Vinny Pazienza has won five world titles in three different
weight classes: lightweight, junior middleweight and super middleweight.
Over time, he fought all the top names of the 1980s and 1990s, including
Roberto Duran, Brett Lally, Lloyd Honeyghan, Robbie Sims, Dana Rosenblatt
and Greg Haugen.
The most impressive aspect of his career, though,
may have come midway through his career, when a serious auto accident
sent him to the hospital for a three month stay. Against doctor’s
orders, “The Paz” began working out in the gym – while wearing a stabilizing
halo. His first opponent was former WBC super welterweight champ Louis
Santana, a win for Paz. He would go on to fight Duran and Rosenblatt
in title bouts.
Vs Dana Rosenblatt 1
In August 1996 bitter rivals
from the New England area of the United States, Rhode Island’s Pazienza
and Massachusetts’ Rosenblatt were polar opposites – Pazienza the
fiery Italian veteran and Rosenblatt the clean cut Jewish kid with
the glossy unbeaten record. And when they met in Atlantic City, the
pre-fight animosity carried into the ring.
Pazienza was dropped
in the first, but before referee Tony Orlando could intervene, “The
Pazmanian Devil” jumped to his feet and cracked Rosenblatt. Regardless,
Rosenblatt dominated the first three frames, before a right hand from
Pazienza decked him. Rosenblatt rose, staggered back to the ropes,
but was allowed to continue. Pazienza, smelling blood, didn’t let
his foe off the hook, and even when Orlando intervened, the Cranston
native kept punching, the referee falling to the canvas as well.
Television/film
appearances
Outside of boxing, Paz was a guest star on the TV series
Police Academy, a guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, was featured
on The Montell Williams Show, served as a guest security guard on
an episode of The Jerry Springer Show, and refereed the Brawl for
All fight at Wrestlemania XV between Bart Gunn and Butterbean. He
appeared in the unreleased 1997 movie The Good Life.
The 2016
film Bleed for This is based on his comeback from a spinal injury,
and stars Miles Teller as Paziena.
