Vinny Paz, formerly Vinny Pazienza (born Vincenzo Edward
Pazienza; December 16, 1962), is an American former boxer and
world champion in the lightweight, light middleweight and super middleweight
weight classes. He was also the United States Boxing Association's
light middleweight champion. He boxed under the nickname of "The Pazmanian
Devil". He was the son of Louise Pazienza (1927-2002).
Career
Vinny
Pazienza built a reputation around the East Coast putting together
an impressive streak of wins over fighters such as Melvin Paul (KO
2), Joe Frazier Jr. (TKO 7), Harry Arroyo (UD 10), Nelson Bolanos
(TKO 6) and Roberto Elizondo (KO in 10). His first World Title fight
came on June 7, 1987 in Providence, RI, where he outpointed Greg Haugen
over 15 rounds to become the IBF World Lightweight Champion. The pair
would meet two more times, Haugen recovering the title in an immediate
rematch, and Pazienza previling in a 10 round decision in their rubber
match in 1990.
Pazienza failed in title tries in the Jr Welterweight
division in 1988 against WBC World Champion Roger Mayweather, then
on February 3, 1990 vs WBO Champion Hector "Macho" Camacho, and also
in 1990 against WBA World Champion Loreto Garza. It was during this
period of time Pazienza was having difficulty making weight for his
fights. In fact after the Roger Mayweather fight, Pazienza collapsed
in the dressing room after the fight. He was rushed to an Emergency
Room in Las Vegas and nearly died from severe dehydration. After the
loss to Garza, Pazienza decided it was time to move up to a more natural
weight class. It has been said that his then Manager Lou Duva did
not want Pazienza to move up in weight due to the Duva's having Champions
in other weight classes.
In 1991 Pazienza made the move to the
Jr Middleweight division and in his first fight at this weight class
won the USBA Championship against Ron Amundson in an impressive 12
Round decision. Pazienza looked faster, healthier and stronger. He
then received a shot at the WBA World Title and was successful in
defeating the then undefeated WBA World Jr. Middleweight champion
Gilbert Dele with a 12th round TKO win in Providence, RI. With this
world title win, Pazienza became the second fighter in boxing history
to win both the lightweight and junior middleweight world championships.
Pazienza was considered the underdog going into the fight but delivered
what many believe was the finest performance of his career.
Shortly
after winning the junior middleweight world title, Pazienza was forced
to relinquish the title due to a serious car accident in which his
neck was broken. Doctors informed him he might never walk again and
would certainly never fight again. Pazienza had to wear a medical
device called a Halo, a circular metal brace screwed into the skull
in four spots and propped up with four metal rods. Pazienza had the
Halo screwed to his skull for 3 months, during which time he maintained
a workout regime, disobeying the doctors' orders. Pazienza returned
to the ring thirteen months after the accident and beat future WBC
World Jr. Midlweight Champion Luis Santana via a 10 round decision.
It is considered the greatest comeback in boxing history. The rights
to this story were sold to Verdi Corrente Productions and have been
turned into a feature film dubbed Bleed for This. American actor Miles
Teller portrays Paz.
After the Santana fight, Pazienza then
went on to defeat Brett Lally by a 6th round TKO and then, in another
TKO, beat the former world champion Lloyd Honeyghan in the 10th round.
Pazienza went on to win the vacant IBO middlewight World Title in
1993 with an 11th round KO over Dan Sherry.