You Could be a Contender!
By Tommy "Bee" Bottone

Six fighters that I picked and myself were lucky enough to get an appointment to try out for "The Contender". This was an awesome experience for all of us and we all have A great desire to be picked for the show.

"The Contender" will be the next big reality show that will be aired in prime time on NBC. This show was a creation of Sylvester Stallone along with Mark Burnet creator of "Survivor" and "The Apprentice" reality shows. They also have brought boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard on board as well. This show will be a reality show based on boxing and the stories behind the boxers challenging for the title of "The Contender", as well as a chance at $1,000,000 to the final winner.

The fighters that I brought where all good fighters. Ken Hewski "Pro Kickboxer" which I had to fight as that is who they picked for me even though he is my fighter. We all agreed that if they picked any of us to fight each other, we would fight hard and shake hands after. We asked that we not be placed together if at all possible for the tryout but we would fight each other if we had to. The other fighters were Lennox Chance "Amateur kickboxing World Champ", Tarek Rached "Pro Kickboxer and Pro Boxer", Dyer Davis son of "1976 Olympic Gold Medalist" Howard Davis, Kadir Kadri "Pro Kickboxer", and Pasqual "Tiger " Rouse "Pro Boxer and Kickboxer". As it turned out unfortunately, Kadir Kadri and Pasqual Rouse where unable to try out due to medical suspensions. The other fighters all faired very well as they were all spoken very highly of by those in attendance.

The try outs where unique as they were only one long round in duration, as it was not an actual fight, but hard sparring so that the show would be able to get to see how the fighters looked in fighting as well as in their interviews.

Frank Stallone was the referee and Sugar Ray Leonard's trainer was on hand taking notes of the fighters.

There were fighters from different styles as well as different experience levels. The show really wants to give all a chance to try out and then they will choose the fighters that they think will make for the best show with similar experience levels.

Some of the fighters were Amateur Boxers and Kickboxers as well as former #1 contender Kevin Moley from the area which I grew up in on Long Island, NY who once fought for the Middleweight World title at Madison Square Garden against Wilfredo Benitez.

Some of the others were Kickboxers both amateur and pro but all try-outs were with head gear and it seamed as they were placing fighters by weight and experience.

They are still doing some try outs in Las Vegas and in LA and I highly recommend that if you have what it takes to be a Contender that you try out.

Many people have many questions in regard to the show and the try outs, I was lucky enough to get casting associate "Dean Houser" from the Contender to answer many of these questions:

• Can you tell me when you guys will be reviewing all of the tapes and making a decision on the weight class and which fighters will be chosen for the final cut?
  We will decide on the weight class after we finish the tryouts on June 13th in Vegas and review all of the tapes. I expect we will have our decision the last week of June.
  
  
• When is the show scheduled to air?
  The show is scheduled to air on Tuesdays at 8:00 PM EST starting January of 2005.
  
  
• Who will make the final decision on which fighters will be chosen?
  Everyone who is involved in the casting process along with NBC, DreamWorks, Mr. Burnett, Mr. Stallone, Mr. Leonard and Ms. Kallen.
  
  
• Is the show looking for the fighters to fit a certain story line as to make the show more interesting?
  We are always looking for interesting characters for TV. The first things we are looking for is "good fighters", and after speaking with many of you on the phone, I know there is no shortage of interesting boxers out there.
  
  
• I know that the final fight is scheduled to be held in Las Vegas in front of 10,000 people. Will this be a 10 or 12 round match or are the fights going to be short, as most of the fighters at the trials have not fought long fights before?
  The length of the fight will be determined by the level of talent that makes it into the final 16.
  
  
• Is there a gradual round schedule for the elimination fights, meaning first fight 4 rounds, second 6 rounds, third 8 rounds and so on until the final fight being a long fight?
  We are still discussing.
  
  
• If the fights will have long rounds in the finals, is this being considered when choosing the fighters if they have no experience in long fights before, as I am sure that the people in the show are aware that there is a very big difference between a 4 round fighter and a 10 or 12 round fighter?
  We are aware of the difference between rounds and we are still discussing. But all of the fighters will be of the same experience level.
  
  
• What will be the process of choosing the fighters? Will the fighters be notified by you and then a major press announcement following that?
  We will notify 50-60 guys that we would like to see them one more time. We will fly them out to meet the network, do some more sparring and a few interviews. From this good group of buys, we will pick our final 16.
  
  
• Will the fighters get to train with the boxing Legend Sugar Ray Leonard for the show?
  Sugar Ray will act as a mentor to the fighters.
  
  
• Will all of the fighters train together or will there be 2 different camps for different corners for the elimination?
  Still being discussed.
  
  
• How many cities will trials be held in before making the final cut for the show?
  We will have seen guys in 14 cities. But we have been receiving tapes from all over the world.
  
  
• Will this show be totally about the fighters training and preparring to win the fights or will there be counsels and games like some of the other major reality shows that Mr. Burnet has produced such as "The Apprentice" and "Survivor"?
  Just as there were business related challenges for "The Apprentice", there will be boxing related challenges for "The Contender" But the beauty of this show is that each episode comes down to the 2 men in the ring. Only they will decide who stays and who goes by winning or losing.

For More info on "The Contender", go to http://www.nbc.com/nbc/The_Contender/open_call.shtml

If you would like to contact Tommy Bottone, you can email him at Bee@worldblackbelt.com.