Template:Short description Template:Infobox boxer

Paul Ross Spadafora (born September 5, 1975)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> is an American retired professional boxer. He is the former IBF lightweight champion of the world, and has challenged once for a light welterweight world title. In 2020, he was inducted into the Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Personal backgroundEdit

Known as "The Pittsburgh Kid", Spadafora is from McKees Rocks, a borough outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His childhood was poverty-stricken: his father died of a drug overdose when he was nine, and he was homeless for several weeks as a teenager. He started boxing when he was eleven, and left school in 9th grade to focus on it.<ref name=Harlan>Template:Cite news</ref>

Troubles outside the ringEdit

Spadafora was an alcoholic from a young age and at one point also abused drugs.<ref name=Harlan/> He pleaded guilty to aggravated assault for shooting his girlfriend Nadine Russo in the chest in October 2003 after a night of drinking, and in February 2005 was sentenced to six months in a bootcamp-style rehabilitation center.<ref name=Harlan/> He had by then become engaged to Russo and she had born his second child.<ref name=Harlan/> He ultimately went to prison for the crime.<ref name=sued>Template:Cite news</ref>

In September<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and October 2011, Spadafora was twice arrested on DUI charges. The following September he pleaded guilty.<ref name=sued/>

On September 23, 2012, his manager filed suit against him in Allegheny County court for breach of contract.<ref name=sued/>

ComebackEdit

Despite his troubles outside 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, Pennsylvania.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On April 25, 2008, again in Erie, Spadafora returned to the ring to fight Shad Howard. Spadafora repeatedly connected with sharp jabs and combinations enroute to an 80–72 unanimous decision.

In 2010 he defeated Italian boxer Ivan Fiorletta by knockout.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In August 2012 he defeated Humberto Toledo.<ref name=sued/>

On April 6, 2013, Spadafora defeated Robert Franckel for the NABF Super Lightweight Championship.

Spadafora suffered the only loss of his career on November 30, 2013, losing to Johan Pérez by majority decision to lose the WBA Light Welterweight title.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

RetirementEdit

Paul Spadafora retired from boxing following his 2014 fight with Héctor Velázquez.

In April 2016, Spadafora was charged with assault for an altercation with a woman outside of Redstone Tavern in Crafton, Pennsylvania, and was sentenced to anger management classes.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In December 2016, Spadafora was arrested after police responded to an altercation where Spadafora was accused of attacking his brother with a knife, stabbing him in the thigh, and kicking his mother in the back. In March 2018, Spadafora plead guilty to simple assault, resisting arrest, and terroristic threats, and was sentenced to time served and released on parole.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

As of 2024, Paul Spadafora is living in Las Vegas and training boxers in a gym built in his garage.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In October 2024, Spadafora was hospitalized after being bitten by his pet dog, severing an artery in his left arm.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Professional boxing recordEdit

