The Contender’s Anthony Bonsante Looks Back on His Career

“When the cameras were rolling, Sly was a prick and Sugar Ray was awesome,” Bonsante said — echoing, so far, what a few other fighters have told me. “But, I got called into the office one day with Sly, just to bullshit and talk and because he knew I liked beer and cigars. Sly is a huge cigar guy. So he invited me in, and we smoked a big fat dog rocket and drank a Heineken. And I said, ‘Can I ask you a question? In front of the guys and the cameras, you’re just a prick sometimes. Why?’ He said, ‘Tony, I’m sorry. My manager tells me to do that to get certain roles.’ Which totally made sense — because he always plays a badass, right? But behind closed doors, one on one, and when the show was over and the tapings were all done, Sly was down to earth, a fantastic family man.”