peter manfredo jr
worth a million dollars

Back in December, I wrote a somewhat tongue-in-cheek entry about the then-upcoming show The Contender, not knowing that I would be one of its stalwart followers. Not because I like seeing these men beating each other to a pulp, no. Not even because having both Sly and Sugar Ray in the same TV show has a certain ironic charm to it.

I’ve been watching this show because unlike other “reality” TV shows where the cast of characters are often either clueless fools or spoiled brats (or worse, both) who reveal their scheming, lying, evil sides in the course of the show, The Contender has done just the opposite: it has, by intent or sheer luck, picked out hardened fighters who threw punches inside the ring, but out of it also took care of their families, earned a living for their children, encouraged and even helped their fellow contenders and competition, dreamt big dreams.

Of course, you had a few rotten apples in the bunch, but they were soon overshadowed by the giants among them. The Contender, in the finally tally, made winners out of underdogs, men out of boys, and turned two worthy fighters from relative obscurity into semi-celebrities who will duke it out tonight at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.

At the beginning of the show, when Sly and Sugar Ray introduced the sixteen fighters and each walked into The Contender Gym, I picked out two men from the crowd. “I’m rooting for Peter Manfredo, Jr. and Anthony Bonsante“, I said to my husband. They had a certain look about them - sincere, serious professional boxers who were more interested in doing their best than calling attention to themselves.

I was very disappointed when Peter lost his first fight and got booted out of the show, and was delighted when his peers voted for him to come back after one of them had to be sent home because of chickenpox. I cheered every time he won, but was even more pleased with his pre- and post-fight interviews, where he consistently said good things about his fellow fighters, reiterated that his experience in the show has made him grow, and reaffirmed his gratitude to his family.

Tonight, Peter will be fighting Sergio Mora for a shot at 1 million dollars. Sergio was a surprise to me, and over the course of the show I got to appreciate him for the paradox that he is: a thinking, book-reading fighter who grew up on the ghettos of East L.A.. Sergio went on to beat a seemingly stronger but more hot-headed Ishe Smith by using his brains as well as his punches.

For me, both of them deserve 1 million dollars, just getting where they are now. Peter, the comeback kid, was the first to lose and sent packing, but he came back and redeemed himself in his rematch with Alfonso Gomez. Sergio has been undefeated till now. They both feel that they are destined for greatness.

But my bet will be with the man who, speaking of his wife and daughter and the family they’re making, said “that’s a million dollars right there”. Go, Peter!


Posted under Navel-Gazing