What: Season Three of The Contender

When: Tuesday Nights

Where: ESPN/ESPN2

First Episode: September 4

Episodes: 10 (Field of 16 will be cut to 10 during the first episode)

Finale: Live on November 6 at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, MA

Grand Prize: $750,000

Division: Super Middleweight

Fight Length: Five Three-Minute Rounds

Lineup:

• Max Alexander  (26, Camden, New Jersey, 14-1, 2 KOs)
• David Banks  (24, Portland, Ore., 14-2-1, 2 KOs)
• Sakio Bika   (28, Sydney, Australia, via Cameroon, 22-3-2, 14 KOs)
• Henry Buchanan   (28, Capital Heights, Md., 14-1, 11 KOs)
• La Farrell Bunting  (27, Las Vegas, 16-3-1, 16 KOs)
• Jaidon Codrington  (23, New York, 16-1, 12 KOs)
• Miguel Hernandez  (32, Chicago, 20-5, 10 KOs)
• Wayne Johnson  (29, Lyndhurst, New Jersey, 16-1, 9 KOs)
• Donny McCrary  (24, St. Joseph, Missouri., 23-5-2, 13 KOs)
• Les Ralston  (25, Buffalo, New York, 16-2, 9 KOs)
• Danny Santiago  (34, Ocala, Florida., 29-3-1, 19 KOs)
• Paul Smith  (24, Liverpool, England, 20-0, 12 KOs)
• Sam Soliman  (33, Melbourne, Australia, 33-9, 13 KOs)
• Brian Vera  (26, Austin, Texas, 14-0, 9 KOs)
• Rhoshii Wells (30, Las Vegas, 18-2-2, 10 KOs)
• Rubin Williams (31, Detroit, Michigan, 29-2-1, 16 KOs)
 

Best Contender Field Ever: Bika, Santiago, Soliman, Williams and Wells have all fought (unsuccessfully) for world titles.

More Good News: In response to complaints about heavily-edited fight coverage from seasons one and two, ESPN has promised to show more of each bout.

Host/Mentor: Sugar Ray Leonard

Trainers: Buddy McGirt and Pepe Correa replace Tommy Gallagher and Jeremy Williams.

Previous Contender Champs:
• Season One: Sergio Mora
• Season Two: Grady Brewer

Season Four: ESPN is reportedly considering heavyweights for a proposed season four.

8-29-2007