Vinny Paz
Encyclopedia
Vinny Paz, formerly Vinny Pazienza (born Vincenzo Edward Pazienza on December 16, 1962 in Cranston, Rhode Island
) is an Italian
-American
former boxer and world champion in the lightweight
and light middleweight
weight classes. He boxed under the nickname of "The Pazmanian Devil."
After building a reputation around the Eastern coast and a streak of wins over people like Roberto Elizondo (KO in 10), the Rhode Island native's first title try came on June 7, 1987 in Providence, where he outpointed Greg Haugen over 15 rounds to become the IBF's world lightweight champion. The pair would meet two more times, Haugen recovering the title in an immediate rematch, but Paz prevailing in a 10-round decision in their rubber match in 1990.
Paz failed in title tries in the Jr Welterweight division in 1988 against WBC world champion Roger Mayweather and in February 3, 1990, vs WBO boss Hector Camacho and also in 1990 against WBA world champion Loreto Garza
.
After his third fight with Haugen, Paz's career became an inspiration to many. In 1991 he moved to the Jr Middleweight division and beat WBA World Jr Middleweight champion Gilbert Dele with an 12th round TKO win in Providence.
He had to vacate the title when he was involved in a car crash and the doctors told him he'd never fight again. But, after 3 months in the hospital and wearing a neck brace, he made one of boxing's most incredible comebacks ever, returning to the ring against his doctors' recommendations and beating future WBC world Jr. Middleweight champion Luis Santana by a 10-round decision. The rights to this story have been sold to Verdi Corrente Productions and is set to turned into a feature film in 2011.
Paz beat Roberto Duran by decision twice and lost a title try at world super middleweight champion Roy Jones Jr. in the 1990s, the decade when he also married his girlfriend, a former Penthouse model. He inflicted prospect Dana Rosenblatt's first loss (a knockout in 4 rounds) and lost a 12-round decision to Rosenblatt in a rematch during this period also. During this decade he also changed his last name from Pazienza to Paz.
In 2002, Paz lost to WBC world super middleweight champion Eric Lucas in what might be his last world title try.
Paz loves giving out autographs to his fans, and has been very popular from the time he broke into the boxing scene up until his sun setting days of the late 1990s and early 2000s. He is something of a local hero in Rhode Island, regarded as one of the state's favorite sons.Also the style of the city poured borrow greeks good athletes like John panagopulos.
Paz was a guest security guard on an episode of The Jerry Springer Show
aired in 2009.
Outside of boxing, Paz refereed the Brawl for All at WrestleMania XV
between Bart Gunn and Butterbean
.
As of December 2007, he is marketing a DVD that showcases all of his boxing highlights.
Cranston, Rhode Island
Cranston, once known as Pawtuxet, is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. With a population of 80,387 at the 2010 census, it is the third largest city in the state. The center of population of Rhode Island is located in Cranston...
) is an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former boxer and world champion in the lightweight
Lightweight
Light-weight is a class of athletes in a particular sport, based on their weight.-Professional boxing:The lightweight division is over 130 pounds and up to 135 pounds weight class in the sport of boxing....
and light middleweight
Light middleweight
Light Middleweight , is a weight division in professional boxing, above 147 pounds and up to 154 pounds ....
weight classes. He boxed under the nickname of "The Pazmanian Devil."
After building a reputation around the Eastern coast and a streak of wins over people like Roberto Elizondo (KO in 10), the Rhode Island native's first title try came on June 7, 1987 in Providence, where he outpointed Greg Haugen over 15 rounds to become the IBF's world lightweight champion. The pair would meet two more times, Haugen recovering the title in an immediate rematch, but Paz prevailing in a 10-round decision in their rubber match in 1990.
Paz failed in title tries in the Jr Welterweight division in 1988 against WBC world champion Roger Mayweather and in February 3, 1990, vs WBO boss Hector Camacho and also in 1990 against WBA world champion Loreto Garza
Loreto Garza
Loreto Garza is a former American boxer.Garza started boxing amateur at 18 years old and did it for three years. He won the Golden Gloves all three years and was also on the US boxing team....
.
After his third fight with Haugen, Paz's career became an inspiration to many. In 1991 he moved to the Jr Middleweight division and beat WBA World Jr Middleweight champion Gilbert Dele with an 12th round TKO win in Providence.
He had to vacate the title when he was involved in a car crash and the doctors told him he'd never fight again. But, after 3 months in the hospital and wearing a neck brace, he made one of boxing's most incredible comebacks ever, returning to the ring against his doctors' recommendations and beating future WBC world Jr. Middleweight champion Luis Santana by a 10-round decision. The rights to this story have been sold to Verdi Corrente Productions and is set to turned into a feature film in 2011.
Paz beat Roberto Duran by decision twice and lost a title try at world super middleweight champion Roy Jones Jr. in the 1990s, the decade when he also married his girlfriend, a former Penthouse model. He inflicted prospect Dana Rosenblatt's first loss (a knockout in 4 rounds) and lost a 12-round decision to Rosenblatt in a rematch during this period also. During this decade he also changed his last name from Pazienza to Paz.
In 2002, Paz lost to WBC world super middleweight champion Eric Lucas in what might be his last world title try.
Paz loves giving out autographs to his fans, and has been very popular from the time he broke into the boxing scene up until his sun setting days of the late 1990s and early 2000s. He is something of a local hero in Rhode Island, regarded as one of the state's favorite sons.Also the style of the city poured borrow greeks good athletes like John panagopulos.
Paz was a guest security guard on an episode of The Jerry Springer Show
The Jerry Springer Show
The Jerry Springer Show is a syndicated television tabloid talk show hosted by Jerry Springer, a former politician, broadcast in the United States and other countries...
aired in 2009.
Outside of boxing, Paz refereed the Brawl for All at WrestleMania XV
WrestleMania XV
WrestleMania XV was the fifteenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation , which took place on March 28, 1999 at the First Union Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
between Bart Gunn and Butterbean
Eric Esch
Eric Scott Esch is an American heavyweight boxer, kick-boxer, professional wrestler, and mixed martial artist commonly referred to as Butterbean....
.
As of December 2007, he is marketing a DVD that showcases all of his boxing highlights.