Pittsburgh boxers vie for title of ‘Contender’
None of this “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” stuff for boxer Gerald “G5” Sherrell.
“I would say I’m a mix between a cheetah and an alligator,” said Mr. Sherrell, 24, of Sheraden. “I have both of their attitudes, and I’m quick, I’m smart, and I am relentless.”
It’s unlikely any of the athletes participating in Epix’s reboot of “The Contender” have had more exposure to exotic animals than Mr. Sherrell, who worked for a time in overnight security at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium.
“It’s pretty scary,” he said. “It was pretty dark, and there were a lot of things making noises. But I enjoyed it, man.”
He and Charleroi’s Morgan “Big Chief” Fitch, 35, are two of the 16 boxers who live together, train together and ultimately compete
against one another when the reality series debuts Friday at 9 p.m.
They’ll compete, week by week, in matches ultimately leading to a sanctioned middleweight (160 pounds) Las Vegas title bout for $250,000. Hosting the show is Andre “Son of God” Ward, who retired as an unbeaten champion and was a 2004 Olympic gold medalist.
In the first episode, the boxers are placed in two teams. Mr. Sherrell and Mr. Fitch are on the Blue, coached by the legendary Freddie Roach. The Gold team is mentored by the renownedNaazim Richardson.
“Oh, man, working with Freddie, it was humbling. He taught me a lot,” Mr. Sherrell said. “Freddie’s the type of coach who can just look at you and he can tell what you do and how you do it.
“He’s like a ‘Mr. Miyagi’ type. He’s also a super-funny dude.”
When the show begins, there’s a good deal of posturing as the young men size each other up, but the coaches aren’t having any of it — Mr. Richardson, in particular. When a losing boxer complains he almost “had it,” the trainer replies, “You ‘had it?’ This isn’t a sport about ‘had it,’ this is a sport about ‘keep it.’”
The two Pittsburgh boxers are a contrast in histories. Mr. Sherrell grew up in the West End, graduating from Perry Traditional Academy before being recruited to play strong safety at St. Francis University.
He took an 8-0 record into his time on the show and is focusing full time on his boxing career: “I’m blessed to be able to do it.”
Mr. Fitch grew up in Louisiana but moved to the area 12 years ago in order to train at Tom Yankello’s World Class Boxing Gym in Ambridge. He has his own window cleaning business in Charleroi and is married with three children.
He took an 18-1-1 record into “The Contender.” He said his nickname is an homage to his father’s Native American heritage.
Over the course of Mr. Fitch’s career, boxing has been put on hold due to injuries. He’s had five surgeries, including two on his hands.
“After my fifth, I had to look elsewhere to get paid,” he said. “Boxing just wasn’t happening.”
The producers of “The Contender” were drawn to his story. Although he is older than most of the contenders on the show, he said, “I fit in wherever I go. Ain’t nothing to it.”
Age, he said, is not an issue.
“Can I compete with them? You’re damn skippy.”
Mega-producer Mark Burnett created “The Contender” in 2005, and it ran for five seasons with hosts ranging from Sugar Ray Leonard to Sly Stallone. Bringing it back now, in the age of “American Ninja Warrior” and CrossFit, made sense.
“People want to watch people struggle, to see what they go through in life, and they have to follow the rules if they want to win,” Mr. Fitch said, then added, “I think everybody just likes to see gladiators.”