- 7 hours ago
Paul Spadafora defends the IBF Lightweight Title against Angel Manfredy on HBO Boxing After Dark.
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00:00:00The lightweight title battle in which Angel Manfredi tries to take a title belt away from Paul Spadafora.
00:00:09Spadafora, who has actually held a championship, a title belt in the lightweight division for a couple of years.
00:00:16But even he himself would acknowledge that tonight marks the first occasion on which he's fought against a true championship
00:00:23quality challenger, Angel Manfredi.
00:00:26A better class of fighter than the kind of guy Spadafora has been in against in the past.
00:00:30And Emanuel Stewart, it's unusual to see a fighter, 34 wins, no losses, adored by his hometown fans, holding a
00:00:39belt for a couple of years.
00:00:41And yet only now for the first time facing up against a real blue ribbon opponent.
00:00:46What does it tell us about Spadafora that he has been brought along so cautiously?
00:00:51Well, it tells us two or three things.
00:00:52And first of all, I think his management, as well as his promoter, Mike Acri, who's did a great job
00:00:57of maneuvering his career, didn't feel themselves that he was ready.
00:01:00They had a lot of doubts themselves.
00:01:02And it comes a certain point in time in every fighter's career when you have to say, hey, this is
00:01:06it.
00:01:07We've got to find out what you've got.
00:01:08And that couple with HBO demanded that he fight a quality opponent such as Manfredi.
00:01:14It's a combination of those things.
00:01:16That's why you see him in with Manfredi tonight, which is a dangerous fighter.
00:01:20Manfredi tonight is at his best.
00:01:22Yeah.
00:01:23I think he's really coming into his own.
00:01:25He looked bad in some of the fights with maybe Diego Corrales, maybe Mayweather.
00:01:30But a lot of that was because he didn't have much of an amateur career.
00:01:33So he was really getting his experience and getting beat up in some of those fights.
00:01:37Because you could see he was, like, confused and frustrated out there.
00:01:40But I think he's coming to his own.
00:01:42He said he's no longer drinking, doing drugs, and he's got his religion right.
00:01:47You know, maybe that's true, maybe it's not.
00:01:49I hope we don't see him with a joint and maybe a beard is him after this tonight or something.
00:01:53But so far, I believe that he's got everything in place now.
00:01:56And I believe that Manfredi is at his peak, and it's going to be a tough fight for Spadafora.
00:02:00Manfredi, a gatekeeper in this division.
00:02:02Spadafora, ready to find out for sure what it is he's got.
00:02:06And Larry Merchant, the last time we had Angel Manfredi here on HBO, we were there to watch
00:02:13a young prospect named Julio Diaz take a step up towards stardom.
00:02:17And Manfredi interrupted Diaz's career with the kind of cagey performance that produced
00:02:22a close decision victory.
00:02:25Can Angel surprise us yet again?
00:02:28Sure, but it wouldn't be that much of a surprise.
00:02:30Not this time.
00:02:31This time, through all the years with Manfredi, through his cycles of ups and downs, of reinventing
00:02:40himself, of winning and losing and winning, of turning to the double and then turning
00:02:46to God, one thing has been constant.
00:02:49He always comes with his best effort.
00:02:52That best effort hasn't been good enough to beat the very best fighters.
00:02:57It has been good enough to beat the next best fighters.
00:03:01So he is a walking, breathing, fighting, battling, litmus test for the local favorite tonight.
00:03:11We'll find out where Spadafora stands.
00:03:15Exactly.
00:03:15Do his 34 previous victories really make him a star?
00:03:18Or do they make him a guy who had 34 wins against people who weren't as good as Angel Manfredi?
00:03:24That's what we're here to see.
00:03:25Tale of the tape now for Paul Spadafora and Angel Manfredi.
00:03:30You can see that Manfredi is one year older at 27, but vastly more experienced against
00:03:35big-time opposition.
00:03:36Spadafora with a three-inch height advantage.
00:03:39Manfredi unusually long arms for his frame.
00:03:41Two-inch reach advantage.
00:03:42They both weighed in at or under the lightweight limit yesterday.
00:03:46Again, under the official rules of the state of Pennsylvania, there was a second weigh-in
00:03:49this morning at which neither fighter was allowed to weigh more than 10 pounds, more than yesterday's
00:03:56weight.
00:03:56Spadafora made it under by only a half pound.
00:03:59Rules of the bout with our unofficial ringside scorer, Harold Letterman.
00:04:02The Paul Spadafora-Angel Manfredi fight is scheduled for 12 rounds using the unified rules of the
00:04:08Association of Boxing Commissions.
00:04:09There is no three-knockdown rule.
00:04:12Only the referee can stop the fight in case a cut is caused by an accidental headbutt.
00:04:16We go to the scorecards if the four rounds have been completed, and you cannot be saved by
00:04:20the bell at any round, including the 12th and final round.
