The Contender challenged again!

By Scott Shaffer

03/09/2004

The Contender challenged again!

The boxing reality show featuring Oscar De La Hoya is now the subject of a second lawsuit.  This time, an independent producer named Leigh Ann Burton claims she pitched the idea for what was to become The Next Great Champ to De La Hoya and Richard Schaefer, the CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. According to the television website zap2it.com, Burton alleges she made a deal with Golden Boy and as a result of that deal, she went to GRB Entertainment to begin arrangements to make the show.  Burton claims that Golden Boy took her idea to Endemol USA and cut her out of the deal.  Golden Boy's attorney, Stephen Espinosa, told zap2it.com that his clients have done nothing wrong.  The Next Great Champ is set to debut on Fox on Tuesday, September 7.  It will feature largely unknown boxers competing for what the show claims will be a title shot, although real boxing fans know there are many bogus title belts floating around the sport.  The Next Great Champ's premiere date was moved up in response to a lawsuit from a competing boxing show, The Contender, which is being produced by Mark Burnett, who came up with Survivor and The Apprentice. That first lawsuit is primarily aimed at Fox Network.  A California judge denied a request to stop Fox from airing The Next Great Champ, and Fox has been heavily promoting the show, but additional court hearings will take place next week right around the Tuesday airing date.  The California Athletic Commission is also deciding whether it will issue penalties to either the show or Golden Boy for possible violations of its regulations.