The Next Great Champ: Episode 1

By Scott Shaffer

08/09/2004

The Next Great Champ: Episode 1

Fox aired the first episode of its reality show The Next Great Champ on Tuesday night.  The show's format calls for the lowest-rated boxer to call out one of the top three, with the one-hour show culminating in a four-round bout that eliminates the loser from future episodes.  The big winner in episode one was Chicago's David Pareja who defeated Arsenio Reyes and pocketed $35,000, a figure higher than world-class boxers get for ESPN-level main events.  Reyes, from Florida, had a pro record of 3-0 coming in (according to Fox's website), while Pareja was making his pro debut.  Pareja earned $10,000 by winning a sit-up contest and an additional $25,000 for winning his bout, which he was awarded by unaimous decision.  The rules of the show provide that the higher-rated boxer gets $25,000 if he wins his bout while the lower-rated boxer competes for survival only.