Contender update: Balletto's back with win

25/07/2006

Contender update: Balletto's back with win

Gary Balletto W5 Aaron Torres... On episode three of The Contender's second season, Gary Balletto ended a two year, nine month hiatus from the ring with a split decision victory over Aaron Torres. As usual with The Contender, it is impossible to say whether the decision was just or not, as only selected highlights were aired, but it was clear Balletto slugged bravely despite being bloodied by Torres, whose punches looked to be more compact. In his first career, Balletto went 29-2-2 from 1996-2003 but stopped campaigning after a loss to ex-featherweight champ Goyo Vargas. Torres, a Philly fighter last seen getting stopped by Luis Alberto Santiago in 2004, drops to 14-3. --Scott Shaffer