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  Najai Turpin and Jeff Fraza depart 'The Contender', as Peter Manfredo Jr returns

  March 21, 2005
  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 - Episode 3 summary

  March 17, 2005
  "The Lord of the Ring," our episode summary for the third episode of NBC's The Contender, written by KObrien_fan, is now available.

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

  March 15, 2005
  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.

• The Contender - Episode 2 summary

  March 15, 2005
  "Shut-up, Put-up, Go Hard or Go Home!," our episode summary for the second episode of NBC's The Contender, written by volsfan, is now available.
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  Ishe Smith eliminates Ahmed Kaddour in the third episode of NBC's 'The Contender'

  March 14, 2005
  The grudge match that everyone wanted to see in the third episode of NBC's reality-competition boxing show The Contender is over, but the complete domination of West boxers over East boxers continues unabated.

• The Contender - Episode 1 summary

  March 14, 2005
  "Unusual Circumstances," our episode summary for the premiere episode of NBC's The Contender, written by I_AM_HE, is now available.

• Jonathan Reid becomes second straight East star ousted in NBC's 'The Contender'

  March 11, 2005
  Will East Coast boxing survive NBC's The Contender?

• NBC's 'The Contender' premiere garners a ratings split decision

  March 9, 2005
  Those people who said that NBC's new reality-competition boxing show The Contender would struggle to find female viewers were correct. Nevertheless, the March 7 premiere of The Contender, while not a huge success, showed promise for the later rounds.
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  Peter Manfredo Jr. loses undefeated record in premiere of NBC's 'The Contender'

  March 8, 2005
  One of the real surprises when the cast for NBC's The Contender was announced was that Peter Manfredo, Jr., a promising middleweight with a 21-0 record who was ranked #3 in the world by the World Boxing Organization, had agreed to become one of the 16 contestants on the reality-competition boxing show. A bigger surprise, shown on the March 7 premiere episode of The Contender, was that Peter became the first contestant eliminated from the show, as he suffered his first pro defeat at the hands of Alfonso Gomez, Jr. (now 11-2-1 as a pro).

• NBC's 'The Contender' comes out swinging hoping to be Mark Burnett's next reality knockout

  March 5, 2005
  For the first time since 1976 and only the second time ever, a motion picture focused on the world of boxing, Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby, won the Best Picture Oscar at the Academy Awards. Will that success translate into a wider interest in (or even a wider tolerance of) boxing? NBC's new reality-competition boxing series, The Contender, which premieres at 9:30 PM ET/PT on Monday, March 7, certainly hopes so.

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