Contender Season Number Four Contestants: The Favorites

Here’s our first set of Contender Season Four Contestant Info profiling the clear set of favorites in the best season ever (TM).

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Vadim Tokarev
boxrec.com ranking: #8
Record: 24-1-1 (17)
Age: 36
Nationality: Russian
Birthplace: Ekaterinaburg, Russia
Height: 5′10 1/2″
Stance: Orthodox
Fellow Contender’s Faced: Darnell Wilson, Win by 10-round Unanimous Decision, October 18, 2005
Notable Opponents: Marco Huck (L); Felix Cora, Jr. (W); Firat Arslan (D)
Titles Held: NABF Cruiserweight

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B.J. Flores
boxrec.com ranking: #9
Record: 21-0-1 (13)
Age: 29
Nationality: American
Birthplace: Chandler, Arizona
Nickname: El Peligroso
Height: 6′ 2″
Stance: Orthodox
Fellow Contender’s Faced: Darnell Wilson, Win by 12-round Unanimous Decision, February 8, 2008
Notable Opponents: None
Titles Held: USBA Cruiserweight

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O’Neill Bell
boxrec.com ranking: #10
Record: 21-0-1 (13)
Age: 33
Nationality: Jamaican
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Nickname: What The Hell
Height: 6′ 0″
Stance: Orthodox
Fellow Contender’s Faced: None
Notable Opponents: Tomasz Adamek (L); Jean-Marc Mormeck (L); Jean-Marc Mormeck (W)
Titles Held: IBF Cruiserweight, WBC Cruiserweight; WBA Cruiserweight; NABF Cruiserweight; USBA Cruiserweight

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Matt Godfrey
boxrec.com ranking: #14
Record: 16-1-0 (9)
Age: 27
Nationality: American
Hometown: Providence, Rhode Island
Nickname: Too Smooth
Height: 6′ 0″
Stance: Orthodox
Fellow Contender’s Faced: None
Notable Opponents: Rudolf Kraj (L); Felix Cora, Jr. (W); Shaun George (W)
Titles Held: NABF Cruiserweight; NABA Cruiserweight

Image details: Universum Champions Night served by picapp.com

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Johnathon Banks
boxrec.com ranking: #17
Record: 19-0-0 (14)
Age: 26
Nationality: American
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Height: 6′ 3″
Stance: Orthodox
Fellow Contender’s Faced: None
Notable Opponents: None
Titles Held: fighting for IBO Cruiserweight Title on 7/12/08

Image details: The Contender Challenge - UK v USA served by picapp.com

The boxing reality show The Contender has found a new home, a new weight class, and its most impressive roster of fighters yet. After one season on NBC, and two on ESPN, the showcase for up-and-coming fighters will now be shown on the Versus Network. Let’s hope it does better than their famously low-rated NHL coverage. The new season will begin in December.

In the past few months Versus has intermittently put its toes in the boxing waters; its most notable event being May’s Ricky Hatton vs. Juan Lazcano bout. The Contender solidifies the fledgling network’s dedication to the sweet science.

This year’s Contender crop will feature cruiserweights (200 lb.) rather than previous years’ middleweight contestants.

The result of frequent Contender title shots (Sergio Mora, Peter Manfredo Jr., Steve Forbes) means an even better set of fighters this time around. Among them are boxrec.com’s #8, #9 and #10 ranked cruisers (!) Vadim Tokarev, B.J. Flores, and (!) O’Neill Bell (last seen sleepwalking in Katowice against Tomasz Adamek) respectively.

We will be profiling all 12 Season Four Contenders in the near future. Until then, we here at www.jabandgrapple.com are very excited that The Contender has returned and even more excited at the terrific lineup of fighters.