00:04:24Jim.
00:04:26And first to enter the ring will be Angel.
00:04:31His latest new incarnation.
00:04:34No nutritionist.
00:04:35No conditioning coach.
00:04:37None of the stylish perks which he had during the middle stages of his career.
00:04:42He says we're going to see five different angels tonight.
00:04:47A frightening thought.
00:05:00We see the tattoos.
00:05:04Manfredi says that was another part of his life.
00:05:08He no longer sees his tattoos.
00:05:31And Freddie back together with co-trainers Sam Colonna and John Taylor, the guys who have guided
00:05:38his career from the beginning right in front of him.
00:05:40His wife, Yvette, who manages Angel and does so with considerably more acumen than you might expect of a fighter's
00:05:50wife.
00:06:00This is one of the slowest home run trots we've seen yet, Jim.
00:06:06Well, Angel loves the moment, doesn't he?
00:06:10And there are a few fighters who enjoy being on camera and enjoy being in the spotlight more than Angel
00:06:16Manfredi.
00:06:18And the crowd is trying to drown out Angel's walk-in music with the chant of spatty, spatty, spatty.
00:06:28All right, Larry, let's take a closer look at Angel Manfredi.
00:06:34As Jim mentioned, one of the few fighters, along with Johnny Tapia, to be managed by his wife, Yvette.
00:06:43She must be a hell of a manager because despite a dozen car accidents, she's helped him keep his driving
00:06:51license.
00:06:51Somebody call the Indiana State Department of Motor Vehicles right now.
00:06:56He says that his right hand is right for the first time in four years since he caught Arturo Gatti.
00:07:05He's known as a left hooker.
00:07:07He says we'll see his right hand tonight.
00:07:12This, I imagine, is how they would have brought Billy Conn into the ring in Pittsburgh 54 years ago.
00:07:21Billy Conn was the original Pittsburgh kid.
00:07:25They like to think of Spatavora as a Pittsburgh kid.
00:07:33He is, in fact, a Pittsburgh kid.
00:07:36He is, in fact, a Pittsburgh kid.
00:07:56He is, in fact, a Pittsburgh kid.
00:08:17And a closer look at Paul Spatavora.
00:08:21He saw what was written on his back.
00:08:24It is all in the family.
00:08:26His grandfather was a professional heavyweight.
00:08:28His father, an amateur, and his brother, a professional.
00:08:33He has given a new definition to the term shot fighter because when he was 19 and an amateur,
00:08:40a bullet pierced the cap of his left leg.
00:08:44He says that that has influenced how he fights.
00:08:50He fights as a rare right-handed southpaw.
00:08:55The lead hand is his best hand and his most versatile hand.
00:09:01All right.
00:09:02So the excitement builds in Pittsburgh.
00:09:05Let's go to ring announcer Michael Buffer for the official introduction.
00:09:09Ladies and gentlemen, from the A.J. Palumbo Center here in Duquesne University,
00:09:15Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Michael Acree Boxing Promotions is proud to present
00:09:2112 rounds of boxing for the IBF Lightweight Championship of the World.
00:09:28Brought to you in association with your undisputed, undefeated champion of beers,
00:09:35Budweiser, Three Rivers Boxing, and DiBella Entertainment, sanctioned by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission,
00:09:41Executive Director Greg Serb, Western State Commissioner Andy Kidd DePaul.
00:09:47The three judges at ringside scoring this contest on the 10-point bus system are
00:09:52Don Ackerman, Dave Hess, and George Katulis, and when the bell rings,
00:09:58your referee in charge of the action, Ernie Sharif.
00:10:02And now, to the men and women currently serving in harm's way as members of the armed forces
00:10:10of the United States of America, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
00:10:14Pennsylvania, ladies and gentlemen, let's get ready to rumble!
00:10:30Introducing first, fighting out of the blue corner, wearing blue, trimmed with white,
00:10:35and officially weighing 134 and one-half pounds.
00:10:39His outstanding professional record stands at 39 victories, including 29 knockouts,
00:10:46with five defeats and one pound even.
00:10:48From Hobart, Indiana, the challenger, former WBU junior lightweight world champion,
00:10:57Angel Cut Jesus Man Freddy!
00:11:05And his opponent across the ring, fighting out of the red corner,
00:11:10wearing black, and weighing in at 134 pounds.
00:11:14He comes to the ring tonight with a perfect professional record,
00:11:18consisting of 34 bouts, 34 victories, including 14 knockouts.
00:11:24Ladies and gentlemen, presenting the pride of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
00:11:28the reigning, defending, undefeated, IBF lightweight champion of the world,
00:11:38the Pittsburgh kid, Paul Spanafore!
00:11:55All right, fellas, you've received your instructions in the dressing room.
00:12:00I want you to obey my commands at all times.
