Mayweather Considering Paul Spadafora for Summer Fight (No, Really)
by Scott Christ on Mar 25, 2011 7:13 PM EDT
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For now this is just industry chatter, but it can't go ignored. Rick Reeno of BoxingScene.com reports that there are talks between the two camps that could lead to a fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Paul Spadafora this summer.
Seriously. Paul Spadafora. From the BoxingScene.com article:
"I was approached about the fight. I spoke with Don [King] and a few other people [connected to Mayweather]. Paul is interested in the fight. He's wanted this fight for a very long time. Paul is ready to finish what he started ten years ago. We'll see what happens," [promoter Michael] Acri told BoxingScene.com.
For those who don't know what "started ten years ago," it was a sparring session where Spadafora quite famously got the better of Floyd. Mayweather has always said he wasn't in shape for the session, which I'm pretty willing to believe all things considered.
Spadafora is 45-0-1 (19 KO), but is also 35 years old and hasn't had a notable fight in years, or more precisely, since he got out of prison. Spadafora made most of his headlines after being accused in 2003 of shooting his pregnant girlfriend, then arrested again in 2004 for driving under the influence. A drug test later that year showed cocaine in his system, and in 2005 he was convicted of attempted murder for the 2003 shooting.
He returned to boxing in November 2006, and has gone 7-0 against marginal competition since then. He hasn't been able to secure a major fight and hasn't fought on TV.
Now don't me wrong: at one time, Spadafora could fight. He wasn't great, and he's never been as good as his W-L record looks, but he won a belt at 135 pounds and defended it plenty. He almost always fought at his home bases in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, but he was a credible fighter at one time. Years ago.
But to even have this come up anywhere is not only surprising, but kind of bizarre. Who wants to see this fight? Who's going to buy it? Who's going to take the PPV? Integrated Sports? Is Mayweather willing to put himself in league with the epic Michael Grant-Tye Fields clash? Floyd fighting is always going to be an event to some degree because he's that level of star, but he hasn't fought someone in Spadafora's class in about a decade. It's not just a step back, but a historically huge step back.
And again, this is all just chatter for now, but it shouldn't even be chatter. For those who have never seen the sparring session, it starts below.
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Spadafora is a lefty, that’s his only advantage, and it’s nowhere near enough. At least he’ll have a nice paycheck if this actually happens
Yeah if there’s one guy I can think of who deserves a nice paycheck, it’s Paul Spadafora.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Mar 25, 2011 7:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Holy Scott Christ, Batman!
I just read that piece, Scott… and I vomited in my mouth. I am a Mayweather fan, however, I do not support THAT message. Although, it would be pretty funny if Spadafora knocked Mayweathed the **** out.
"I stay clever like Mayweather, will lay leather 'til your face sever, one of the greatest ever." -- Big Daddy Kane
Floyd Mayweather, Jr. fan since 7/12/97 — 41-0-0 (25 KOs)
Boxing TOP 5: Mayweather, Donaire, S. Martinez, JM Marquez, M. Cotto
MMA TOP 5: A. Silva, Hendo, Rampage, Bones, Nick Diaz
K-1 TOP 5: Overeem, Jienotsu, Masato, Buakaw, Zambidis
What if Mayweather actually lost this fight? I mean, I know it’s never going to happen but can you imagine?
by glatin1982 on Mar 25, 2011 7:56 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
This fight would truly = forgetaboutit
for the Mayweather swath of terror through the welterweight world.
Sherman slouching toward Central Falls.
It would at least give me a chance
To interview a guy who is fighting Mayweather. I’ll take it.
http://www.kissingthecanvas.com
"Look at this body, ... Do I look like I use steroids?"
-James Toney
Yeah if there’s one guy I can think of who deserves press coverage, it’s Paul Spadafora.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Mar 25, 2011 8:18 PM EDT up reply actions
why so much hate?
He is no saint but he isn’t the worst boxer or athlete out there.
http://www.kissingthecanvas.com
"Look at this body, ... Do I look like I use steroids?"
-James Toney
by tylerrcurtis on Mar 25, 2011 8:27 PM EDT up reply actions
“Paul Spadafora is no saint” = “The KKK isn’t wild about black people.”
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Mar 25, 2011 8:30 PM EDT up reply actions
why so much hate
In case you haven’t bothered to read the article Spaddy shot his pregnant girlfriend.
Yeah,he’s no saint all right.
i have more knowledge about this then most becuase I live in Pittsburgh
And know people close to him. He is great with young kids and obviously I won’t defend what he did but he paid his debt and has moved away from Pittsburgh and got his shit together. What he did was terrible and again not defending that but there are football players who have killed people and Jorge Barrios killed a pregnant woman but when his name comes up he isn’t bashed mercilessly.
http://www.kissingthecanvas.com
"Look at this body, ... Do I look like I use steroids?"
