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What: “Tough Bowl”

Where: FX, Friday, 9 p.m., and Sunday during Super Bowl halftime

The producers of the “Toughman” series seen Friday nights on FX got 20 former NFL players together for the first “Tough Bowl.” The combatants go at each other pretty good, but it’s not pretty. Judging from an advance tape, football players may be tough, but they can’t box. Still, the show is entertaining.

Most of the competition, featuring a team of former NFC players against a team of former AFC players, will be shown Friday night. But FX is saving the best for halftime of Sunday’s Super Bowl. As soon as the first half ends, FX will cut into its regular programming of “In Living Color,” and show a 22-minute version of “Tough Bowl.” Then it’s back to “In Living Color,” and viewers presumably will go back to the football game on CBS.

The Sunday version is highlighted by a bout between team captains Anthony Munoz and Dexter Manley. Munoz, in an interview before the bout, says he worked with a trainer for 3 1/2 weeks.

Manley is also interviewed and says, “I have a great amount of will. I can’t lose. I have the courage to win, and the courage to lose, so that means I’m unbeatable.”

It turns out to be quite a fight, although even with Munoz’s special training it’s hard to detect any boxing skills.

Among the other competitors are “Toughman” analyst Lawrence Taylor, who takes on Ickey Woods, and William “the Refrigerator” Perry, who fights Pete Johnson. One of the more entertaining bouts has Ross Browner going against Gary Reasons.

The regular “Toughman” crew of Matt Vasgersian, Taylor, Lisa Guerrero and Sean O’Grady works the event.

The competitors fight three one-minute rounds. They are protected by padded headgear, 16-ounce gloves, padded kidney belts and mouthpieces. Each bout is scored by three judges using a standard 10-point system.