How do you rate Paul Spadafora?

He never ducked Floyd. He said he wanted the fight but was outgrowing 135 so it had to be sooner rather than later. Shortly after he went to prison. In 2011 there was renewed interest in a possible fight but Jeff Mayweather insisted it will never happen.

Not so sure a 2002 - 2004 fight between them is all that one-sided. Mayweather went the distance with a washed up Sosa and then fought a long string of no-hopers. Got a gift in first fight with Castillo.

As far as Paulie's resume, Mike Acri is just as much to blame for the trajectory of Spadafora's career.

 

Lol what are you, 16?

 

Clearly had some talent but is wildly overrated because of one sparring session with Mayweather. A world-level name at one point in the early 2000s at lightweight, but no different from the dozens of others who were in and around that top 10 throughout the same decade. There are so many fighters with talent who blow it all because they can't get a grip on themselves outside the ring; Spadafora is one in a long list of them. He's not a standout "what if" type of talent like Ibeabuchi or Edwin Valero. Talent is nothing without work ethic or the right mentality.

I don't want to discredit him too much because he had an absolutely awful upbringing that most people can't relate to: homeless as a kid, already using drugs and alcohol before he started boxing. If he had a better foundation and upbringing, who knows, but if we're going purely on his career, he had no wins of any real note, struggled with the likes of Oisin ***an, and got a gift draw against Dorin. So I don't rate him at all really, no.