Vinny Paz


Vinny Paz, formerly Vinny Pazienza, is an American former professional boxer who held world titles at lightweight and light middleweight. The 2016 film Bleed for This is based on his comeback from a spinal injury.

Career

In the 1980s, Pazienza built a reputation along the East Coast, defeating such opponents as Melvin Paul, Joe Frazier Jr., Harry Arroyo, Nelson Bolanos, and Roberto Elizondo. His first world title fight came on June 7, 1987, in Providence, Rhode Island, 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 prevailing in a 10-round decision in their rubber match in 1990.
Pazienza failed in title tries in the junior welterweight division: in 1988, against WBC World Champion Roger Mayweather and in 1990, against both WBO Champion Hector "Macho" Camacho and WBA World Champion Loreto Garza.
In 1991, Pazienza moved into the junior middleweight division. In his first fight at junior middleweight, he won the USBA championship against Ron Amundsen in a 12-round decision. He defeated the WBA world jr. middleweight champion Gilbert Delé with a 12th-round TKO in Providence, becoming the second fighter in boxing history to win both the lightweight and junior middleweight world championships.
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. He had the Halo screwed to his skull for three months, during which time he maintained a workout regimen against doctors orders. He returned to the ring thirteen months after the accident and defeated future WBC world jr. middleweight champion Luis Santana by a 10-round decision.
After the Santana fight, Pazienza went on to defeat Brett Lally by a 6th-round TKO, and then, in another TKO, former world champion Lloyd Honeyghan in the 10th round. Pazienza went on to win the vacant IBO middleweight world title in 1993 with an 11th-round KO over Dan Sherry. Pazienza then went on to beat Roberto Durán twice, both via unanimous decision, with the IBC super middleweight title on the line both times. In the first fight, Durán put Pazienza down in Rounds 2 and 5, but referee Joe Cortez controversially ruled the Round 2 knockdown to be a slip. The first fight divided the people watching as some felt that Durán had won a close fight, but others felt that Pazienza had won either narrowly or widely after finishing strongly in the last five rounds. The second fight was more lopsided in Pazienza's favour, as despite the official judges giving Pazienza the win by scores of 116–112, 117–111 and 118–110, the TV commentators expressed puzzlement at the closeness of the official scoring as they thought that Pazienza had won every round in a 120–108 shutout.
In June 1995, Pazienza lost his world title bid against IBF world super middleweight champion Roy Jones Jr. In 1996, Pazienza inflicted then-prospect Dana Rosenblatt's only loss to win the vacant WBU super middleweight world championship.
In early 2001, Pazienza legally changed his last name to Paz. In 2002, he lost to WBC world super middleweight champion Eric Lucas in what would be his last shot at a world title. In 2004, Paz fought in his last fight, defeating Tocker Pudwill via 10-round unanimous decision. His record stands at 50-10, with 30 wins by knockout and five world titles. He also won the USBA title. He had a very serious gambling addict and even after his career, wasted over $10 million in purses on his lifestyle and blackjack.

Television/film appearances

Outside of boxing, Paz was a guest star on the TV series, 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 Pazienza.

