The Contender Challenge: UK vs. USA is a series of boxing matches on 30 March 2007, held at Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle, England.
The winning team was awarded the "Sugar Ray Leonard Cup", not unlike the Ryder Cup in Golf[1] The bouts was the basis of a TV series broadcast in the US by ESPN and in the UK by ITV4, with six episodes, beginning on 10 April 2007, with commentary by the well-known ESPN team of Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas, with the British boxing commentator John Rawling joining.
Atlas, along with ringside commentators Tessitore and Rawling, noted the difficulty of scoring the fight, as Small's unusual style made him appear to be lacking aggression, which many judges look for.
Minter, a popular boxer in the UK with a reputation as a considerate and polite competitor, dominated the early rounds of the fight.
Minter was the bigger fighter and was in excellent condition which quickly showed with his power shots and gritty in-fighting.
Curiel demonstrated considerable sportsmanship by walking Minter around the ring with his hand raised and encouraged the fans to applaud their local fighter.
The tourney got off to a late start, which ITV representatives said was due to ESPN micromanaging the matchups to guarantee a US victory, explaining how non-Contender fighter Jerson Ravelo fought in a bout for the cup.