By Cliff Rold

In week one, fight fans were introduced to new host Tony Danza and a new slate of contenders for “The Contender” honors, this year in the Cruiserweight division.  After five rounds of edited action, it was Felix Cora who advanced, seizing control for the Blue Team by way of a decision over then-undefeated Joell Godfrey.

Post-show commercials suggested intrigue and a possible competitor injury in week two forcing fight fans and reality TV addicts alike to ask: 

For whom would the owwie bell toll?

And will Danza be reunited with 80s TV daughter Alyssa Milano?

As a refresher, the teams this time around are:

Blue

Mike Alexander (12-2, 8 KO)

Felix Cora Jr. (19-2-2, 9 KO) - Advancing

Ryan Coyne (9-0, 3 KO)

Alfredo Escalera Jr. (15-1-1, 11 KO)

Richard Gingras (9-1, 5 KO)

Lawrence Tauasa (30-5-1, 17 KO)

Erick Vega (8-2-1, 6 KO)

Darnell Wilson (23-7-3, 20 KO)

Gold

Joell Godfrey (9-1-1, 5 KO) - Eliminated

Deon Elam (9-0, 5 KO)

Rico Hoye (20-2, 15 KO)

Akinyemi Laleye (10-1, 5 KO)

Ehinomen Ehikhamenor (12-3, 7 KO)

Tim Flamos (20-4-1, 8 KO)

Troy Ross (17-1, 12 KO)

Jon Schneider (7-2-1, 5 KO)

Cue the Contender music….

Episode Two Recap

The Gold Team sits down right away to discuss what Blue Team strategy might be in terms of picking their next opponent.  Gold speculation focuses on Flamos and Schneider as likely targets and Blue Team chatter agrees with their sentiment.  Discord erupts over which man from Blue will represent.

Mike Alexander furthers team rivalries by heading into the Gold bedroom and stealing the mattress of the departed Godfrey, claiming it will be better for his back.  The day gets no better for the Gold crew when coach Tommy Brooks arrives and lays down some law. 

And then…Danza enters the ring.  At 58, a two-round sparring comeback ensues for the former New York clubfighter against Schneider.  The fighters compliment their hosts form given his age and Danza compliments the strength of Schneider.  The next sparring session doesn’t go so well.  Blue member Coyne takes a headbutt and a nasty cut worthy of stitches and perhaps an early exit from tournament play?  Commercials ensue…

Back from commercial and the cut issue remains shrouded in mystery as Felix Cora selects which bout of the second round he’ll take, a victor’s spoil from week one.  Cora bravely selects the opening second round contest.  The Blue Team returns to quarters to select their next representative while Team Gold discusses which of them will be chosen to face him.  The clouds of Singapore roll against the glass of a random building for dramatic affect and selections begin…

In week two, battle will ensue between Alfredo Escalera Jr. and Jon Schneider.  Escalera is the son of a man who once gave the great Alexis Arguello two savage battles while earlier discussion covered Schneider’s amateur wrestling background.  Advanatge: Escalera.

More clouds against the Singapore skyline lead to time lapsed darkness and resolution for Coyne.  He shouldn’t fight for five days but can if he chooses.  In other words, Coyne had time to bleed. 

A return from corporate inducements to purchase begins with dramatic soft music, dark rooms, and a white board with the words, “Gold Team, Handle Your Business” scratched in dry-erase marker.  Escalera and Schneider discuss their coming bout and what they want to prove.  Former Marine Schneider goes so far as to say he’s “willing to die” card before evoking the history of great Jewish fighters.  Escalera discusses the shadow of his father.

Warm-ups and ring walks lead to the opening bell.  Highlights are depicted in real time.

Round One

Escalera strikes first with a powerful straight right hand and Schneider wobbles and holds on.  Tentative action follows before another Escalera right hand buzzes Schneider again.  The injured southpaw unloads against a slipping Escalera along the ropes as the bell sounds

Round Two

Now it’s Schneider striking first with a lead left hook but Escalera returns fire and hurts him again with the right and continues to land the punch.  With his teammates exhorting him to throw, Schneider lands a left and fires a combination, again active as the bell sounds.

Round Three

Nothing much is happening and Schneider fires a left simultaneous to an Escalera right.  The right lands first and…Down Goes Schneider!  The referee begins his count and…Up Goes Schneider!...and soon into a clinch.  No flurry precedes the closing bell this time.

Round Four

Schneider comes alive, landing a right hook and a straight left that appears to unsettle Escalera in a slow paced frame.

Round Five

Escalera is told in the corner not to let it slip away.  Brooks tells Schneider he needs a knockout and he lands a hard straight left.  His right eye swelling to purple, Schneider takes a right and clinches, stepping out with a cut to the right eye.  The bell rings and the scores announce obviously at 50-44 and 49-45, all for Alfredo Escalera Jr.

Escalera expresses happiness at not letting his team down as Team Blue retains opponent selection control into week three.  The fighters embrace and Schneider exits the ring, a long walk down a dark hallway to the dressing room his sealed fate.  Schneider expresses pride in leaving everything he had in the ring and Brooks joins him to congratulate him for the game effort.  Brooks lets him know he’d be proud to work with him again.

Schneider spits out blood into a sink and sits contemplatively before heading to the rack of the defeated, hanging his gloves up as Godfrey had an episode before.

Teasers for episode three indicate the most dramatic fight of the tournament yet.  Time will tell.  Episode two featured a slightly more exciting fight than the first but the interpersonal drama is lacking, meaning it would be better to just see more of the fights so far.

Episode One Rating: 7 out of 10

Cliff Rold is a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Advisory Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com