Template:BoxingRecordSummary

Template:Abbr Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
51 Template:Yes2Win 49–1–1 Héctor Velázquez UD 8 Jul 11, 2014 Template:Small
50 Template:No2Loss 48–1–1 Johan Pérez MD 12 Nov 30, 2013 Template:Small Template:Small
49 Template:Yes2Win 48–0–1 Robert Franckel UD 10 Apr 6, 2013 Template:Small Template:Small
48 Template:Yes2Win 47–0–1 Solomon Egberime UD 10 Dec 1, 2012 Template:Small
47 Template:Yes2Win 46–0–1 Humberto Toledo UD 8 Aug 18, 2012 Template:Small
46 Template:Yes2Win 45–0–1 Alain Hernandez RTD 5 (10), Template:Small Nov 20, 2010 Template:Small
45 Template:Yes2Win 44–0–1 Ivan Fiorletta TKO 8 (10), Template:Small Mar 12, 2010 Template:Small
44 Template:Yes2Win 43–0–1 Jermaine White UD 8 Sep 30, 2009 Template:Small
43 Template:Yes2Win 42–0–1 Ivan Orlando Bustos TKO 6 (8), Template:Small Jun 24, 2009 Template:Small
42 Template:Yes2Win 41–0–1 Shad Howard UD 8 Apr 25, 2008 Template:Small
41 Template:Yes2Win 40–0–1 Oisin Fagan SD 10 Mar 9, 2007 Template:Small
40 Template:Yes2Win 39–0–1 Frankie Zepeda TKO 5 (10), Template:Small Nov 22, 2006 Template:Small
39 Template:Yes2Win 38–0–1 Francisco Campos TKO 10 (10), Template:Small Jul 17, 2004 Template:Small
38 Template:Yes2Win 37–0–1 Rubén Galván UD 10 Apr 29, 2004 Template:Small
37 Template:DrawDraw 36–0–1 Leonard Doroftei SD 12 May 17, 2003 Template:Small Template:Small
36 Template:Yes2Win 36–0 Dennis Holbaek Pedersen UD 12 Nov 9, 2002 Template:Small Template:Small
35 Template:Yes2Win 35–0 Angel Manfredy UD 12 Mar 9, 2002 Template:Small Template:Small
34 Template:Yes2Win 34–0 Charles Tschorniawsky UD 10 Aug 14, 2001 Template:Small
33 Template:Yes2Win 33–0 Joel Perez UD 12 May 8, 2001 Template:Small Template:Small
32 Template:Yes2Win 32–0 Billy Irwin UD 12 Dec 16, 2000 Template:Small Template:Small
31 Template:Yes2Win 31–0 Rodney Jones UD 10 Sep 9, 2000 Template:Small
30 Template:Yes2Win 30–0 Mike Griffith TD 10 (12), Template:Small May 6, 2000 Template:Small Template:Small
29 Template:Yes2Win 29–0 Victoriano Sosa UD 12 Mar 3, 2000 Template:Small Template:Small
28 Template:Yes2Win 28–0 Renato Cornett TKO 11 (12), Template:Small Dec 17, 1999 Template:Small Template:Small
27 Template:Yes2Win 27–0 Israel Cardona UD 12 Aug 20, 1999 Template:Small Template:Small
26 Template:Yes2Win 26–0 Eugene Johnson UD 8 Mar 30, 1999 Template:Small
25 Template:Yes2Win 25–0 Rocky Martinez UD 10 Jan 22, 1999 Template:Small
24 Template:Yes2Win 24–0 Dezi Ford TKO 10 (12) Dec 4, 1998 Template:Small
23 Template:Yes2Win 23–0 Sam Girard UD 10 Oct 23, 1998 Template:Small
22 Template:Yes2Win 22–0 David Thomas TKO 2 (8) Aug 30, 1998 Template:Small
21 Template:Yes2Win 21–0 Jose Aponte PTS 12 Jun 23, 1998 Template:Small
20 Template:Yes2Win 20–0 Amado Cabato TKO 7 (8) May 27, 1998 Template:Small
19 Template:Yes2Win 19–0 Troy Fletcher UD 8 Mar 26, 1998 Template:Small
18 Template:Yes2Win 18–0 Roger Brown UD 8 Dec 11, 1997 Template:Small
17 Template:Yes2Win 17–0 Hector Ramirez TKO 2 (?) Oct 15, 1997 Template:Small
16 Template:Yes2Win 16–0 Kino Rodriguez UD 6 Sep 13, 1997 Template:Small
15 Template:Yes2Win 15–0 Bernard Harris UD 8 Aug 13, 1997 Template:Small
14 Template:Yes2Win 14–0 Julio Cesar Merino TKO 5 (?) May 23, 1997 Template:Small
13 Template:Yes2Win 13–0 Joe Lafontant PTS 6 Mar 1, 1997 Template:Small
12 Template:Yes2Win 12–0 Greg McLean KO 2 (6) Dec 22, 1996 Template:Small
11 Template:Yes2Win 11–0 Mark Andreske TKO 5 (?) Nov 21, 1996 Template:Small
10 Template:Yes2Win 10–0 Jeff Whaley TKO 2 (8) Sep 27, 1996 Template:Small
9 Template:Yes2Win 9–0 Antonio Gonzalez UD 4 Jun 22, 1996 Template:Small
8 Template:Yes2Win 8–0 Calvin Faggins TKO 2 (4) Jun 10, 1996 Template:Small
7 Template:Yes2Win 7–0 Erik Joshua UD 4 May 7, 1996 Template:Small
6 Template:Yes2Win 6–0 Julio Ibarra TKO 3 (?) Mar 31, 1996 Template:Small
5 Template:Yes2Win 5–0 Michael Lopez RTD 3 (4), Template:Small Feb 20, 1996 Template:Small
4 Template:Yes2Win 4–0 Lacebian Crockett KO 1 (?) Dec 13, 1995 Template:Small
3 Template:Yes2Win 3–0 Anthony Hardy UD 4 Nov 15, 1995 Template:Small
2 Template:Yes2Win 2–0 Nathaniel Hardy TKO 2 (?) Nov 7, 1995 Template:Small
1 Template:Yes2Win 1–0 Steve Maddux PTS 4 Oct 18, 1995 Template:Small

See AlsoEdit

  • Billy Conn, another professional boxer from Pittsburgh nicknamed "the Pittsburgh Kid".

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

External linksEdit

Template:S-start Template:S-sports Template:S-text Template:S-break |- Template:S-vac Template:S-ttl Template:S-vac Template:S-end