The L.A. Contender 1 prospect speaks out. . . .

As an eyewitness to the Contender tryouts on LaBrea Street for season 1 of the Contender. I have to say these "reality shows" must have a lot of red tape involved in selecting contestants. In season 1 of the Contender, there was this untrained (hard believe when watching him) fighter who more or less had everything. I'd go as far as saying he was the most talented "untrained" fighter I had ever seen. The only reason I believe he's untrained is because he did not know how to wrap his hands, and he didn't know not to wear a helmet so small he was fighting with blinders. He made a fuss about it after the fight saying he couldn't see or couldn't see looping punches. Between spectators and other fighters we thought he was the best fighter there. He was the only guy to get a knockdown in the 1 round tryouts and did it with a 6inch uppercut like Joe Louis used to do. He had handspeed like Roy as a middleweight, switched and fought the guy left handed for half the round (seriously), it was hard to believe he was untrained. Funny enough, the guy he fought had 10-15 pounds on him. I remember leaving thinking "I can't wait to see this guy in action". Next thing I hear, Sergio Mora is picked from L.A., I saw every fight, he did not even show up. So it's like how did he get on the Show? Maybe this untrained guy doesn't have stamina, heart, or something else I can't see in a one round, but he's faster than the Latin Snake and he has 1 punch KO power. I did not talk to him but some guys thought he was from Compton, just a rumor. So you all do not think this is bull, if this guy had the stamina to go the distance, I'd pick him to stop Sergio Mora. The main point is, are we really watching the best fighters on this show, or do we have a few good fighters mixed in with props and extras? Thanks for making me sound like a lethal weaponlol! No I am not from Compton, the older heavyweight I hung around alot was from Compton people assumed we were from the same camp. I don't have a camp because I am not a pro or amaetur boxer nor am I a member of a gym. In fighting experience I'm still a novice, in the ring I swing like a vet. Dear Contender Personnel, Posters on Boxingscene, and Others: The best fighter not in the game is still not in the game. It’s understandable, well not really, I only say, “it’s understandable” to humor the selection committee. My sources alert me 147lbs is the weight class(season 2), good choice, some of the best competition in the sport is at 147 and the divisions around it. What makes a contender? I recall the initial year the contestants and fans were engaged with Sly’s speech about the hardworking American who’s skilled but given his circumstances would never get an opportunity at recognition. That’s me. Obviously, record, skill, experience, and the all-important 1 round sparring session are other logical criteria. Sly’s veracity is not in question but the selection committee that imputes appearance, relationship status, children status, sob story status, originating city and other non-talent factors. I understand Sly’s desire to incorporate the family because he says Adrienne was the key to success of the Rocky movies. If selection is truly about the fighters then pick the best fighters; the ratings will come with quality fights. A group of great fighters will have some good stories. After going 4 hours to L.A. with my brother, sister-in-law, and mother, realizing the day before we left to go back was tryouts, deciding to stay in L.A. which cut into the week I had to see my mom who I had not seen in several years, agreeing to live on the street the week of tryouts and arriving at the gym so early (around 7am) I scared the owner. What more needs to be said of my intangibles qualifying me as a contender? I fought a guy bigger than me, knocked him down with a six-inch uppercut, and had him shaken up for the rest of the round. He got fought southpaw for the second half of the round. This was accomplished in spite of a member of the staff maliciously giving me a helmet that restricted my vision. I had on blinders. It was malicious because he reached over all the nearby helmets and gave me a small helmet he hadn’t given anyone else all day! It was 1 helmet out of 30. He did it to put me at a disadvantage because of the confidence I spoke of on my application (my guess). Acording to most, I am the most naturally gifted fighter they have ever seen. Yes, I am an untrained boxer who was not even allowed to watch boxing as a child. The proof of which is in my ignorance of the bad helmet. What else needs to be said of my skill? Collectively, there was no dispute over who was the best pound for pound fighter in L.A for season 1 of the Contender. It was whether or not I could beat the guys two and three weight classes above me like I said I could on my application. The “truth” had arrived. Why wasn’t it received? Why wasn’t it