If Spartan fans feel they haven’t proven their dominance over Michigan, their chance is coming.
The “Toughman Contest,” an amateur boxing event seen on Fox’s FX Network, is challenging fans, students and alumni of MSU and U-M to represent their schools in the ring on Jan. 11 at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
In the past, the show has pitted police officers against firefighters and pro-wrestlers against pro-football players. But this is the first time it will feature a college rivalry, and any MSU student who dreams of slugging a Wolverine can still sign up.
“Being based here in Michigan, (the rivalry) is at the forefront of our brains,” said Steve Coppler, director of marketing for AdoreAble Promotions, Inc. “There was ‘The Cold War’ and that came out in a tie, so let’s settle it in the ring.”
A team of fighters will represent each school in one-on-one boxing fights throughout the night. The team that knocks out the most opponents will be labeled the winner.
The fights consist of three one-minute rounds with 45-second rests between each round, giving fans a nearly continuous stream of action.
Referees use rules similar to those in professional boxing. A fighter loses after a standing eight count or three knockdowns.
If the fight lasts all three rounds, judges declare a winner using the same 10-point must system used in professional boxing.
It may sound like professional boxing, but fans of the contest say ‘Toughman’ offers a much better competition than professional boxers.
“About 90 percent of the fights I see on TV and on ESPN2 are boring,” said Murray Sutherland, the event coordinator and referee. “What we do with ‘Toughman’ is give them short contests and, if no one gets KO’ed, we go to the next fight.”
Fans see about 15 to 20 fights per night at a “Toughman” event, and Sutherland said most of those fights will be a better matchup than professional boxing.
“For a good fight, there are two big ingredients: the quality of the fighters and the matching skill,” Sutherland said. “With the ‘Toughman’ contest
