Paul Spadafora
Encyclopedia
Paul Spadafora is a native of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania
who is a professional boxer
. Spadafora was the IBF
's world Lightweight champion.
Spadafora had a fruitful amateur career, winning 75 of 80 bouts. His dreams of becoming a professional boxer were almost dashed before he turned professional: According to the official reports, Spadafora was travelling in a car that was driven by a friend. When his friend began to go over the speed limit, he was chased by a cop. Since the driver refused to stop, the cop fired a shot, hitting Spadafora in the achilles' tendon .
of Steve Maddux. He won a total of four fights in his initial year.
In 1996, he fought eight times, winning all, six by knockout. In 1997, he fought six times, but his percentage of knockout wins dropped considerably when he only won two of those six bouts by knockout.
In 1998, he continued his winning ways throughout the year, winning all six bouts, three by knockout. One of the aforementioned
KO's took place on the exhibition bout card, featuring long retired veteran Dan Maloney and Tim Witherspoon.
He began 1999 by raising his quality of opposition, facing the veteran Rocky Martinez. He won that fight by a unanimous decision, and after one more win he and Israel Cardona met in Chester
for the I.B.F.'s vacant world crown on August 20. An underdog in the betting lines, Spadafora nevertheless became world champion, defeating Cardona in a 12 round decision. Then he retained the title with an 11 round knockout of Renato Cornett to finish the year.
He opened 2000 with a 12 round decision over Victoriano Sosa
to retain the title, and subsequently defended his title again by knockout over Mike Griffith
in round 11, and beat Billy Irwin in a 12 round decision to close the year.
By 2001, Spadafora was already a regular on the HBO Boxing
television
show. He retained the title with a 12 round decision over Joel Perez and won one non-title fight that year.
He began 2002 by retaining his title over Angel Manfredy
with a 12 round decision. His only other bout that year was a 12 round decision win over Dennis Holbaek, also with his world title on the line.
In 2003, Spadafora and WBA
world champion Leonard Dorin decided to meet to try to unify their world titles. They met on May 18, but the fight was declared a draw (tie), both boxers remaining as world champions in their respective organizations.
On June 27 of the same year, Spadafora announced he was relinquishing the IBF World Lightweight title to move to the Jr. Welterweight division because he was having trouble making weight in the Lightweight division.
Spadafora next fought on July 17, 2004, knocking out Costa Rica
's Francisco Campos in ten rounds.
On September 7, 2004, he was arrested again for running a car
into a parked police cruiser while allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol
. At the same time, he announced that he and Russo were planning to get married
on September 29, 2004. His personal troubles continued on December 11 when he was arrested after a urine test showed traces of cocaine
in his body. On December 20, he pled guilty to drug use charges and was jailed immediately.
On February 23, 2005, Spadafora was sentenced to 21 to 60 months in prison for the attempted murder of Nadine Russo.
On September 22, 2011, Spadafora was arrested once again on a DUI charge. He was processed and released after refusing to have a blood sample drawn.
. It was Spadafora's first ring action since serving the sentence for the October 2003 shooting of his girlfriend. Spadafora ended up back in jail on a parole violation, but was released in July 2007.
On April 25, 2008, in Erie, Pennsylvania
, Spadafora returned to the ring to fight Shad Howard. Spadafora repeatedly connected with sharp jabs and combinations enroute to a 80-72 unanimous decision.
In 2010 Paul defeated Italian boxer Ivan Fiorletta by knock out.
His record stands at 45-0-1 with 18 knockouts.
McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania
McKees Rocks, also known as "The Rocks", is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, along the south bank of the Ohio River. The borough population was 6,104 at the 2010 census.In the past, it was known for its extensive iron and steel interests...
who is a professional boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
. Spadafora was the IBF
International Boxing Federation
The International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
's world Lightweight champion.
Personal background
Known as "The Pittsburgh Kid", Spadafora hails from a borough outside of Pittsburgh named McKees Rocks.Spadafora had a fruitful amateur career, winning 75 of 80 bouts. His dreams of becoming a professional boxer were almost dashed before he turned professional: According to the official reports, Spadafora was travelling in a car that was driven by a friend. When his friend began to go over the speed limit, he was chased by a cop. Since the driver refused to stop, the cop fired a shot, hitting Spadafora in the achilles' tendon .
Professional career
On October 18, 1995, Spadafora made his professional debut, winning a four round knockoutKnockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
of Steve Maddux. He won a total of four fights in his initial year.
