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  Sergio Mora pounds Jesse Brinkley to reach NBC's $1,000,000 'Contender' final bout

  
  In the fourteenth episode of NBC's boxing reality-competition show The Contender, heavily-favored Sergio 'The Latin Snake' Mora (now 15-0, 4 KOs) pounded his way to the show's $1 million final match by decisively thrashing Jesse Brinkley (now 25-2, 17 KOs) in the last semifinal match, winning by unanimous decision. With his win, Sergio will face Peter Manfredo Jr. (24-1, 10 KOs) in the seven-round bout, to be held at the famed Caesar's Palace venue in Las Vegas on Tuesday, May 24, with the live broadcast beginning at 8PM ET.
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  Peter Manfredo Jr. avenges loss, advances to 'The Contender' finals with win over Alfonso Gomez

  
  In a semifinal rematch of the opening episode of NBC's The Contender, Peter Manfredo Jr. (now 24-1, 10 KOs) avenged the only defeat of his career with a seven-round unanimous decision over Alfonso Gomez Jr. (now 12-3-1, 4 KOs) in the thirteenth episode of the show.

• Sergio Mora edges Ishe Smith, Alfonso Gomez whips Ahmed Kaddour on NBC's 'The Contender'

  
  In the ninth and tenth episodes of NBC's reality-competition boxing show The Contender, both the good and the bad parts of the show's formula were on display, and not necessarily to the show's best advantage.
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  Joey Gilbert upsets Jimmy Lange, as Juan de la Rosa quits on NBC's eighth 'The Contender' episode

  
  In a double shocker, huge underdog Joey Gilbert (now 9-0, 7 KOs) defeated Jimmy Lange (now 24-2-1, 17 KOs), the boxer Anthony Bonsante was too chicken to fight, in a five-round unanimous decision to complete the first round of NBC's The Contender, while last week's winner Juan de la Rosa claimed sufficient injury to pull out of the competition, leaving just seven first-round winners left after eight episodes.
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  Juan de la Rosa defeats Tarick Salmaci in NBC's seventh 'The Contender' episode

  
  With one fight in the first round still remaining, one thing is certain on NBC's The Contender reality competition boxing show : an Arab-American will not win the million-dollar first prize.
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  'The Contender's Anthony Bonsante TKO's Brent Cooper, but double-crosses his team

  
  In the sixth episode of NBC's reality-competition boxing show The Contender, the West's Anthony "The Bullet" Bonsante (now 26-4-3, 15 KOs) stopped the East's Brent Cooper (now 20-3-2, 15 KOs) at 0:38 of the third round. However, the victory may have cost Anthony more than the place in the second round that he gained is worth.
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  Miguel Espino edged by resurgent Peter Manfredo in NBC's fifth 'The Contender' episode

  
  The "angel on his shoulder" -- his wife Yamilka -- propelled the East's Peter Manfredo Jr. (now 22-1, 10 KOs) to a stunning come-from-behind win over the West's Miguel Espino (now 9-2-1, 3 KOs) in his "second chance" on the fifth episode of NBC's The Contender. All three judges scored the five-round bout 48-47 (3 rounds for Peter, 2 for Miguel), giving the East its first win in the series.

• NBC to air special Easter Sunday 'The Contender' recap episode

  
  NBC announced today that it would add a special "recap edition" of its The Contender reality-competition boxing show, to be shown on Sunday, March 27 (Easter Sunday) at 7PM ET/PT. This special edition will serve as the lead-in to the show's regularly scheduled 8PM broadcast of its fifth episode..
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  Najai Turpin and Jeff Fraza depart 'The Contender', as Peter Manfredo Jr returns

  
  In the fourth episode of NBC's reality-competition boxing show The Contender, chicken pox ended up giving one boxer a second chance, while two other boxers left without the $1 million first prize.

• 'The Contender' suffers a ratings knockdown in its first Sunday broadcast

  
  NBC's aggressive launch strategy for its reality-competition boxing show The Contender took a hard hit to the body on Sunday, March 13, when the third episode -- but the first episode in its intended time slot (Sunday at 8 PM ET/PT) -- hit the airwaves with a resounding thud.

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