-James Toney
by tylerrcurtis on Mar 25, 2011 8:46 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m not going to name everyone else with similar crimes to their credit every time I talk about Spadafora. As for Jorge Barrios, he is a disaster and something needs to be done before he gets even worse. But that has nothing to do with Paul Spadafora. I don’t like him and I’m not about to start. Look, I hope you are correct, that he’s a changed man — I believe in a man’s ability to change. But no, I don’t think he deserves a Mayweather fight in any way, shape or form.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Mar 25, 2011 9:17 PM EDT up reply actions
I understand your point and I think he doesn't
Deserve it but not from a personal stand point. He just isn’t what he was physically and I didn’t mean to say everyone should be brought up and obviously they have nothing to do with each other. Just meant he isn’t the only questionable fighter out there getting paydays.
http://www.kissingthecanvas.com
"Look at this body, ... Do I look like I use steroids?"
-James Toney
by tylerrcurtis on Mar 25, 2011 9:29 PM EDT up reply actions
I’ll add that frankly I don’t think Mayweather deserves “a Mayweather fight” either.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Mar 25, 2011 9:35 PM EDT up reply actions
Every Move
Mayweather makes over the last few years is just an insult to the intelligence…Either he isn’t all that bright or more likely he thinks people are naive/gullible and will fall for his crap…Mostly only the Floyd fanboys do that.
One of my favourite fights of the 2000’s was Spadafora v Leo Dorin but even at that time he was no match for someone of Floyd’s ability….To suggest it now is just hilarious enough to make me want to puke.
Spadafora sounds like he’s a scumbag of the highest order too.
Floyd’s not even worth talking about in current boxing until he takes the one fight that matters.
I’m just looking forward to Floyd if he ever reaches the stage where Mike Tyson is, considering where he is, what he could have been, and where it went wrong. My money is still on bipolar disorder, and I’m not saying that out of malice; just a guess of where this overall string of behavior could come from.
Judging by his father and uncle (though his dad has softened over time), I doubt Floyd ever comes to a point where he starts being honest with anyone publicly.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Mar 25, 2011 9:34 PM EDT up reply actions
Isn't this just like when Mayweather considered...
Matthew Hatton, Paulie Malignaggi and Nate Campbell? However, I would like to see Mayweather and Spadafora fight….for charity.
Aside from that, this is hilarious.
"I stay clever like Mayweather, will lay leather 'til your face sever, one of the greatest ever." -- Big Daddy Kane
Floyd Mayweather, Jr. fan since 7/12/97 — 41-0-0 (25 KOs)
Boxing TOP 5: Mayweather, Donaire, S. Martinez, JM Marquez, M. Cotto
MMA TOP 5: A. Silva, Hendo, Rampage, Bones, Nick Diaz
K-1 TOP 5: Overeem, Jienotsu, Masato, Buakaw, Zambidis
I don’t expect this to happen, but I class this even lower than the Hatton/Paulie/Nate rumors.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Mar 25, 2011 9:57 PM EDT up reply actions
Mayweather is becoming a bigger joke by the days
What’s next,he considers a fight with Pongsaklek Wonjongkam or Daisuke Naito (two guys who are 30-35 lbs lighter then him)?
Any chance...
That this is Mayweather’s “Fuck You” response to Arum’s $100 Million news leak? This seems equally ridiculous as a demanding a guarantee of $100 million, or having double-secret probation talks. I’m starting to think that there is actually a deal in place between Pacman and Mayweather because there is a lot of really strange talk drumming up interest through the blogs. This site has said more about Mayweather in the past two days than the rest of the year combined. Something is seriously fishy here….
"The bell that tolls for all in boxing belongs to a cash register."
-Bob Verdi
If your conspiracy theory is true, I sure hope that the idea is for me to bottom out on my respect for Mayweather so that it can be rebuilt by announcing a deal to fight Pacquiao. Because otherwise…it’s not working right.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Mar 26, 2011 2:47 AM EDT up reply actions
I guess I’m just thinking that this shit is just too ridiculous, even for Floyd. I mean the man is a jackass but he does know how to make money off of a fight…..and this is not the way. This is starting to be some strange ‘Lights Out’-style shit going down if this turns out to be true.
"The bell that tolls for all in boxing belongs to a cash register."
-Bob Verdi
by Waldo Rastel on Mar 26, 2011 3:11 AM EDT up reply actions
Like I said, it’s really, really weird that it’s even a rumor. I think there’s a 7,000-to-1 shot this actually happens, but that it’s even out there at all is bizarre.
You could make up stupid reasons for his other rumors in the last couple years:
Paul Malignaggi: (Supposedly) popular New York fighter. Has had plenty of TV exposure. Good talker. Can work a press conference.
Matthew Hatton: Brother of Ricky Hatton. Fight would make great money in the UK, where Mayweather seems fairly popular himself.
Nate Campbell: There was that whole “Pacquiao never fought Nate Campbell” weirdness, which was bullshit, but, you know. Has had lots of TV exposure.
Paul Spadafora: (tumbleweeds)
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Mar 26, 2011 3:23 AM EDT up reply actions
This fight makes sense from a Floyd stand point. I mean Spadafora is unbeaten, no one has a blue print to beat him, he must be one of the best boxers of all time.
"A hero has faced it all: he need not be undefeated, but he must be undaunted." - Andrew Bernstein
by sigidy on Mar 26, 2011 3:07 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
If it gets mayweather back in the ring im all for it. You have just got to hope it leads to something bigger. Im not referring to the pac fight, but just something…
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