00:12:02Bust them up!
00:12:04I want you to protect yourself at all times.
00:12:06Come on!
00:12:07Come on!
00:12:07No standing eight count, no saving by the bell.
00:12:11I want you to break clean when I say break.
00:12:15Don't hit the man when he's down.
00:12:17I want you to fight like champions.
00:12:19Shake hands and come out, fight.
00:12:20All right, let's go.
00:12:22Paul Spanafore says,
00:12:24I want to see how good I am.
00:12:27So do we.
00:12:28We are about to find out.
00:12:56We are about to find out.
00:13:05Angel Manfredi suggested to us not in exactly these words
00:13:11that he would attack Spanafore early
00:13:14and try to pierce the hometown fighter's confidence.
00:13:17He wants to try to show Spanafore here in this first round
00:13:21that he's at another level of competition.
00:13:25It was interesting where I was complimenting him
00:13:27on his great defensive fight when he fought with Diaz
00:13:31where he placed his punches, took his time.
00:13:33He says he's throwing that all out to one minute.
00:13:35He said even though he was successful with Diaz,
00:13:37he wants to throw 100 punches around in this fight.
00:13:45It was interesting.
00:13:46He said his favorite punch that he was working on
00:13:48was his left uppercut, which he's delivered twice.
00:13:50And also, one of the favorite punches of Spanafore
00:13:54is his right uppercut.
00:13:58Angel is hoping to counter Spanafore's right jab
00:14:01with a hooking left uppercut
00:14:04right through the arc of the punch.
00:14:07Spanafore is a guy who has that knack
00:14:10for standing in front of you and making you miss.
00:14:12You know, he said his idol,
00:14:14according to his information sheet,
00:14:15is Tommy Hearns as a fighter.
00:14:17But you can tell he's been watching
00:14:19a lot of Pernell Whittaker films.
00:14:21He doesn't move around a lot to be as tall as this.
00:14:24He likes to twist, give you angles,
00:14:26and shoot little short pinpoint punches.
00:14:30Very accurate puncher.
00:14:35So that's that Pernell Whittaker move right there,
00:14:37dipping to the inside.
00:14:38So the size of the ring really doesn't matter
00:14:40that much for him.
00:14:44Manfredi whacking to the body with the right hand.
00:14:48Notice how he stands sideways to his opponent,
00:14:52his chin tucked in.
00:14:53Spanafore.
00:14:54Yeah.
00:14:55The classic old boxing style.
00:15:06One of the elements of Spanafore's game,
00:15:09which Manfredi described as, quote, amateurish,
00:15:12is the noise that Spanafore makes when he punches.
00:15:15Manfredi says, I'll be able to time his punches
00:15:18because he makes that amateur wishing noise
00:15:21every time he throws it.
00:15:22Simply because he makes that noise
00:15:24doesn't mean that he's amateurish.
00:15:26Lots of guys make noise when they throw punches.
00:15:28A lot of guys do that, yes.
00:15:30I think Juan Gomez, the WBC,
00:15:34well, used to be WBC Cruiserweight Championship,
00:15:36so he delinquished the championship.
00:15:37He does the same thing.
00:15:40Frank, step back, please.
00:15:41Step back, please.
00:15:42Go, please.
00:15:45Wait.
00:15:50Wait.
00:15:56Well, Manfredi may have thrown a lot of punches
00:15:59in round one.
00:16:00We'll get the combi box numbers in a moment,
00:16:03but he certainly didn't land enough of them
00:16:05to snow Spanafore under with any giant flurry.
00:16:09No one of the stick has been able
00:16:11to establish a good pattern.
00:16:19Real nice.
00:16:20A little more rhythm.
00:16:21A little more rhythm.
00:16:22You'll get right into your flow.
00:16:24You're getting hit.
00:16:24Your right hook is landing all day long.
00:16:27There's a pass on the back of my head.
00:16:28I want you to use more of your left crosses
00:16:31and your right hooks as he charges in on you
00:16:34and look for the uppercut.
00:16:37Hey, I want you to get out first.
00:16:39When he's leaning right into your right uppercut,
00:16:41you've got to step in a little bit.
00:16:43Hey, don't reach.
00:16:43Take your punches.
00:16:45And don't jump straight back.
00:16:46Go to the side a little bit, okay?
00:16:48Stay relaxed and breathe.
00:16:49Breathe.
00:16:50I want you to go on.
00:16:50Ah, get in.
00:16:51You hear me?
00:16:52Breathe.
00:16:53When you're doing that right here,
00:16:54come back with the hook.
00:16:56He's open for it.
00:16:57Showcase a little bit of rhythm and stuff
00:16:58and start using your right hooks a little more.
00:17:01All right?
00:17:01He's running right into it.
00:17:02Let's go.
00:17:03Seconds out.
