Paul Spadafora pugile

Paul Ross Spadafora (born September 5, 1975) 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.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.Spadafora had a fruitful amateur career, winning 75 of 80 bouts.citation neededPaul Spadafora was trained by Tom Yankello. On October 18, 1995, Spadafora made his professional debut, winning a four-round knockout of Steve Maddux. He won a total of four fights in his initial year.In 1996, he fought eight times, winning all, six by knockout. In 1997, he fought six times, but his percentage of knockout wins dropped considerably when he only won two of those six bouts by knockout.In 1998, he continued his winning ways throughout the year, winning all six bouts, three by knockout. One of the KO's took place on the exhibition bout card, featuring long-retired veteran Dan Maloney and Tim Witherspoon.