Nito Bravo has fought locally several times, but after being on ESPN's "The Contender" he is now nationally recognized and reveling in the attention.

dean knuth / Arizona Daily Star 2006

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So far, fans of The Contender reality boxing series have been able to see this: Tucson's Norberto "Nito" Bravo winning a fight, a wad of cash, a truck and, nearly, a purple suit.

What Bravo's trainers see is better competition, the kind that their 35-year-old veteran welterweight has risen to meet. Bravo beat Rudy Cisneros of Chicago early in the second season of the Sugar Ray Leonard-hosted show and will face Gary Balletto (30-2-2) of Rhode Island in tonight's show.

What Bravo sees is this: finally, some recognition. "The Contender" is aired weekly on ESPN, attracting boxing fans, reality TV fans and a combination of both.

The result is that, after becoming a popular club fighter in Las Vegas and a hometown hero at Desert Diamond Casino, Bravo (21-10-3) is being seen not only in Tucson, but everywhere else in this country and in about 100 other countries.

"Everywhere I go now people know me," Bravo said. "I've been boxing in this town for years, and I've never gotten the reception I'm getting now. I guess you need the television and that type of accomplishment for people to really respect what you're doing."

Bravo's fiancée, Priscilla Rios, has enjoyed the experience with him. She has made TV appearances of her own, traveling to Los Angeles to visit Bravo during the show first with the couple's three boys and then later with her 6-year-old daughter.

"It was awesome," Rios said. "He deserves it."

Bravo will watch tonight with fans at the Desert Diamond's sports bar, which will air the show at 7. Last week, when he was not fighting, Bravo appeared at Rusty's Family Restaurant and Sports Grille to a crowded audience full of well-wishers.

"To see how happy he is, to know all his hard work is paying off, is my payment," said Joe Agredano, Bravo's longtime manager. "But also the people are going to see in him what I knew he was — a champion."

Bravo, who will have a crack at the show's $500,000 grand prize if he can beat Balletto and win an ensuing fight, has established himself on the show as a soft-spoken, professional veteran with a tough chin. Known mostly as "Nito" in Tucson, Bravo also uses his ring nickname "El Gallito" (The Rooster) on the show because he believes it exemplifies his fight-to-the-death attitude.

His approach came through typically on an Internet preview of tonight's telecast. Bravo said he is not expecting an easy fight, that "Gary's a big puncher, but I've got to keep my hands moving."

Balletto smiled confidently when asked about it.

"I know how to beat Norberto: I'm going to punch him right in the face," Balletto said. "I know he's going to stand right in front of me and those are the kind of guys I do best against."

Bravo's toughness was also rewarded on one show, when he finished tied for first in a vote of his peers for showing the most heart in the first round. Leonard broke the tie, throwing the keys to a truck toward Bravo.

Bravo still has not received the truck; Agredano said Bravo wanted to keep the original truck featured on the show but was instead given a voucher for another. But Bravo does have a money clip full of cash given by veteran trainer Tommy Gallagher as a prize for his victory.

Bravo said he did not remember how much cash was given — "it was a good amount," he said — but he will not forget the invitation to shop for a suit. Bravo, who is partially colorblind, initially picked a purple suit during a video clip shown on the show's Web site.

"It was dark, and I thought it was black," Bravo said. "I couldn't figure out why the heck everybody was laughing, and saying, 'Are you going to get that suit?' until I asked Jeremy (Williams, another trainer). I felt kind of dumb afterwards, but I'm glad they told me before I bought it."