The fourth episode of The Contender aired on New Year’s Eve,
and I will write a short review of that program. There will not be any
interviews until next week so the men can enjoy their holiday, and I hope to
speak with boxers from both weeks at that time.
Back in the third show of the season it was Akinyemi “A.K.”
Laleye who broke through and won Team Gold’s first fight. He was able to choose
his fight for the second round, and he slid his name in the slot with Alfredo
Escalera, Jr. He made some offhanded excuse for wanting that fight by saying
that Escalera was homesick and for that reason, a pushover. Alfredo took exception
to that, and made some crack of his own about A.K.’s Nigerian heritage. While it
was Laleye who threw that proverbial first punch, he couldn’t take it when
Escalera answered back, and got quite upset about it. Alfredo stayed a lot
calmer about the incident, and it will be interesting to see if emotions play
into the outcome of that fight, when it occurs.
The Blue Team’s leader John Bray made sure that his charges
knew why Erick Vega lost his fight against A.K.; he didn’t listen. That seems
to be a continuing theme running through the first three fights. So far each
man who has come out on the losing end of their fights has seemed to box with
their own agenda in mind, and that just hasn’t worked.
While trainer Tommy Brooks is happy to now have the power of
choice, he points out that his Team Gold is still one behind. It is important
to win this next fight, and it is Deon Elam who is responsible for trying to
make that happen. His opponent of choice? Well, it was between Michael
Alexander and Richard Gingras, and the nod went to Gingras. Deon felt that
Richard should make an easy target for him.
Round one seemed to prove that Deon was right. Richard looked
slow and plodding, a brawler type who was getting caught by a lot of Elam’s
punches. But as the fight continued, Gingras held his ground and started
answering back with punches of his own. Round three brought more of the same. While
it was obvious that Deon was the more skilled fighter at this point, Richard
was not going down without a fight, pardon the pun.
By round four Elam must have been wondering why he didn’t
pick Alexander after all. Gingras was not a pushover, and he certainly hit hard
enough that, had he landed that one big punch, Deon might, as Brooks said
earlier, “Be looking at the lights.”
In round five both men would throw some flurries, then hold.
Even since the third round, they looked tired off and on during the fight, and
both of them were content to do some holding. But a fight that looked to be an
easy victory for Elam beforehand had proved to be quite different.
At the end, and even though the scorecards had it 50-45,
49-46, and 48-47 and a unanimous decision in the favor of Deon Elam, Gingras
fought an amazingly good fight. Should he have won? No, but he earned the
respect of those there, and he certainly surprised me. He showed tenacity and
toughness, and I expect to see him again in the future.
So now it is tied up, with Blue and Gold having two wins
each. Four fights left before moving on to the second round. I am waiting to
see the 41-year-old Tim Flamos fight. I’m also curious to find out of Hino
Ehikhamenor will face Ryan Coyne. Those two have been gunning for each other
for some time now. So remember, another fight next week, and hopefully two
interviews.
