By Jake Donovan

You've seen and heard it a thousand times, be it on TV or the silver screen. A movie or show takes place in another country. Actors portray residents of said country. Only they don't speak the language. Instead of authentic dialect accompanied by subtitles, you get English spoken in a funny accent.

For the longest time, it wasn't any different when you tune in to watch a boxing card laced with Latin flavor. Rather than hearing the names of the principles correctly pronounced, you instead get the Anglo version. There's no connection between the emcee and the crowd on hand, anxious for the action to begin, yet forced to contend with a dull primer.

Then along came Lupe Contreras. In an instant, English and Spanish speaking audiences have become one with the action.

"What helps me in the Latin community, there's a particular way of announcing that (Latino announcers) do," insists Contreras, fluent in both Spanish and English. "What gives me the advantage, what I offer is what I think the boxing crowd has been waiting for a long time. There's been a Latin influence in boxing for a long time."

They now have a voice to go with their viewing and listening pleasure. That voice will correctly pronounce the names of their favorite fighters and the cities from which they hail.

"A lot of names and cities where Mexican fighters represent, I've grown up with. I get to talk to the fighters, one-on-one, communicate in their native language. When you need a mediator for a simple conversation, something always gets lost in the translation. I can speak to fighters without a third party, this way I get a true sense of what they're about."

If you don't yet know what Contreras is about, you're at least familiar with the phrase belted out every week on Telefutura – "Quien es el mas macho?" It's the sign of serious fisticuffs to come, be it on Telefutura, independent Top Rank PPV shows, or anywhere else Contreras has become in demand. The phrase was first heard on March 11, 2001 prior to the Diego Morales-Francisco Tejedor main event on an Indian reservation in Oklahoma. In recent years, it seems to be offered everywhere you don't see "the other two."

"I say on average, I'm easily doing 65-75 shows per year," says Contreras, whose star is rapidly on the rise as "La Voz del Box" has become the hardest working man in show business. "Heck, I'm doing 7 shows this month alone.

"I do all 50 shows for Telefutura's "Solo Boxeo Tecate" series. There 's also Top Rank PPV's, ESPN, HBO/HBO Latino, ShoBox, Galavision, as well as MMA and any non-televised cards where my services are requested."

The latest request was perhaps the biggest breakthrough in Contreras' rising career. Though most HBO PPV assignments are granted to Michael Buffer, the Network of Champions decided to tap Lupe's shoulder for the "Undefeated" undercard, all the way through to the televised co-feature before Buffer reprised his role for the Floyd Mayweather-Ricky Hatton main event.

It may have been one fight short of the ultimate dream assignment for any Master of Ceremony, but the opportunity was still a long way from his days as a radio personality in his hometown of Houston, Texas. Even in already establishing himself as the third big gun in the sport, alongside Buffer and Jimmy Lennon Jr., Contreras remains grounded enough to appreciate the golden opportunity he received last weekend.

"A big fight in Las Vegas feels like the big leagues," admits Contreras. "To be here, announcing the biggest names in the sports, it's like a dream come true. It has a Forrest Gump feeling, feel like you're thrown into a movie."

Fitting, since he was practically thrown (or threw himself) into the boxing ring. With a background in radio, emceeing prize fights wasn't the career path Contreras initially had mapped out.

"I fell into it by accident. I was always a big fan, training in a Muy-Thai gym. My background was in radio, but was asked to do two boxing shows. I wasn't under the impression at the time that it would go beyond that."

Then along came a contest for a spot on a major Spanish television network.

"I saw that Top Rank and Univision needed someone. They liked my photo and asked to go to Miami. They liked the way I presented myself, and I worked with them."

What they also appreciated about the photogenic Mexican-American was his ability to distinguish himself from the rest of the pack. While most other announcers tend to come across as a knockoff of other, more famous, boxing personalities, Contreras brought to the table a style of his own. A new voice, for a new generation.

"When I wont the contest, they wanted a similar catchphrase. Buffer of course has "Let's Get Ready to Rumble." Lennon has "It's… Showtime." So I came up with, Quien es el mas macho? The Latin community has a different take on "macho." Most Americans tend to think of The Village People and "Macho Man" when the term is thrown around, whereas it's more a testament of a fighter's character in Latino culture.

"Truthfully, when I announce it, it's said tongue in cheek. But the fighters feel more motivated, and have a good time with it. When I meet people, that's how they identify me."

At his present rate of activity, it's becoming easier and easier to identify Contreras. With 75 or so appearances per year, all you'd have to do is look up or listen in, and there he is. Of course, being the sport's most ubiquitous figure has its drawbacks.