00:17:03Don't get hit with those suckers with his head.
00:17:05Keep going.
00:17:05Keep going.
00:17:05Keep going.
00:17:06Well, you saw the CompuBox numbers
00:17:09that indicated Angel Manfredi
00:17:10doubled Paul Spanafore's punch out
00:17:12put in round number one.
00:17:13Spanafore only 7 out of 40.
00:17:15Manfredi 19 out of 81
00:17:17by CompuBox estimate.
00:17:20And now Manfredi seems to want
00:17:22to produce more activities
00:17:23to begin round two.
00:17:25Spanafore with an odd lump
00:17:27on his forehead.
00:17:29Could have come from a clash of heads.
00:17:31Doesn't look dangerous.
00:17:52And Manfredi getting the right hand to the body.
00:17:57Manfredi's fighting a very intelligent fight,
00:17:58but the position that Manfredi holds
00:18:00his right hand in to me
00:18:02seems like it should make it very easy
00:18:04eventually for Spanafore to start
00:18:07landing straight left hands through the center.
00:18:14Already between rounds one and two,
00:18:16you heard Jesse Reed, Spanafore's trainer,
00:18:18suggesting to him that maybe the jab
00:18:20wouldn't be a big weapon tonight,
00:18:21that he should look for right hooks
00:18:24but he's not really jabbed.
00:18:27He's really just pulling
00:18:28merely with his right hand.
00:18:35Spatty! Spatty! Spatty!
00:18:47Spatty! Spatty! Spatty!
00:18:47Spatty! Spatty! Spatty!
00:18:49Spatty! Spatty!
00:19:04Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty!
00:19:23Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty!
00:19:23Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Spatty! Sp
00:19:26Spadafore getting to Manfredi's body.
00:19:28Angel blocking the left with the right hand.
00:19:44It's largely a chess match through the first two rounds.
00:19:47Definitely a chess match.
00:19:48I'm just a little concerned maybe with Spadafore
00:19:50and that bruising up.
00:19:51Seemingly, his skin seems to look like it
00:19:53may bruise up a little bit easier than Manfredi.
00:19:56Once again, Manfredi getting to turn
00:19:58with those right hands again.
00:20:00And Angel, when he gets inside on you,
00:20:03throws hard.
00:20:04He tries to make his punches count on the inside.
00:20:07It hurt Diaz in the late going.
00:20:09And we'll see how Spadafore is able to hold up.
00:20:49Listen, inside you're tearing that belly up nice.
00:20:51You've got to get off first.
00:20:53You've got to stop.
00:20:54You've got to take the lead.
00:20:55You want to win the fight.
00:20:57You've got to throw more punches when you get in there.
00:20:58Stay relaxed.
00:20:59Let the punches float.
00:21:00Let them float.
00:21:02Right?
00:21:03Let's go.
00:21:04Right hand up and down.
00:21:11CompuBox numbers considerably more even in round two.
00:21:15Spadafore 18 of 51 and Manfredi 15 of 77.
00:21:19Spadafore by CompuBox estimate landing 14 of 28 power shots.
00:21:24Chess match continues as round three begins.
00:21:37Spadafore calls himself a ping, ping, ping fighter
00:21:41because he really doesn't commit to his punches.
00:21:44How many pings equals a real puck?
00:21:47By his own admission, he said he doesn't consider himself a puncher.
00:21:50I mean, he doesn't even really believe that he can develop punching power.
00:21:54He says that because of the injury that he sustained to his left leg.
00:22:01But he says physically he don't think there's any lightweight in the ring
00:22:04that could physically move him around.
00:22:06Well, I think he's probably right because he's as big as a welterweight.
00:22:09And no doubt in a year or so we'll be moving up to the junior welterweight division.
00:22:15He's a very big lightweight.
00:22:21Spadafore moving Manfredi back with a left hand.
00:22:24That had some pop on him.
00:22:26Angel is so conscious of trying to set up his right hand
00:22:29that he's giving Spadafore a chance to land straight lefts
00:22:32and Spadafore is taking advantage by leading with him.
00:22:35And actually when Manfredi does deliver his right hands,
00:22:38if you notice, it's not with any punching power, so to say.
00:22:41It's primarily just to try to get points.
00:22:43He's never loading up on his right hand even when he does land it.
00:22:47And Spadafore reading Angel very well now midway through round three,
00:22:52finding opportunities to land his left hand
00:22:55because of the way Manfredi's setting up.
00:22:57Brady! Brady! Brady! Brady! Bruce!
00:23:03Brady! Brady! Brady! Brady!
00:23:07Oh, bring him in.
00:23:18All it's better for him is a pure boxer.
00:23:23That is to say, he comes out to his fights hoping to win a decision.
00:23:28Fighting to win a decision.
