Bangkok--Nov 17--Total Quality PR
On AXN (Ch.19, UBC), the heart of action and adventure television, The Contender is back and the re-match is on! It’s a face off between The Contender champion Sergio “The Latin Snake” Mora and Peter Manfredo, Jr., as they meet again in the most exciting match to come since The Contender finale earlier this year. Find out who the real champion is as it premieres with The Contender Best of Fight Scenes Special on Monday, 21 November 2005 at 8 pm and The Contender Re-match: Mora vs. Manfredo on Thursday, 24 November 2005 at 9pm on AXN!
In The Contender Re-match: Mora vs. Manfredo, Sergio Mora is back on the scene to defend his Contender belt from Peter Manfredo, Jr., who he defeated in May at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, in what was the finale of the first season of The Contender. The Contender garnered a huge following in Asia, chalking up 28 million viewers in Asia alone. Produced by critically acclaimed reality TV producer, Mark Burnett of Survivor and The Apprentice fame, The Contender featured Hollywood legend, Sylvester Stallone and boxing legend, Sugar Ray Leonard.
It will be a tough battle again between two headstrong boxers in the re-match, and especially so since Manfredo went through six weeks of intensive training to beef up his game. But Mora is not intimidated as the match will take place on his home ground in Los Angeles at the Staples Center. A confident Mora says, “this time [Manfredo
] will have to come to my hometown, and you can believe the snake will bite again”. Yet, Manfredo has other plans - to avenge his loss to Mora. He comments, “this time I’m going to be ready for Sergio. Last time I underestimated him. I won’t do that this time”.
Coming to the screens of Asian viewers this November on AXN, the championship re-match will be extremely lethal and exciting as Mora and Manfredo attempt to save their pride in the biggest re-battle of the season. The re-match fight is a special feature to usher in the highly-anticipated second season of The Contender, due to return to the television screens in 2006.
Ricky Ow, General Manager of SPE Networks — Asia, comments, “When we premiered The Contender earlier in the year, the show gained a huge loyal following. In particular, the finale was the most-watched episode, where viewers witnessed one of the closest fights in The Contender. We are delighted that Mark Burnett and his team are producing a re-match so that the runner-up would have a chance to prove himself against the champion. The Contender Re-match: Mora vs. Manfredo is going to be another great drama and a must -watch for fans of raw action.”
Tune in to AXN for the biggest showdown in The Contender Re-match: Mora vs. Manfredo! But before that, viewers will get the chance to relive the thrills and spills of the best fight scenes from The Contender, put together by AXN in a special one-hour program aptly named, The Contender Best of Fight Scenes Special.
Asia Premiere on AXN:
Thailand
Mon, 21 Nov 05 at 8pm — The Contender Best of Fight Scenes Special
Thu, 24 Nov 05 at 9pm — The Contender Re-match: Mora vs. Manfredo
About AXN
Delivering top rated series, blockbuster features, adventure-reality and first-run lifestyle sports programming, AXN is a leading international television destination among young adults 18-34. AXN is seen in 50 countries across Asia, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East, and is part of Sony Pictures Television International’s diverse portfolio of over 40 global networks. Sony Pictures Television International is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.
AXN Asia is available to more than 36 million households 24-hours daily throughout Asia in Taiwan, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Japan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Cambodia, South Korea, Macau, Papua New Guinea, Nepal, Maldives, Mongolia and in hotels and VIP compounds in China. AXN can also be seen in 40 million cable television households on time-block basis in China. More information about AXN Asia can be found online at www.axn-asia.com.
For more information as well as pictures,
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Tom Van Blarcom / Ruthaiwan Tanwongwan
Total Quality PR (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
Tel: 0-2260-5820 Ext. 114 Fax: 0-2260-5847-8
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