This was a GREAT rivalry - real bad blood between the combatants. Myself, I always rooted for Haugen, and thought he was jobbed in the first fight.
They ended up showing the whole trilogy. The second fight was a great one. All-out brawl. Paz boxed more in the third fight.
I think Haugen fought his career best fight against Paz in that second fight. Pazienza has always annoyed me as an arrogant, pompous little ****, and it's a pleasure to see Haugen get revenge in that second fight. Much more respect for Greg Haugen here.
...........I too made a habit of rooting against Pazienza his entire career, as I saw that he was far more flash than substance. I gotta give it to him for heart; that much he had in abundance, but he was so ridiculously overrated as a fighter. It also helped that Haugen and I come from the same town. Haugen deserved the first two decisions, the third could have gone either way. Neither man looked particularly good in that one. The single-best KO Magazine interview I ever read was the one where they interviewed Paz and Haugen simultaneously via conference call. They absolutely hated each other, and the fireworks flew; I would have loved to have heard that one as it happened. Hysterically funny stuff.