00:23:32And at the pace that Manfred is fighting, he will win a decision tonight unless Manfred
00:23:36steps it up. And Manfred is also going to have to keep his right hand a little closer to
00:23:41the center. Because eventually, I think he's going to start to get hit with straight left
00:23:44hand punches.
00:23:45Battle for him showing finesse, timing, and accuracy that Manfredi might not have expected
00:23:52from him, particularly here in round three.
00:24:12So far in the first three rounds, Angel Manfredi's plan is leading nowhere.
00:24:18World Championship boxing returns March 23 with a featherweight doubleheader.
00:24:22Prince Nassim Ahmed makes his first ring appearance since his loss to Marco Antonio
00:24:26Barrera last year. He faces Spain's Manuel Calvo. Also that night, Johnny Tapia, his
00:24:32sights set on a fight with Ahmed later this year, takes on Angel Vasquez. That's March
00:24:3723 on HBO, the heart and soul of boxing. You are watching tonight, the new Pittsburgh
00:24:44kid, Paul Spadafora, trying to reestablish boxing tradition in Pittsburgh, where Larry in
00:24:50the first half of the 20th century, some of the greatest fighters in the sport emerged.
00:24:58Well, there was Harry Greb, the great middleweight, the only man to defeat Gene Tunney. Fritzie Zivick,
00:25:03an outstanding well-await who beat Henry, the great Henry Armstrong, in two of their three
00:25:08fights. Fought LaMotta four times, Robinson twice. Billy Conn, of course, light-heavyweight
00:25:13champion, best known for his almost fight against Joe Lewis. And the last man there was Charlie
00:25:21Burley, who was good enough to beat Archie Moore, but never got a shot in a title.
00:25:28Harold Lederman, how do you have Paul Spadafora and Angel Manfredi through three?
00:25:31Okay, Jim, very, very interesting fight. I got it two rounds to one, 29-28 Paul Spadafora.
00:25:37Jim, I gave that first round to the very aggressive Angel Manfredi. I thought he did real well,
00:25:41landed some solid right hands. Paul Spadafora started to get off in round two, and I think
00:25:46he's done real nice with that right jab, you know, straight hip combination. So I think
00:25:50Paul Spadafora's outboxed Manfredi in the second and third. He's got it two rounds to one lead.
00:25:55Interestingly enough, that lump is coming back at Spadafora's forehead. I know they're doing
00:25:59a nice job controlling it, but I'm sure as heck, it must be bothering Spadafora.
00:26:04It came from a brief head encounter in the first round.
00:26:15It seems that Manfredi, in order to get his punches in, is throwing quick, short punches.
00:26:25Powerless punches.
00:26:26Ping-ping punches, just like...
00:26:29Well, Spadafora is actually punching harder than Manfredi, which is a big mistake on Manfredi's
00:26:34part, the fact that Spadafora is going to win a decision, probably, if he goes to the
00:26:39decision, and Manfredi is shooting right hands with no power, and he's not doing enough
00:26:44of those, even.
00:26:44Well, what Spadafora is showing is that his footwork and his understanding of his body
00:26:52and angles are just nifty enough to take away some of Manfredi's power.
00:26:58You don't easily get a clean shot at Spadafora.
00:26:59No.
00:27:00You're seeing a rough version of Pernier Whitaker in that tonight.
00:27:06It's easy to talk about going in and delivering with power against a guy who obviously has less
00:27:13punching power than you.
00:27:16It's not so easy to do if the guy knows how to defend.
00:27:21Lots of heavyweights think they're going to knock out Chris Byrne.
00:27:24Then they get into the ring with him and learn differently.
00:27:27And that's why a lot of fighters who are power punchers quit punching with power because
00:27:30they realize that they're not going to want to hit anything, so they just start punching
00:27:34lightning until they can find that they have confidence that they're going to land the
00:27:38solid blow.
00:27:38So we'll see if Manfredi can regain his confidence here.
00:27:41He begins to get closer and hits Spadafora with more authority in the second half of this
00:27:46round.
00:28:09Close round.
00:28:10Both men have landed effectively from time to time.
00:28:15And Manfredi begins to develop a rhythm again.
00:28:23Oh, a little more snap.
00:28:24A little more snap.
00:28:25A little bit more speed.
00:28:26Everything else is fine.
00:28:27A little more snap.
00:28:28Work off the angles, but...
00:28:29I'll get to it.
00:28:31I got a better angle.
00:28:33There's the fastest one.
00:28:35All right.
00:28:36Now listen, don't just be too relaxed.
00:28:38Get a little more rhythm going and a little snappier, all right?
00:28:42Start out hustling.
00:28:45You got to get up first, okay?
00:28:47When you throw that jab, come back with that look.
00:28:50Close your ass and listen.
00:28:51Then throw the right hand.
00:28:52You can't win the fight from the outside.
00:28:54You can't win from the outside.
00:28:55I'm winning.
