Viewers of the boxing reality show The Contender cheer as "The Pride of Providence" beats Alfonso Gomez Jr. to advance to the main event, which will air live on next week's episode.

09:34 AM EDT on Monday, May 16, 2005

BY ANDY SMITH
Journal Television Writer

Now it's official. Providence boxer Peter Manfredo Jr. will fight for a $1 million purse on May 24 in Las Vegas as one of the two finalists on NBC's boxing reality show The Contender.

On last night's episode, Manfredo beat Alfonso Gomez Jr. to advance to the finals.

Manfredo watched the show, along with a large, boisterous crowd of family and friends, at a viewing party at the Hi-Hat club, in Providence's Davol Square.

Manfredo knew exactly what was going to happen, because the fight was filmed for The Contender last fall. But the contract he signed with NBC required strict confidentiality.

"It's great that it's actually out now," Manfredo said after the episode aired. "I don't have to hide it anymore."

In Las Vegas, he'll face either Jesse Brinkley or Sergio Mora, who will fight on next week's episode of The Contender, which airs Sunday nights at 8.

Journal file photo / Sandor Bodo

Providence boxer Peter Manfredo Jr. advances to the final of NBC's reality show The Contender.

Several boxing Web sites are predicting that Mora will face Manfredo in Vegas. Manfredo knows the outcome of that bout, too, but he can't tell.

What no one knows is who will win the million, because the final fight in Las Vegas will be broadcast live.

"I'm ready. I've been training extremely hard for this fight," Manfredo said. "It's reached the point where I want to get it over with."

The victory over Gomez was particularly satisfying for Manfredo because Gomez had beaten him on the very first episode of The Contender. Normally, that would have meant Manfredo was off the show.

But another fighter became ill with chicken pox and had to drop out. The other fighters got to vote someone back, and they picked Manfredo.

"I want a rematch. Give me the rematch with Alfonso," Manfredo said on last night's Contender episode. As shown on the screen, the rematch was a brutal slugfest.

Manfredo said he didn't think it was as close as it looked.

"He's a tough fighter, but I felt I easily controlled the fight," he said. "They edited it to make it look closer."

At the Hi-Hat last night, a big viewing screen dominated the spacious club; Peter Manfredo T-shirts were on sale near the entrance. The crowd cheered almost every time Manfredo's face appeared on camera.

During the fight itself, there were more cheers every time Manfredo landed a punch. When Gomez connected, the Hi-Hat crowd went "Ooooooooh."

When it was over, there was a chant of "Peter! Peter! Peter!" then a hush just before the judges' decision was announced. As soon as the words "the Pride of Providence" came out of the ring announcer's mouth, a roar went up at the Hi-Hat that obscured everything else.

Manfredo was suddenly surrounded by TV camera crews and assorted well-wishers. The Pride of Providence is off to Las Vegas.

Take a multimedia look at Rhode Island boxer Peter Manfredo Jr., narrated by Journal sports writer Rob Lee, at http://www.projo.com/extra/2005/manfredo/multimedia.html