In 1996, he fought eight times, winning all, six by knockout. In 1997, he fought six times, but his percentage of knockout wins dropped considerably when he only won two of those six bouts by knockout.
In 1998, he continued his winning ways throughout the year, winning all six bouts, three by knockout. One of the aforementioned
KO's took place on the exhibition bout card, featuring long retired veteran Dan Maloney and Tim Witherspoon.
He began 1999 by raising his quality of opposition, facing the veteran Rocky Martinez. He won that fight by a unanimous decision, and after one more win he and Israel Cardona met in Chester
Chester, West Virginia
Chester is a city in Hancock County, West Virginia, United States, along the Ohio River. It is part of the Weirton–Steubenville, WV-OH Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,592 at the 2000 census. Chester was established in 1896, but not incorporated until 1907. The city is...
for the I.B.F.'s vacant world crown on August 20. An underdog in the betting lines, Spadafora nevertheless became world champion, defeating Cardona in a 12 round decision. Then he retained the title with an 11 round knockout of Renato Cornett to finish the year.
He opened 2000 with a 12 round decision over Victoriano Sosa
Victoriano Sosa
Victoriano Damian Sosa is a boxer.- Amateur career :Member of the 1992 Dominican Olympic Team as a Featherweight. His results were:*Defeated Eddie Saenz 23-14...
to retain the title, and subsequently defended his title again by knockout over Mike Griffith
Mike Griffith
Mike Grenville Griffith, born at Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire on 25 November 1943, was a cricketer who played for and captained Sussex. A middle-order right-handed batsman, he also kept wicket occasionally....
in round 11, and beat Billy Irwin in a 12 round decision to close the year.
By 2001, Spadafora was already a regular on the HBO Boxing
HBO Boxing
HBO World Championship Boxing is a sports television series, premiering in January 1973 that has shown a number of significant boxing events in the last three decades....
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
show. He retained the title with a 12 round decision over Joel Perez and won one non-title fight that year.
He began 2002 by retaining his title over Angel Manfredy
Angel Manfredy
Angel Manfredy is a Puerto Rican-American former boxer who has fought in the Junior Welterweight, Lightweight and Junior Lightweight divisions...
with a 12 round decision. His only other bout that year was a 12 round decision win over Dennis Holbaek, also with his world title on the line.
In 2003, Spadafora and WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
world champion Leonard Dorin decided to meet to try to unify their world titles. They met on May 18, but the fight was declared a draw (tie), both boxers remaining as world champions in their respective organizations.
On June 27 of the same year, Spadafora announced he was relinquishing the IBF World Lightweight title to move to the Jr. Welterweight division because he was having trouble making weight in the Lightweight division.
Spadafora next fought on July 17, 2004, knocking out Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
's Francisco Campos in ten rounds.
Troubles outside the ring
On October 29, 2003, Spadafora was arrested and accused in the shooting of his pregnant girlfriend, Nadine Russo. The story was that Spadafore and Russo were driving in Paul's new H3 Hummer on the night of October the 26th. An argument broke out between the two over the paternity of Russo's unborn child; it ended outside a local gas station where Spadafora allegedly shot Russo in the midsection. Spadafora was released after posting a $50,000 bond.On September 7, 2004, he was arrested again for running a car
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
into a parked police cruiser while allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
. At the same time, he announced that he and Russo were planning to get married
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
on September 29, 2004. His personal troubles continued on December 11 when he was arrested after a urine test showed traces of cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
in his body. On December 20, he pled guilty to drug use charges and was jailed immediately.
On February 23, 2005, Spadafora was sentenced to 21 to 60 months in prison for the attempted murder of Nadine Russo.
On September 22, 2011, Spadafora was arrested once again on a DUI charge. He was processed and released after refusing to have a blood sample drawn.
Comeback to the ring
Despite his troubles outside of the ring, Spadafora repeatedly expressed his intention to return to the ring. In November 2006 he returned after a 32-month layoff to stop Jesus Francisco Zepeda in round five at the Avalon Hotel in Erie, PennsylvaniaErie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
. It was Spadafora's first ring action since serving the sentence for the October 2003 shooting of his girlfriend. Spadafora ended up back in jail on a parole violation, but was released in July 2007.
On April 25, 2008, in Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
, Spadafora returned to the ring to fight Shad Howard. Spadafora repeatedly connected with sharp jabs and combinations enroute to a 80-72 unanimous decision.
In 2010 Paul defeated Italian boxer Ivan Fiorletta by knock out.
His record stands at 45-0-1 with 18 knockouts.