By Angel “Big Papo” Mercado
December 11, 2008

Another great Contender night, and boy was there a fight! We had a little of everything in the second episode of the contender.

 

I have to start with Tony Danza and the sparring session. Tony, I think you still have it! It’s time to make that comeback. Like John Bray said, “forget that Hollywood stuff.” At 58, Danza can still move.  I thought that was pretty cool!

 

Ryan Coyne was unfortunately cut during a sparring session of his own. Lucky for him the Blue team had the power of choice, which will give Ryan time to heal.

 

Oh, but wait! You gotta love the fight for the mattress between Michael Alexander and Hino Ehikhamenor. Michael went into a room surrounded by Gold team fighters and claimed Godfrey’s mattress. Hey, Gold team, are you getting that mattress back or are we going to see Michael vs. Hino to settle the mattress issue in the ring?

 

The Blue team, serving as match makers for the night, thought Alfredo would not be ready for fight time just yet. This caused some tension among the Blue team on who they were sending out to fight. They felt differently after Alfredo’s sparring session and made Alfredo and Michael flip a coin. Alfredo won the coin toss and the Blue team decided to go up against Jon Schneider, the least experienced fighter in the Gold team.

 

The match was set: Alfredo Escalera Jr. (15-1-1 11KOs) vs. Jon Schneider (7-2-1 5KOs). First, Alfredo opened the fight with a sneaky right hand that rocked Schneider and Alfredo continued to rock him with the right hands. Schneider was looking for one good shot to land and change the outcome of the fight, but on his search he got dropped by a vicious right hook from Alfredo in the third round. Schneider landed a few good strong shots of his own, but didn’t keep busy enough and didn’t let his punches go, which in my opinion would have made a closer fight.

 

Schneider gave it all he had. The guy had heart! He fought to the bloody finish, but looses to Alfredo unanimously. Alfredo Escalera Jr. wins for the blue and moves on to the next round.

 

Fourteen fighters remain. Who will be called out next? The winners move on and the losers, well they go home.