00:28:56I'm winning, man.
00:28:56You better go in there and win.
00:28:57I know what I'm doing.
00:28:58All right.
00:28:59I'm going to get him, I'm going to get him, Taylor.
00:29:00Yes, sir.
00:29:00Let's go, then.
00:29:01Let's toast him up.
00:29:09Well, you heard Angel.
00:29:10I know what I'm doing.
00:29:11I'm going to get him.
00:29:15The moment when John Taylor was saying
00:29:17you can't win the fight from the outside.
00:29:34The way he spat a four of punches,
00:29:36it doesn't seem there would be a big price to pay
00:29:39for trying to get inside.
00:29:42Well, if he gets too far behind on punches,
00:29:44he's going to have a real problem
00:29:45with getting caught up in this fight.
00:29:49Harold Letterman's got it even through four.
00:29:51And so have I.
00:29:54Right now, he's fighting Spadafore's fight.
00:29:58Exactly.
00:30:00And I think that's the point John Taylor was trying to make.
00:30:03But Angel said, don't worry.
00:30:06I know what I'm doing.
00:30:25It's great.
00:30:27It's great.
00:30:56You know, Matt Freda's friend, he's got it for a lot, lot of time.
00:31:01As the fighters move on, he's getting much, much closer to him now.
00:31:05He's, so to say, getting his feel of him right now.
00:31:10And he's doing a pretty decent job of detecting a lot of Spadafora's punches.
00:31:21Rob responds there to Spadafora throwing, but Manfredi blocked two of the punches with his glove as he blocks one
00:31:28of those.
00:31:29Finally, Spadafora gets a left-hand through.
00:31:35One thing I notice about Spadafora is that he's extremely relaxed in the ring, Emmanuel.
00:31:41Yes, very relaxed for a young fighter.
00:31:43Tremendous poise and self-confidence and a sense of the ring space.
00:31:50He's fighting with a lot of angles, using his shoulders, keeping his chin tucked in his glove.
00:31:54Very good.
00:31:55Bending the weight.
00:31:56Very seldom can Manfredi get a stationary target where he can shoot two or three punches in a row.
00:32:01Well, Paul Spadafora quit school to become a fighter.
00:32:06This isn't a guy that somebody had to talk into being a fighter.
00:32:08He wanted this very badly.
00:32:15Manfredi's putting a lot of pressure on it and making Spadafora through a lot of punches now.
00:32:19And starting to get to his bottom.
00:32:21Yes.
00:32:25Real nice.
00:32:28Very nice round.
00:32:29I got it.
00:32:30It's strong.
00:32:31I'll get rid of it again.
00:32:32I got rid of the forehead.
00:32:33I'll get rid of it again.
00:32:34Yes.
00:32:35What?
00:32:36Yes.
00:32:38Paul.
00:32:39I want the same running those numbers.
00:32:41He's running at the back.
00:32:42All right.
00:32:44He's running there, doesn't he?
00:32:45Often when you have southpaws fighting right-handers and both of them bending inside, you end up with
00:32:49butts just because of the position of the batters.
00:32:51No one doing it on purpose.
00:32:53And this was a perfect example right there.
00:32:55Usually the guy who's the shortest, who has his head to lures, benefits more so than the guy who's straight
00:33:00up.
00:33:00Here we are.
00:33:01Grab him.
00:33:03Paul.
00:33:03I want another round like that.
00:33:06Oh, Paul.
00:33:07Not right.
00:33:08Beautiful.
00:33:09I want another round like that.
00:33:10Come on, come on, come on.
00:33:12Well, that is a massive welt on the head of Spadafora.
00:33:17So how big a problem is the welt going to be, Emmanuel?
00:33:20I don't believe that the welts are going to be a big problem unless they end up with a butt
00:33:23again in the same spot.
00:33:24But I don't think it's going to be a big factor.
00:33:26The fact that it's spread out over such an area instead of getting closer to the eye where it would
00:33:31possibly obstruct his vision.
00:33:33CompuBox numbers through round five.
00:33:35Angel Manfredi's averaging 78 punches per round and has thrown more than 115 punches more than Paul Spadafora so far.
00:33:45But Spadafora has been the more accurate of the two fighters.
00:33:52And it's a tough enough fight to score that it's hard to know exactly who's ahead or behind at this
00:33:56moment.
00:33:57Close fight in Pittsburgh.
00:33:59I would say Spadafora should be ahead, I believe, on punches.
00:34:02But I can see the gap is getting closer because the fight is moving, much like the D.A. fight,
00:34:07into the arena that Manfredi wants it to be in.
00:34:10Manfredi's forcing Spadafora to throw a lot of punches.
00:34:15And he's getting closer and closer to him.
00:34:17Referee Ernie Sharif asks Spadafora to keep them up.
00:34:21Crowd boos.
