By Angel "Papo" Mercado
January 22, 2009

The Contender closed its first round of the tournament with a double header that featured Rico Hoye, Mike Alexander, Ryan Coyne and Tim Flamos.  The winners of the double header will move on to meet each other in the final fight of the second round in the tournament.

With Troy Ross’ TKO keeping the power of choice in the hands of the Gold team, the Gold match made the double header.  The first double header in the Contender.

At the call out: Rico Hoye 20-2-0 15 KO’s called out Mike Alexander 12-2-0 8 KO’s for the first fight of the double header leaving Tim Flamos to go up against Ryan Coyne for the 2nd fight of the night.  Rico thought Mike was the only real challenge for himself left out of the 2 fighters left from the Blue team.

Rico’s strategy was to get his jab going and have all his other shots come straight of his jab.  Mike’s strategy was to pose his will on Rico, keep him moving, keep him busy and wear him out.

Round one, both fighters went straight to their jabs touching each other, feeling out what one another had.  Rico slipped in a nice hook, but Mike came back and landed three sharp right hands.  Mike continued to land more right hands throughout the 2nd round.  Rico’s left hand was very low, which gave Mike the ability to catch him with the rights.  Mike even went south paw at one point.

Rounds 3-5, Rico came out strong like a beast mixing his punches to the body and head beautifully.  Rico slowed Mike down with chopping body shots and multiple combinations to close the fight and win a unanimous decision.  Rico Sueve advances to the 2nd round and gets another “W” for the Gold.

In the second fight of the Contender, it was Ryan Coyne (8-0 2KOs) vs. Tim Flamos (20-4 8KOs).  Tim Flamos retired 7 months ago because of his age (41).  He came off retirement to seize the opportunity and fight in the Contender tournament to give it one more shot.  An opportunity he never had, but first he would have to get through Ryan Coyne, the youngest fighter in the tournament.  Age vs. Youth, who will win?

At the opening bell, Ryan came out strong using his speed, wasting no time landing his jabs, right hands and occasional uppercuts.  As the fight went on Ryan didn’t listen to his corner and made the fight harder then it had to be.  Ryan Coyne kept jumping inside, clashing heads with Tim and opening a deep cut above Ryan’s right eye.  Boy, Ryan gets cut a lot.  Ryan let him fight inside and decided to exchange with him Tim getting the best of the body shots and getting back into the fight.

It was a back and forth battle as I had Ryan winning rounds 1 and 3 and Tim winning rounds 2 and 4, I thought Tim even took round 5.  The 41 year old Flamos even had the crowd chanting his name throughout round 4.  The fight could have gone either way but would have given the win to Tim Flamos. I thought Tim edged out the fight.  Tim fought a great fight for a 41 year old fighter, who will probably go back to retirement after this Contender opportunity, but can do so knowing he left everything in the ring.

Ryan Coyne fought a good fight as well and got the split decision, but should have listen and boxed from the outside to make it a much easier fight.  Now he has to face Rico Hoye, who will meet him in the 2nd round and capitalize on that cut injury and be a much more tougher fight than Tim Flamos.

Ryan Coyne puts the Blue team back on the map.  It doesn’t matter now.  It’s every man for themselves going into the 2nd round.  The 4th fight of the 2nd round in the tournament is set, Its  Rico Hoyes VS Ryan Coyne who will win?