Exclusive Boxing Interview: Sergio Mora

By Daxx Kahn June 2nd, 2008 All Boxing Interviews

"I am curious myself on what will happen."

Sergio Mora, 20-1 (5), the winner of season one of "The Contender" TV series several years ago, was supposed to become a superstar overnight. After all, the whole idea of the show was to give up and coming fighters, or fighters who just missed the big picture, one last chance at stardom.

Mora appeared on the show week after week and beat opponent after opponent, advancing to the finals until he was the last man left, taking home $750,000 in prize money and the Contender championship.

The proposal was that the winner, in addition to receiving the aforementioned prizes, would be promoted like one of the sport's top names, appearing as the main event on fight cards through out the world.

But that's not exactly what happened. While there were title shots, main events and big money bouts, those "awards" were given to Peter Manfredo and Alfonso Gomez, two fighters who participated in the Contender, but did not win the series.

Manfredo faced 168 lb kingpin Joe Calzaghe in Wales last year on a premier cable network during a losing bid for the WBO Super Middleweight Championship and Gomez defeated former world champion Arturo Gatti on a premier cable network in a 2007 main event before losing to WBA Welterweight Champion Miguel Cotto just last month.

While Moraʼs fellow Contender alumni lost their title bids, the fact remains that they received those title bids. So what was to become of the inagural Contender champion?

Just a bit over a year ago, Mora was offered a title shot at then middleweight world champion Jermain Taylor. It was a bout that had venues and surroundings changing so often that before things could be agreed upon 100%, it never materialized.

Then, a fight scheduled for late last year with high volume punching former two time 154 lb IBF title holder Kassim Ouma fell apart as well, leaving Mora to accept a bout on an ESPN undercard against Rito Ruvalcaba. More...

Ringside Report: Cotto & Margarito Pave the Way to July Showdown

By Jim Everett April 14th, 2008 All Ringside Boxing

Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City NJ the fans were treated to a showcase and a slugfest. Miguel Cotto 32-0 (26) proved to be on a different level than Alfonso Gomez 18-4 (8) while Antonio Margarito 36-5 (26) proved he is still an immovable force in the Welterweight division by knocking out Kermit Cintron 29-2 (27).

In the main event Cotto, the WBA Welterweight Champion showed why he is at the top of the division by out-boxing, out-landing and outclassing his game challenger, Gomez.

Cotto came out in the first round swinging, landing shots to the head and body of Gomez.

What was most evident was Cotto’s power, each shot that landed backed up Gomez every time he connected. Not to say that Cotto has ever come into a fight unconfident but his demeanor seemed different from past fights appearing relaxed and very confident as he boxed and landed combinations.

Toward the end of the first round Gomez fell to the canvas from a left hook from Cotto that missed, seemingly off balance as he ducked under the punch. Cotto ended the round comfortably switching between a southpaw and an orthodox stance while landing combination

During the next two rounds the face of Gomez was already showing signs of wear and tear from the Cotto onslaught who continued to land combinations accurately using every punch in his arsenal, straight rights, left hooks and uppercuts. More...

Boxing Result: Cotto Clubs Gomez, Margarito Manhandles Cintron Again In Rematch

By Richard Eberline April 13th, 2008 All Boxing Results

Much as fellow "Contender" TV series alum Peter Manfredo was diced and sliced by super middleweight world champion Joe Calzaghe last year, welterweight Alfonso Gomez was shown the door in cursory fashion by WBA Champion Miguel Cotto last night at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ, while former WBO Welter boss Antonio Margarito once again proved that he has Kermit Cintron's number after KO'ing the IBF Champ in six rounds during a rematch that was supposed to display Cintron's marked improvement.

Bouyed by recent wins over withered former top light welters Arturo Gatti and Ben Tackie, Gomez had expressed great confidence leading up to the title challenge of Cotto but once the bell rang, was shown to be lacking in all the requirements to defeat a reigning world champion except toughness.

Forward marched the seemingly much larger Gomez, but the 27 year old Los Angeles man was unable to put a scratch on Cotto, who took the opportunity to paint a body punching masterpiece on the canvas of Gomez's midsection. More...

Exclusive Boxing Interview: Alfonso Gomez

By Daxx Kahn April 12th, 2008 All Boxing Interviews

Looking to Once Again Prove the Criticʼs Wrong

© Jim Everett / Saddo Boxing

Tonight, Alfonso Gomez, 18-3-2 (8), will be stepping in the ring with WBA Welterweight Champion Miguel Cotto, 31- 0 (25), for what will be his first opportunity at capturing a world title. Gomez, who made a name for himself on NBCʼs Contender series, has become more than a reality TV star and is perhaps the most successful cast member of that show.

Season one winner Sergio Mora has fought only three times against very limited competition, and although he has a shot at Vernon Forrest's WBC 154 pound title this June, he has really failed to make a dent in his boxing career. By contrast, Gomez has beaten fighters such as former two division world champion Arturo Gatti, in what was Gattiʼs last bout, and more recently, world title challenger Ben Tackie.

Gomez has been dubbed a continuous underdog each time that he has stepped up in class, but in every instance, he has silenced his criticʼs. The question on everyoneʼs mind now is "Can Gomez once again prove the criticʼs wrong?" After all, Miguel Cotto is no Arturo Gatti or Ben Tackie. Cotto is undefeated and considered one of boxingʼs current pound for pound best fighters in the world. Cotto is also one of the sportʼs most feared punchers. When you add them together, Gomez starts looking like an even bigger underdog than usual. More...

HBO Boxing: Cotto vs. Gomez, Cintron vs. Margarito Live From Atlantic City Tonight!

By Boxing Press April 12th, 2008 All Press Releases

Boxing fans will be treated to back-to-back welterweight championship bouts when World Championship Boxing: Miguel Cotto vs. Alfonso Gomez and Kermit Cintron vs. Antonio Margarito is seen live Saturday, April 12 at10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. The fight will be available in HDTV, as well as closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

In the main event, a welterweight title will be at stake as rising star Miguel Cotto, 31-0 (25), from Caguas, Puerto Rico, takes on Alfonso Gomez, 18-3-2 (8), from Whittier, CA., in a scheduled 12-round contest. More...

Boxing Press Conference: Cotto vs. Gomez, Cintron vs. Margarito II

By Jim Everett April 10th, 2008 All Boxing Previews

**With Slideshow**

© Jim Everett / Saddo Boxing

Yesterday at Sofrito Puerto Rican Cuisine in New York City, Top Rank hosted the final press conference for their World Welterweight Championship Double Header which will take place this Saturday, April 12 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ .

“Two World Championships…One Night” features WBA Welterweight Champion, Miguel Cotto, 31-0 (25), against Contender star, Alfonso Gomez, 18-3-2 (8). The co-feature will be the highly anticipated rematch featuring IBF Welterweight Champion, Kermit Cintron, 29-1 (27), who will look to avenge his only loss against former Welterweight Champion, Antonio Margarito, 35-5 (25).

The first time Cintron and Margarito met in the ring in April 2005, their roles were reversed; Margarito was the WBO Welterweight Champion and Cintron was the challenger. Margarito had literally broke down Cintron over five rounds, cutting him over the right eye in the third round and dropping him twice both in the fourth and fifth rounds before the fight was stopped.

Cintron looked like he may not recover from the devastating loss, but rebuilt his career with the help of trainer Emanuel Steward, winning all five fights since his loss to Margarito by KO and picking up the IBF strap in the process. More...