00:34:26More and more, Manfredi just walking to Spadafora.
00:34:42I think the fact that Manfredi has lost to the big fighters that he's fought a lot of time back
00:34:48when he came out just shooting punches very reckless and carelessly and got in trouble.
00:34:53And it may be a part of him being a little cautious, being much more technical as this fight is
00:34:58moving on.
00:35:00If he can score an upset tonight like he did with Diaz, not only will he have just scored an
00:35:04upset, this fight will give him the lightweight championship of the world.
00:35:09It will give him a lightweight belt, Emmanuel.
00:35:13Wait, wait, wait, wait, come here.
00:35:14Please.
00:35:15We'll tell you if it will be the biggest thing.
00:35:17We don't tell him any difference.
00:35:19Yes.
00:35:20And a little bit later this spring, Floyd Mayweather Jr. will fight Jose Luis Castillo for the lightweight championship of
00:35:28the world.
00:35:29That's the point Larry's trying to make.
00:35:33But the belt is something Manfredi very badly wants.
00:35:37Right.
00:35:38And, you know, local boy is making good right now.
00:35:41In front of both of us, most of the boxing crowd is not respected Spadafore as being a real solid
00:35:46champion.
00:35:47This is the fight that he needs to win very impressively.
00:35:52And so far he has not been unimpressive.
00:35:55But neither has he won the fight.
00:36:06Counter right hand by Spadafore got a big cheer here in Pittsburgh.
00:36:24Everybody's working.
00:36:26Starting March 28th, catch the return of On the Record with Bob Costas.
00:36:31In season two, look for more of Bob with special guests from the worlds of sports and entertainment.
00:36:37Please note On the Record's new day and time, Thursday nights at 10.30 p.m.
00:36:42Only on HBO.
00:36:46When you start stroking punches, you've got to go right with him.
00:36:49Understand me?
00:36:50Cut him off.
00:36:51Throw that right hand on the knee.
00:36:52And snap it up.
00:36:53Snap it up.
00:36:54Double it up.
00:36:54Pour him about his shoulder and a little blow.
00:36:56Yes, yes.
00:36:56Watch it here, okay?
00:36:57All right, I'm watching.
00:36:59Hey, don't let this guy get dirty with you.
00:37:01Okay.
00:37:02Start punching.
00:37:03Put the ice on the back.
00:37:04Hey, give me the ice back.
00:37:06Paul, deep breath.
00:37:07Yes.
00:37:07All right, you've got all kinds of stamina.
00:37:10Start using it.
00:37:10Let's go.
00:37:10Four or five at a time.
00:37:12Run, we'll get the crowd.
00:37:14You can get them.
00:37:18Spadafora outlanded Manfredi by Copybox Numbers in round six.
00:37:23Crowd will be trying to lift the Pittsburgh fighter to a late-round surge.
00:37:27Harold Letterman, how do you have it halfway through?
00:37:30Okay, Jim.
00:37:30So far, I'm impressed by the quick combinations, just like you saw there of Paul Spadafora.
00:37:35That right-left combination constantly getting in.
00:37:39I got it 58, 56, four rounds to two, Paul Spadafora.
00:37:43Again, Manfredi drives one and four.
00:37:45When he was aggressive, he got inside.
00:37:47Two hard right hands.
00:37:49But other than that, I think it's the boxing ability of Spadafora.
00:37:52A southpaw with a decent right hand.
00:37:54Good combinations.
00:37:56Left took to the body by Manfredi.
00:37:58Moves Spadafora a foot or two back.
00:38:03Manfredi is going to have to pick it up this round if he has any type of a strategy that
00:38:06is going to win the fight.
00:38:08Because if he loses the next couple of rounds, it's going to be very hard for him to come
00:38:12on, particularly going down the stretch when a hometown crowd starts cheering on their favorite
00:38:16fighter.
00:38:18There's a good quick left inside by Manfredi, and he begins to attack Spadafora's ribcage
00:38:23with a perfect.
00:38:24Oh!
00:38:26Oh!
00:38:28Oh!
00:38:28Are you breaking up?
00:38:31Are you breaking up?
00:38:34Oh!
00:38:37Oh!
00:38:41Oh!
00:38:43Oh!
00:38:45Oh!
00:38:45Oh!
00:38:46Oh!
00:38:47Ah!
00:38:48Ah!
00:38:49Ah!
00:38:52Ah!
00:38:53,
00:38:55.
00:39:11Oh
00:39:35The referee that's referee in the fight, Ernie Sherriff, in the 70s, was one of the most popular amateur boxers
00:39:41in Pittsburgh.
00:39:42They used to call him Little Ernie.
00:39:44He used to have the crowd standing on their feet when he would fight here.
00:40:00Well, you said Manfredi would have to step it up in this round, Emmanuel, and he has tried.