Legal issues

Paz has been arrested on a variety of criminal charges, including alcohol-related crimes, domestic violence, passing bad checks, and disorderly conduct.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
60Win50–10 Tocker PudwillUD10Mar 27, 2004 Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, U.S.
59Loss49–10 Eric LucasUD12Mar 1, 2002 Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, U.S.For WBC super middleweight title
58Win49–9 Levan EasleyUD10Dec 7, 2001 Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, U.S.
57Win48–9 Tim ShocksUD10Sep 21, 2001 Rhodes-on-the Pawtuxet, Cranston, Rhode Island, U.S.
56Win47–9 Pat LawlorKO2, 1:52Jul 27, 2001 Rhodes-on-the Pawtuxet, Cranston, Rhode Island, U.S.
55Loss46–9 Aaron DavisTKO8, 1:48Feb 9, 2001 Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, U.S.
54Loss46–8 Dana RosenblattSD12Nov 5, 1999 Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, U.S.For vacant IBO super middleweight title
53Win46–7 Esteban CervantesSD10Jun 25, 1999 Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, U.S.
52Win45–7 Joseph KiwanukaUD10Apr 9, 1999 Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, U.S.
51Win44–7 Undra WhiteTKO9, 2:55Jan 8, 1999 Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, U.S.
50Win43–7 Arthur AllenUD10Nov 6, 1998 Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, U.S.
49Win42–7 Glenwood BrownMD10Jul 26, 1998 Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, U.S.
48Loss41–7 Herol GrahamUD12Dec 6, 1997 Wembley Arena, Wembley, London, EnglandFor WBC International super middleweight title
47Win41–6 Dana RosenblattTKO4, 2:13Aug 23, 1996 Bally's Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.Won vacant WBU super middleweight title
46Loss40–6 Roy Jones, Jr.TKO6, 2:58Jun 24, 1995 Atlantic City Convention Center, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.For IBF super middleweight title
45Win40–5 Roberto DuránUD12Jan 14, 1995 Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.Retained IBC super middleweight title
44Win39–5 Rafael WilliamsUD10Nov 8, 1994 Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, U.S.
43Win38–5 Roberto DuránUD12Jun 25, 1994 MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.Won vacant IBC super middleweight title
42Win37–5 Jacques LeBlancUD10Apr 5, 1994 Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, U.S.
41Win36–5 Dan SherryKO11, 2:59Dec 28, 1993 Ritz Carlton, Aspen, Colorado, U.S.Won vacant IBO super middleweight title
40Win35–5 Robbie SimsUD10Oct 26, 1993 Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, U.S.
39Win34–5 Lloyd HoneyghanTKO10, 0:56Jun 26, 1993 Atlantic City Convention Center, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
38Win33–5 Brett LallyRTD6, 3:00Mar 2, 1993 Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, U.S.
37Win32–5 Luis SantanaUD10Dec 15, 1992 Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, U.S.
36Win31–5 Gilbert DeléTKO12, 2:10Oct 1, 1991 Providence Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.Won WBA light middleweight title
35Win30–5 Ron AmundsenUD12Jul 2, 1991 Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.Won IBF USBA light middleweight title
34Loss29–5 Loreto GarzaDQ11, 2:59Dec 1, 1990 Arco Arena, Sacramento, California, U.S.For WBA light welterweight title
33Win29–4 Greg HaugenUD10Aug 5, 1990 Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
32Loss28–4 Hector CamachoUD12Feb 3, 1990 Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.For WBO light welterweight title
31Win28–3 Eddie VanKirkTKO5, 2:41Nov 27, 1989 Providence Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
30Win27–3 Vinnie BurgeseTKO10, 1:05Jun 11, 1989 Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
29Win26–3 Jake CarolloTKO2, 1:58Apr 14, 1989 Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
28Loss25–3 Roger MayweatherUD12Nov 7, 1988 Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.For WBC light welterweight title
27Win25–2 Rick KaiserTKO3, 1:24Oct 4, 1988 Park West, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
26Win24–2 Felix DubrayTKO4, 1:34Jun 27, 1988 Providence Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
25Loss23–2 Greg HaugenUD15Feb 6, 1988 Atlantic City Convention Center, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.Lost IBF lightweight title
24Win23–1 Greg HaugenUD15Jun 7, 1987 Providence Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.Won IBF lightweight title
23Win22–1 Roberto ElizondoTKO10, 2:56Feb 8, 1987 Providence Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
22Win21–1 Roger BrownTKO4, 2:53Nov 8, 1986 San Juan, Puerto Rico, U.S.
21Win20–1 Nelson BolanosTKO6, 2:48Sep 18, 1986 Providence Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
20Win19–1 Harry ArroyoUD10May 18, 1986 Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
19Win18–1 Joe Frazier, Jr.TKO7, 1:52Feb 5, 1986 Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
18Win17–1 Melvin PaulTKO2 Nov 26, 1985 Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
17Win16–1 Jeff BumpusUD10Sep 18, 1985 Harrah's Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
16Win15–1 Antoine LarkTKO6, 2:46Mar 27, 1985 Harrah's Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
15Loss14–1 Abdelkader MarbiTKO5 Dec 1, 1984 Palazzo Dello Sport, Milan, Italy
14Win14–0 Bruno SimiliTKO3 Nov 17, 1984 Riva del Garda, Italy
13Win13–0 Rich McCainUD8Aug 29, 1984 Sands Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
12Win12–0 Mike GoldenPTS8Apr 15, 1984 Sands Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
11Win11–0 David BellTKO4 Feb 26, 1984 Beaumont Civic Center, Beaumont, Texas, U.S.
10Win10–0 Jose OrtizKO6, 2:37Dec 14, 1983 Ice World, Totowa, New Jersey, U.S.
9Win9–0 Emilio DiazTKO3 Dec 2, 1983 Warwick, Rhode Island, U.S.
8Win8–0 Robert StevensonKO1, 1:45Oct 27, 1983 Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
7Win7–0 Jim ZelinskiTKO2 Sep 24, 1983 Ice World, Totowa, New Jersey, U.S.
6Win6–0 Ricardo MorenoTKO3, 2:42Sep 9, 1983 Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
5Win5–0 Rafael AliciaTKO2, 2:30Aug 31, 1983 Sands Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
4Win4–0 Eddie CarberryTKO2 Aug 16, 1983 Playboy Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
3Win3–0 Patrick Dangerfield, Jr.KO2 Jul 10, 1983 Caesars Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
2Win2–0 Keith McCoyKO3 Jun 30, 1983 Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
1Win1–0 Alfredo RiveraTKO4 May 26, 1983 Sands Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.