By Jake Donovan
They come from the four corners of the world to the four corners of the ring. Whose corner are you in?
Recaps are shown of last week’s episode, which features Akinyemi “AK47” Lalaye knocking out Alfredo Escalera Jr; Ryan Coyne forced to exit the competition due to medical reasons; and former castaway Joell Godfrey brought back in his place.
Six boxers remain alive in this Contender cruiserweight tournament, with ten eliminated.
Moving to Semifinal round: Troy Ross; Akinyemi Lalaye
Still remaining in Quartefinals: Deon Elam; Rico Hoye; Ehinomen Ehikhamenor; Joell Godfrey*
Opening Round Eliminations: Mike Alexander; Richard Gingras; Lawrence Taussa; Erick Vega; Darnell Wilson; Joell Godfrey*, Tim Flamos; Jon Schneider; Ryan Coyne*
Quarterfinals Eliminations: Felix Cora, Jr.; Alfredo Escalera Jr.
This week begins with the Gold Team celebrating the last remaining member of the original Blue team being eliminated from the competition, thanks to Akinyemi Lalaye’s knockout of Alfredo Escalera Jr. Rico Hoye acknowledges that it was Lalaye who got the ball rolling in the opening round, posting the Gold Team’s first win, to which they haven’t looked back.
A doubleheader is on tap, which means the semifinals is just around the corner. Rico Hoye is slated to face late substitute Joell Godfrey, while roommates and friends Deon Elam and Ehinomen Ehikhamenor are forced to square off against one another.
The first bout of the double dip is between Elam and Ehikhamenor. Both trainers are trying to motivate their fighter in the dressing room moments before the opening bell.
Cut to the Contender Arena and the select televised audience, who offers polite applause for Elam, the first of the two fighters to enter the ring. Ehikhamenor soon follows… to the exact same reaction, down to the clap pattern. Can’t be studio editing… can it?
And here we go…
Elma begins by pumping the jab, keeping Ehikhamenor at bay while both fighters spend too much time looking for an opening. Not one significant power punch lands, according to the edited footage, but host Tony Danza is still blown away by the action.
Both corners agree that Ehikhamenor won the opening round; trainer John Bray urges Elam to get busy, and to slip and counter more. Even Tony Danza agrees during the second round action – “You gotta get busier, Deon.” Elam doesn’t seem interested, sending Bray into coronary mode. “Get busy with your (bleeping) jab,” is the advice he shouts from the corner, and again in between rounds, as Ehikhamenor appears to have the first two frames in the bank.
Commercial break… Bob enjoys the big lift he gets from Enzyte.
We’re back… and Bray is still begging for an Elam jab. “Jab with authority,” he pleads. And for the first time all season, a fighter listens to the Cali-based trainer. Elam begins the third round jabbing, only to leave himself open for a right hand that slightly staggers him. Ehikhamenor is clearly outworking him, as everyone is amazed at Elam’s level of complacency.
Bray’s seen enough. “I need two rounds like that last thirty seconds. You gotta want this. Go to war… go to (bleeping) war, baby.”
For the second round in a row, Elam obeys his teacher, letting his hands go like never before. Jabs and left hooks have Ehikhamenor in trouble, forced to clinch for the first time in the edited fight. Elam keeps on the attack. A decision appears to be out of the question at this point, though the Californian clearly has knockout on his mind.
With Ehikhamenor looking vulnerable in the fourth, trainer Tommy Brooks reminds him of how much time is left and what’s at stake. “Don’t get careless, baby” is the short but sweet advice, meaning with three in the bank, there’s no need to trade and get caught with anything stupid.
Ehikhamenor ignores him to a certain degree, but the risk proves wise. Elam tries his damnest to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, but Ehikhamenor will have none of it, outworking his friendly rival over the final frame to secure a unanimous decision, and a semifinal match with Troy Ross.
Elam reflects on suffering the first loss of his professional career.
“Time is up here, it’s like another chapter is closed in my life. I came into this thing 10-0, now I’m 10-1. It’s an empty feeling, but that comes with suffering your first loss.
“Sometimes it takes a step back, to take a step forward.”
Bray consoles his charge in the dressing room, letting him know that he’s still young and has plenty of time to grow as a fighter. Elam absorbs the advice and leaves Singapore wiser, even in defeat.
Joell Godfrey saw a similar exit a few weeks ago, but has been given a second chance thanks to the falling out of Ryan Coyne, who suffered an eye injury in his opening round win, severe enough that it wouldn’t heal in time to come back for the Quarterfinals. Yet despite his being brought back, it’s Rico Hoye that reflects on earning second chances in life.
“When I was 16, I had an unfortunate incident that cost another man his life. I shot him, and was locked up from 16 up until I was 25.”
Six years into his prison stint, Hoye was forced to sit in a cell while bearing the news that his father had passed. Three years later, same setting when he received word that his grandfather had also moved on to the afterlife.
Two years after that, he turned pro. It’s been an up-and-down journey, with The Contender serving as perhaps his last shot at redemption.
Round one begins, and it’s Godfrey looking to set the tempo. Hoye is patient while Godfrey is working his jab as well as the body. The momentum quickly shifts Hoye’s way the moment he lets his hands go. A series of 1-2’s forces Godfrey to shut down his offense and instead clinch for survival.
It’s a different story in round two. Godfrey’s attack is far more fluid, punching in bunches while Hoye once again measures up his opponent. The tide turns midway through the edited round, but Godfrey elects to stand toe to toe and is the busier fighter down the stretch.
Trainer Tommy Brooks urges Hoye to jump on Godfrey, wondering why he’s waiting so long to attack. Hoye picks up the pace and traps Godfrey along the ropes, to which Tony Danza can be heard yelling, “Get off those ropes!” Godfrey listens and once again closes strong, much to the delight of his trainer.
“Give me two more rounds like you gave me in those last thirty seconds,” Bray excitedly demands.
In the other corner, Brooks urges Hoye to step and stick, rather than stand in front of his foe, which is creating far too many counter opportunities. As round four begins, Godfrey looks refreshed, while Hoye is moving like someone pierced his gas tank with a bullet. Godfrey wisely moves around the ring, with Hoye following him and landing little.
Bray is once again content, this time asking for a little more contact. Both trainers seem to believe the fight is on the table heading into the final round. Let’s see who wants it.
Much to the crowd’s delight, both fighters come out throwing. They both want it!
Hoye is now throwing every punch with mean intentions; Godfrey is forced to hold. Bray wants more activity. Student tries, but pays the price. Hoye lands a mean right to the ribs, and two head shots forces Godfrey to take a knee. That could very well be the icing on the cake, as the bell rings before either fighter can land another punch.
As it turned out, Hoye already had the fight in the bank even without the knockdown. Scores of 50-44, 49-45 and 48-46 give the former light heavyweight title challenger his second win of the tournament, advancing to 22-2 (15KO) overall.
Godfrey becomes the second fighter in the history of The Contender to post losses in each of the opening two rounds, joining Season One entrant Ahmed Kaddour in the reality show’s wall of shame. Having entered the tournament an undefeated fighter, Godfrey has now lost two straight as his overall record dips to 9-2-1 (5KO).
Jake Donovan is a voting member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Comments/questions can be submitted to JakeNDaBox@gmail.com.
