highly rated prospect with some decent wins coming into the show (checkout the January edition of Boxing Monthly, they have him there as one of the fighters they predicted would burst onto the world scene).

Ding_Ding wrote:Stallone is still hopeful of getting a second series done, even if NBC are no longer interested. Not sure why they dumped it as the tickets for the final sold out in minutes and the show got better as it went along. Maybe he could come over to the UK and do it, bringing a few US fighters with him?

it's been cancelled because it cost NBC, $3 million dollars an episode...

Was the target demographic really women? I know "reality" shows are more popular with women then men, but surely boxing is more popular with men, so if they were aiming at women, wasn't it more likely they'd fail?

yeh or mora vs eastman now with eastmans slow approch i c sergio beating him alexander is lt mid not mid an mora hurt manfredo a few times but let him recover by licking blood off his gloves and bashing his balls an dat but still sergios the man he fights like and looks abit similar to carl froch dnt u think people i think mora will win a belt in his carear not a ............ belt ha ah like sly dident know wat to call it cudda jus said ur contender belt silly fool but yeh a world belt i c him winning sum day

I think people are gettin carried away thinking these fighters are better than they actually are because they are on a TV show.

THe majority of the fighters on the show were average. Ishe Smith and Mora looked like the only two capable of going on. Manfredo struggled his way to the final and clearly stands too square on and take too many shots.

For stujones to say the British guys would not get past the first round is nonsense!??!?! Scott Dann would have gone far in that tournament, put it this way people like Manfredo and Alfonso were constantly getting hit flush, if Dann or Alexander hits you flush its lights out! Fighters like Bonsante and fighter who's dad was a doctor (he had the nasty cut) they were no where near as good as some of our top British fighters.

You must be blinded by the Hollywood Cheese and Stallone's commentary!!!!

Eastman would have won that show with his eyes closed..........and I suppose he is only classed as a World Title CONTENDER even though I think he is a lot better than some world champs. Not sure how he would have got on in the house though!

I couldn't imagine anyone from these shores getting the better of Mora.

Mora 16 fight (3 KO's) unfortunatley he aint got the punch for world title level. If you can't bang you really do have to be special to cut it at world title level, I would not class Mora as special, he's good but thats it. There aren't many non punching world champs. But in the theory of the show he is a worthy contender but anybody who thinks he would beat Eastman needs to sit down take a deep breath and think about things logically.

Kilburn wrote:I couldn't imagine anyone from these shores getting the better of Mora.

based on what, some 5 rnd show (didnt see the rest of the shows as i stopped watcing it when they allowed certain fighters back in.) and that has sound effects you surprise me Kil. Or a final against Manfredo who is about as elsusive as a whale out of water.

Dann would spark most of that lot come on get real.

Let alone eastman. This is daft you lot got suckered in watching this fixed up bullshit. I pay it no heed.

Lets see em in proper unedited fights against live oppoenents and then ill take it on board but through some bullshit hollywood reality programme, come on

Another thing Mora has only boxred in 8 rounds or under fights. He needs a couple of 10 rounders and a few lesser title fights before he steps in with the big boys. Boxing's a bit different over 5 and 7 rounds it suited all action fighters like Alfonso as its a sprint even in the second fight with Manfredo he looked like he was winning after 5 rounds but lost the 6th and 7th.

J,

Thankgod someone can see through this nonsense. Its like everyone has been brainwashed, I can understand Joe Public getting kidded into thinking they are the top fighters out there but we have some knowledgable boxing people here suckered in!

Maybe i'm being slightly harsh on the fighters in the shows abilitys but Mora to be reminded me slightly of how David Walker used to look at welterweight but at a slightly higher level. Middleweight isn't the strongest division but I certainly don't think Mora has the ability to beat Wright, Eastman, Vargas, Soliman, Sturm etc. He is still a novice though really and talk of a title fight is way premature. It was fun to watch but that's it. Smith should get back down to light welter but even then I can't see him breaking into the top 10.

I think if the likes of Dann, Elcock and Lockett were included they would have been right up there at the end imo. Certainly more power than a lot of the fighters involved. Not many of the guys had any impressive wins coming into the competition and if BBN rated Manfredo as a fighter who could burst onto the world scene than I think they may have been duped

thanks Jamie I am surprised myself, i stopped watching it, i couldnt handle any more close ups of Ishe / Peter (replace name here) and his wife / mum, kids snogging / huggin / thanking god (its not a video i would buy) and all the pompous preaching. Sickly sweet yank pap.

its bollox, entertaining bollox possibly but the boxing content / relevance in reality is minimal.

Its pretty lame to take anything from this manufactured tosh, and apply it to the real world.

sorry if that pisses anyone off but thats what i think.

J wrote:thanks Jamie I am surprised myself, i stopped watching it, i couldnt handle any more close ups of Ishe / Peter (replace name here) and his wife / mum, kids snogging / huggin / thanking god (its not a video i would buy) and all the pompous preaching. Sickly sweet yank pap.

its bollox, entertaining bollox possibly but the boxing content / relevance in reality is minimal.

Its pretty lame to take anything from this manufactured tosh, and apply it to the real world.

sorry if that pisses anyone off but thats what i think.

Very good, but my argument is - who has Dann / Lockett etc fought to say that they are above these guys also. Your saying its not the real world and I can see sense in that, but surely the same can be said of Dann, Elcock etc.

I'm not saying Eastman who has some good wins, but the rest have yet to prove themselves - its like with the contendor, victories over each other do not mean a great deal in the world title picture as none have faced particularly strong overseas competitors.

Remember Ishe Smith beat Sam Garr convincingly (in a fight shown on a DLH bill in the UK) and Garr did pretty well in a Welterweight world title challenge vs James Page, Garr wasn't past it when he fought Smith.

Wayne Alexander was getting outboxed by Christian Bladt last time out, that is not particularly great form.