Sly may step in ‘Contenders’ ring
Tue Feb 24, 7:00 PM ET
MICHAEL SCHNEIDER
(Variety) A “Rocky” boxing match on NBC? Sylvester Stallone (news) hinted he might just suit up and get into the ring himself for the Peacock’s upcoming reality show “The Contender.”
Stallone and Mark Burnett traveled to downtown’s Los Angeles Boxing Club on Tuesday to reveal details behind the boxing-themed series.
According to Burnett, contestants will be put through a variety of challenges, leading up to a fight at the end of each episode — with the loser going home. The ultimate “Contender” will receive a $1 million prize and will likely emerge as the marquee star behind a new boxing federation created especially for the show.
Stallone said he partnered with Burnett and DreamWorks partner Jeffrey Katzenberg to create “The Contender” after getting fed up with the state of pro boxing.
“I think there is a great deal of mismanagement in boxing today,” Stallone said. “I think the finest talent does not rise to the surface. Quite often the compromises that a fighter has to make through his managers to get in a position of competition is not quite worth it for them. So we have been I think, deprived of some new fresh talent.”
Stallone called the system Burnett and Katzenberg worked out “revolutionary.” “We welcome (fighters) to step forward who believe they have not been given a fair shake, who believe they do have the talent,” he said.
Burnett said he planned to cast a wide net for “The Contender,” and would even welcome non-English-speaking contestants. “We’ll use subtitles,” he said. “I think that’s interesting.” The producer said he’d even be willing to include contestants with criminal pasts, as long as they’ve “paid their dues.”
Contestants will also technically become professional boxers by participating in the show, because they will be paid during the show and will be fighting. Also, Burnett and Stallone said the contestants will all come from the same weight class, but the producers haven’t decided whether that will be heavyweight, welterweight or lightweight.
As part of the deal, NBC is giving up six 30-second spots to producers, who will then sell the spots and split any profits with the network. Burnett said he would work closely with NBC’s sales team to market the spots and strike product integration deals, but had no plans to link with a media buyer.
NBC honcho Jeff Zucker introduced the producers; also in attendance was Stallone’s brother Frank, who may also work on the show.
As for hopping into the ring, Stallone said “definitely” – and recounted the time he got into the ring with Joe Frazier. “I would say including the count, the fight was 14 seconds,” he said. “I considered him the hardest puncher in the world.”
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– Craig Zablo