"Travel takes its toll when it doesn't go well, but when it goes according to schedule it's great," says Contreras. "There was one stretch where I did shows in Tucson, San Juan (PR), and Dallas. Even if everything goes according to schedule, a stretch like that can still prove to be difficult.

"The slightest hiccup can throw off my planned itinerary. Between Tucson and San Juan, I had a delay, was forced to switch flights and airlines. I got to the venue in San Juan about 20 minutes before the show, having to get ready in a handicap stall in the men's room!"

But in this field, the bad always outweighs the good. Especially when you're a fan of the sport coming in.

"The favorite part of my job without a doubt is getting to meet the fighters and the audience that attends. Through my travels, I've met such a wide array of fans, from the young, hardcore fan that comes with knowledge passed down from generations, to the 70-year old couple who tunes in every fight. The prototypical boxing fan doesn't fit into a particular mold, except perhaps hereditary. It seems to come from the family."

Just one of the many differences between boxing and MMA, for which Contreras also makes plenty of ring appearances behind the mic.

"It's a very different crowd with MMA. The fans in MMA seem to not be as astute with their sport. It's a younger crowd, there for the atmosphere as well as the action. There's a group that knows all of the nuances, but for the most part they pay to see action. The typical MMA crowd is a bigger fan of UFC than the sport itself. The other crowds are respectable, but overall it's a much different crowd and atmosphere than in boxing."

For the moment, Contreras' short-term goal has been – and continues to be – to create an atmosphere that helps separates him from the rest of the pack, rather than merely coming across as a soggy knockoff. With only a handful of top-notch emcees to choose from, even the slightest similarities can trigger unwarranted comparisons.

"To be a fan of the sport for so long before serving as a ring announcer, you can't help but be influenced by Buffer and Lennon,  and also M. Mark Beiro with the old Tuesday Night Fights shows. If people want them they know where to get them. I prefer for people to want me for me, not just because another guy was unavailable."

In working his way to the top comes hours and hours of prep time for essentially minutes worth of work per evening.

"I get to the venue at least 1 ½-2 hours before show time. Io to the TV truck, and make sure all of the info meshes together. I then coordinate my info with the graphics. If something conflicts, one of us looks like were not doing their job. The ring announcer's shorthand is how I use my notes. It's easier for me to go from Spanish to English. I do my cards in Spanish, then ad lib in English."

Next step, make sure your names and locations are current.

"A lot of guys change their gym affiliation, or even their names. I learned that lesson a long time ago watching a Showtime telecast. It was Jeremy Williams, and they announced the wrong city. He walked up and poked the ring announcer in the stomach. That just reinforces that I need to double check my information. It's all part of my routine."

With the routine come the fringe benefits that come with the job.

"Growing up, I was a big Evander Holyfield fan. I was a (Julio Cesar) Chavez (Sr.)  fan as well, but Holyfield was my favorite. Growing up, 18-19 years old, watching him during his peak, you appreciate his amazing work ethic. Recently I had the chance to do two of his fights. I look over and think to myself "Wow, that's Evander." For a brief moment, I felt star struck.

"I was also tabbed to do Chavez' Adios tour, for his fight with Ivan Robinson in May 2005. At the very least, I had a small sense of what it was like to be there in his prime."

And of course, the moments where you turn to those Southwest commercials, asking when you just want to get away.

"There was one time I was at the American Airlines Arena for a HBO Latino show. I could see the fighters in the wings, but TV crew hadn't wrapped up their closing thoughts. I had to stay in the ring until they were finished. The crowd got real quiet, but there was nothing I can do because the production crew wanted a quiet "set" until they were done signing off. All of a sudden, amidst the silence, one guy from deep in the crowd yells out, "F***in' Lupe, you're always wearing the same G*dd*mn tux."

"I was out there in the open, and all I could do was laugh. I have different tuxedo's, but only so much you can do with a monkey suit!"

But as everyone is learning with each Telefutura broadcast, there's a lot more you can do with a microphone while offering the pre-fight introductions. The irony being, Contreras at one point believed he'd never have the chance to bring some sabor to a genre that was dangerously close to becoming bland.

When I first got hired to (be a boxing ring announcer), I thought it was temporary, that the networks felt their commitment was fulfilled. But thankfully it wasn't that way. The boxing community is so small, a tight-knit community, and one leads to another. There's still more potential, but I never imagined I'd see the day I'm mentioned in the same breath."

No longer can we imagine the sport without Contreras asking "Quien es el mas macho."