Femmefan Exclusive Interview
with Sergio "The Latin Snake" Mora
By Ivette Ricco
Sergio Mora is a 25 year old whose life was dramatically changed when he won the million-dollar prize in the Mark Burnett production reality show, The Contender.
Sergio won out over thousands of applicants for a chance to be on the show and then was pitted against 15 other aspiring young men for a shot at fame, fortune and a chance to live the American dream.
Mark Burnett, the man behind the reality show craze, (Survivor, the Apprentice) was behind this effort. The boxing reality show, co-created by and starring Sylvester Stallone, began March 9 — pitting 16 professional boxers against each other and culminating in a live, $1 million prizefight.
Each fighter’s journey to the title bout is told through the perspective of their families and the boxer’s dreams for fame and fortune in a Rocky-like format.
The Contender was a casualty of TV ratings and was cancelled by NBC. However, ESPN has agreed to put the contender on their 2006 schedule.
On Saturday October 15 Sergio Mora will fight the man whom he beat to take the Contender crown, Peter Manfredo, at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Sergio “the Latin Snake” Mora was one of the most interesting of the 16 original boxers because of his keen interest in books, and his desire to make life better for his mother.
www.Femmefan.com was granted an exclusive interview with Sergio and he graciously took time out from his training to speak to me about his life before and after his claim to fame.
For a chance to win two tickets to watch Sergio and attend the Contender Fight on Saturday, October 15, 2005, at Staples Center in Los Angeles, click here.
Sergio Mora interview Tuesday Sept. 27, 2005
Who
is Sergio Mora?
Ivette:
You were the winner of the contender championship.
You beat out a lot of young, talented boxers
and walked away with the million-dollar prize.
Now what do you do for an encore?
Sergio:
What do I do for an encore? I want to fight.
I want to Fight Oscar De La Hoya before he retires.
I would like him to fight me instead of Cesar
Chavez if he will consider it. I expect to reach
for a championship with a top ten contender.
Ivette:
When does your contractual obligation with The
Contender end?
Sergio:
I’m not sure. It’s either after
two years or 2 fights a year. It’s been
a blessing, and I haven’t even looked
at the contract to be honest.
Ivette:
You wanted your mother, Ines, to reap the benefits
of your winnings. What has changed in her life
since you won?
Sergio:
Alleviating financial stress. Now mom doesn’t
have to worry and stress over paying the bills.
As a single mom she was always worried about
bills and money. And worried about us, her babies,
even if we’re grown men.
It’s great to see her free of that stress
in her life.
Ivette:
What type of work did your mom do when she was
raising you and your three brothers as a single
mom?
Sergio:
Manual work, warehouse work. She had a boss
who wasn’t very nice.
She worked hard and under difficult conditions.
Ivette:
You say you love to travel. Where have you been
that you really enjoyed. And where do you want
to travel to?
Sergio:
I want to go to Europe for at least two or three
weeks. I plan to tour Europe within the next
year. I’ve been to Miami, New York, Vegas,
Texas, Idaho and Oregon. There isn’t much
to do in places like Oregon and Idaho but for
me, having never been outside of Los Angeles
it was a rude awakening. There’s so much
to see right here in the US, and then the whole
world too.
I definitely want to see Egypt before I’m 30 yrs old. Also want to travel to Africa and Thailand.
Ivette:
You didn’t start boxing regularly until
you and your friends started what you called
“barbeque boxing”. If you had not
gotten into boxing what would you be doing today?
Sergio:
A lot of people ask me that question. And honestly
I don’t know what I would be doing.
I might have gone to work in a warehouse. Without an education that is where I might have ended up. I could have been in the warehouse working but I would always be aspiring to be better.
Ivette:
Boxing has a long history of chewing up and
spitting out young boxers. Do you have any aspirations
to try and change the perception of boxing as
a corrupt or brutal sport?
Sergio:
I’ve been one of those young boxers who
has been chewed up and spit out. Like everything
else it’s political just as in all lines
of business. It is corrupt. I would like to
change the perception people have of boxers,
and make people aware that there are boxers
who are smart.
Ivette:
Do you feel a sense of responsibility to be
a role model?
Sergio:
I do feel a responsibility to myself and my
family as a man and a person, I have my vices,
and problems but I want to let people know I’m
gonna be as upright and straight forward as
I can be.
Ivette:
You will face Peter Manfredo for the second
time on October 15. What are your plans for
after that fight?
Sergio:
I plan on being successful, and to then get
a chance to fight someone at the top.
There are a young lions waiting to take over from the old lions. I’m one of those young lions.
Ivette:
What is your next personal goal?
Sergio:
I want a family at some point maybe in a couple
of years. I definitely want to get my college
degree. Right now I want to try and capitalize
on this opportunity I’ve been give. I
want to help my friends and family, to help
out as much as I can. I’m really a philanthropist
at heart.
Ivette:
Thank you Sergio, good luck on October 15.
Sergio Mora is a disarmingly honest young man. He doesn’t want to be considered another stereotypical boxer and works to better himself. He is thankful for the opportunity has been given and is determined to make the very best of it.
Given the difficult career path he’s chosen one would have to worry about his chances. But Sergio is much more than a boxer, a son and a young lion. He is a young man with a bright future outside the boxing ring.
We wish him success at whatever he does.
To enter to win two tickets to watch Sergio on October 15, 2005 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, click here.
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