selected? Let us go back to the imputation of non-talent factors into the selection criteria and the myth of a boxing show based on boxing talent. Appearance, I doubt I am too ugly, people think my girlfriends are top notch(lol). If I am, no one’s hiding their kids when I come on screen. I may be PG-13 ugly but definitely not rated R. As for relationship status and child status I failed miserably, no kids and I was single at the time. I will skip sob story status; it is relative. Also, I had to fit into a pre-conceived plot of characters, maybe you wanted “x” amount of Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites, a religious guy, a devotedly unreligious guy, a very young guy, a past his prime guy, and a few pretty boys, I do not know; however, what is clear is the selection committee intentionally picked one person from each city. These non-talent factors are what caused about three or four fighters on the show who without naming names, were sorry. The only quality logical reason for not getting picked was the selection of Sergio Mora from L.A. which is not as bad in hindsight, Sergio won, he was undefeated at the time, and is controversially still undefeated. Peter Manfredy won the fight. From what I have seen, it was the only bad decision associated with the Contender. There must have been outside judges. Where’s Sergio’s heart(he usually has heart)? He did not even show up for tryouts, he sent in a tape. The man lives in L.A! Where’s the contender in that? Due to the non-talent selection criteria, the Contender does not show the best fighters and you missed Sergio Mora getting KO’ed, or KTFO (knocked the F^&* out) to the irreverent, by yours truly. Oddly enough, I have social ties with Vernon Forrest and am pleased to give you the report of Sergio calling him out on ESPN Friday Night Fights. First, there was all around laughter, then it went from “Sergio who?” to “Do I need to train for him?”(not exact quotes). Of course stories passed on like this are sometimes exaggerated, it’s true, but at the core, I am sure Vernon takes everyone he steps into the ring with seriously. Personally, the Viper is a “bite” lofty right now but Sergio definitely has the right idea, he needs to fight a few more name-brand or highly skilled fighters. Vernon is lofty because Sergio Mora cannot beat me. Why? The two factors he always relies on are to his disadvantage against me, speed and intelligence; furthermore, God will not let me lose to an atheist (joking). Mora is a well mannered nice guy from what I hear. Sadly enough, the powers that be may never read this letter, the real contenders. Sly, the man who created and is, a pop culture icon. Sugar Ray Leonard is a given but if I must, the man who refused to lose in the last rounds against Hearns, one of the most valiant displays of contendership. Jerry Katzenburg, the man who so first gave the idea for the show to Mark Brunett, the King of Reality TV in a restaurant several years ago. Little did Mr. Katzenburg know, Mr. Brunett’s family had a love for the sport, Mark fought and was a British paratrooper before he came to the U.S., read Trump’s The Art of the Deal and was inspired to his current status. It was an injustice the unanimous pound for pound best fighter from one of the largest cities in the nation was not at least selected as an alternate or a wild card and The Contender kept recycling the same guys on season 1 when someone left the show due to injury or illness. Maybe one or two, but not the four or so like in season 1. Peter Manfredy and the Muslim pretty boy were understandable, but why bring back guys who had no chance of winning it all. What’s up with the guy getting eliminated by falling down the escalator in Season 2? Well, good luck in selecting the “best” fighters. The most sensible, fair, and idea with the highest ratings goes as follows: I fight Sergio Mora, live, as a bonus to the second season of the Contender (maybe). It is a la Apollo Creed (Sergio) vs. Rocky Balboa (me), two fighters at the opposite ends of the popularity spectrums. The first season was a lot of Rocky versus Rocky; however, this fight will be the stamped, sealed and approved versus the worthy but unstamed, unsealed, and unapproved, it is the core of the lore of the Rocky movies. We the people relate to Rocky as a common man. A hardworking, humble, and dedicated man rises from his couch as a nobody with all the intangibles of a champion and becomes one. The underdog becomes top dog, from pauper to prince, from slave to king, and from a contender to the champion. Do you have any better ideas? Cordially, The All Around Best AKA Mr. All-Everything Team, AKA The Realist Man Living, AKA The Professor, AKA Pernell Whitaker with an Offense, AKA The Just and God Fearing One, Idiot Warning: These are not to be taken too seriously! The last paragraph is a bit of fantasy, people do not tend to sacrifce themselves and put there career in jeopardy.