Author: Craig

From the Associated Press Sat, Apr 24, 2004

ESSEN, Germany – Sylvester Stallone, the star of the five “Rocky” movies, says he’s hoping to draw people who don’t like boxing to his latest on-screen venture — a reality television show featuring young fighters.

Stallone, 57, is the executive producer of “The Contender,” slated to start next year, finding and grooming would-be boxers.

“All these 16 fighters must have a very good story and an interesting background,” Stallone said Saturday at a fitness fair in Germany. “You’ll get to know their wives and children, their mothers. It’s very emotional.”

“What I really want is for people, especially women, who don’t like boxing, to watch this show because it’s a drama,” he added.

The winner of the NBC series is to get $1 million and the chance to become a professional prize fighter. The boxers will fight one another in a weekly elimination process similar to other reality shows.

Stallone, in Essen to promote his nutritional products company, Instone, said he likely would no longer be tempted by a major movie role that would take him away from his family for months.

“I had my high point 30 years ago,” he said. “I had a very unusual career. It was too good — how do you top that?”

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