I really liked the way Paul Spadafora boxed. The guy hardly got hit, moved around great in the ring. Had very little power. OK he was a jerk outside the ring (drugs, attempted murder of pregnant GF,stabbing his brother etc.) but in the ring he was fun to watch, even lacking power. What do you guys think of his boxing ability? His rank as a lightweight? This content is protected This content is protected
Being from Grand Rapids I saw that Paulie got a lot of attention in my home town paper after that famous sparring session. At the time PBF was a ring genius but a tepid box office presence and the GR press' David Mayo put a lot of effort into manufacturing a rivalry between the two. In a way it made sense, but on the other hand while Floyd was chopping down Genaro Hernandez, Corrales, JLC, etc. Spadafora was pitter pattering his way to 12 round wins over Chucky T, Billy Irwin, Manfredy etc. Spadafora showed mad heart when he came back to win after nearly getting decapitated by Victoriano Sosa, and he fought like hell against Leonard Dorin, but that shiny record was sooooooooooo padded. He tried to fashion himself a peer of Mayweather's, but he fit in better with guys like Accelino Freitas, Art Grigoriano, and Julio Diaz.
I like Paul. I got to interview him several yrs ago and still have the tape of it. He was such breath of fresh air for a boxer. The guy was really down to earth, no bluster, and genuinely wanted to fight the best to prove himself and test himself for his own piece of mind how good he was. We talked about Kostya Tszyu and he said "that guys so good I cant even put his name in my mouth. Hes that good. Id just love to fight him. If I could beat him Id know I was good." Stuff like that. Its hard to reconcile that guy with the guy you heard about outside the ring. I know later on when he struggled with guys like Dorrin and Manfredy he was killing himself, absolutely killing himself to make weight. When he wasnt struggling he was really good but i dont think we got to see the best of him.
He was a really good boxer. Technique and heart. The sparring session with Mayweather was legendary. Really made Floyd look human.
Thanks, I've been meaning to check out some of his actual fights (I only recall the sparring session).
Seems like a humble, honest guy: "When they put that stupid stuff out there about Mayweather, I am just keeping it real since I am a real dude, I was ten days before a fight. How would I not be ready to get it in? I am going to be sharp. He wasn't in camp. I was in camp. I was the one that was ready to go. It doesn't make sense. You might come up here a month or two before my sparring you may get over on me but I'm saying as the days come to when it is time to get down where you have to be ready, I'm going to be ready. It's going to be the best of me."
Pito Cardona was definitely top ten and respected when Spadafora shut him out for a title. After that, he fought crappy opposition for awhile, i imagine because he had no issues selling tickets. He then started to step up his comp with Manfredy and Dorin. I have no issue with the Dorin fight being scored a draw. The weird part to me is how derailed his career was from the legal trouble. He only sat out for like a year and a half from 2005-2006 and again for the year 2011, that time due to management issues. You'd think he would've challenged for a title at 140. He eventually seemed headed for the WBA interim belt as an old man but lost in a competitive fight.