00:40:05I think this was a key round in the fight, and if the pattern goes the way I think it
00:40:09is,
00:40:09I think this battle for us is going to become even more impressive as the fight goes on instead of
00:40:14Manfredi.
00:40:15I think Manfredi's got in the pattern, and he can't get out of it now.
00:40:19Pity-pity puncher.
00:40:31Come on, this fight, you have to step it up and hook this guy.
00:40:33Okay?
00:40:35Let's start throwing the double punchers.
00:40:37Hey, I want you to start doubling it.
00:40:40Put your hand over here, we'll give you a bet.
00:40:52You're going to have to start picking it up, work this guy's body, and come up, let's go.
00:40:56You've got to stay with him, both hands got to move.
00:40:58Up and down.
00:40:59Look at that puncher.
00:41:00Beautiful.
00:41:01Pick it up like you've been doing.
00:41:02He does.
00:41:02All right, give him a little shot of water.
00:41:04He's doing good.
00:41:06Paul, four and five at a time.
00:41:08They don't have to be hard shots.
00:41:09Then dig the box.
00:41:11Give me that towel.
00:41:11You're hurting him.
00:41:12Let's go.
00:41:20In terms of punches landed, it's a very even fight.
00:41:25CompuBox finding Spadafora, landing 124 punches so far in the fight.
00:41:29Manfredi, 120.
00:41:31Angel threw 95 punches in the last round.
00:41:33Harold Lederman gave the round to Spadafora anyway.
00:41:37Well, you know, according to the rules, really, which most of the time is not implemented,
00:41:42punches that are landed without any body weight really should not score points.
00:41:47And what Spadafora is doing, even though he's supposed to be the non-puncher,
00:41:51he's punching with more power than Manfredi.
00:41:53Manfredi is pity-pad punching.
00:41:55Very seldom turning for a body weight into the punches that he does land.
00:41:59And he's pity-pad punching because he's found that he can't get a solid stream of punches
00:42:04are going because Spadafora keeps giving him angles, twisting, turning, maneuvering around.
00:42:09And he can only get one punch off.
00:42:11And after that, it's all over.
00:42:12So he won't load up with his pal.
00:42:25And you see there, he shot three-level punches off,
00:42:28and then he dipped off at angle before Manfredi could retaliate.
00:42:39Spadafora's greatest success has been simply to make Manfredi fight his fight.
00:42:44Absolutely.
00:42:48Very successful, man.
00:42:50Hey, come on.
00:42:51Come back here.
00:42:51What's going on?
00:42:53Fight!
00:42:54Come on.
00:42:56Stop!
00:42:56Let's go!
00:42:58Let's go!
00:43:17And after the combinations, he dips away again.
00:43:26A few rounds back.
00:43:28You heard Jesse Reed telling Spadafora,
00:43:32once you get him in that position where he's frozen in front of you,
00:43:35then you can showcase a little bit.
00:43:37In this round, you've seen those quick four and five punch combinations
00:43:40that Spadafora has thrown,
00:43:42landing the substantial bulk of those punches.
00:43:45That's the showcasing that Jesse Reed was talking about.
00:43:48Absolutely.
00:43:50But thank God for Manfredi that Spadafora's not a big puncher
00:43:54because at this stage, he's starting to get his rhythm down,
00:43:57enjoying himself.
00:43:59If he was a big puncher, he'd have seriously, I think,
00:44:02hurt Manfredi.
00:44:03You can just see the way Spadafora's using his feet,
00:44:06responding to the crowd.
00:44:08He's doing what he wants to do in there.
00:44:11Manfredi can not give us the same rhythm.
00:44:21And Freddie trying with a fury.
00:44:23And round eight was a boxing exhibition by Paul Spadafora.
00:44:30He's going to have to play with you like this.
00:44:33You understand?
00:44:34He's going to have to play with you.
00:44:36You have to knock this guy out.
00:44:38You understand?
00:44:38Let's get serious.
00:44:39Let's work this guy.
00:44:40Don't let him throw three, four punches.
00:44:41You have to pick it up.
00:44:43You hear me?
00:44:44You're going to have to stop picking it up.
00:44:46You're going to have to stop picking it up.
00:44:48I'm going to jab it.
00:44:49Stop.
00:45:03The combination is like Spadafora's landing here.
00:45:05Even though all of them don't land, he still landed one.
00:45:08But it creates excitement with the crowd,
00:45:10the speed and the fury of what he's doing.
00:45:11And then the fact that he dips away with such huge moves
00:45:14is what's keeping the crowd excited.
00:45:20Spadafora is a kind of a baseball team
00:45:25that manufactures runs.
00:45:27They're good.
00:45:28They have speed.
00:45:29They go from first to third.
00:45:31They sacrifice.
00:45:32They do all the right things.
00:45:34They don't win with three run home runs.
00:45:36Now, that's a great analogy.
00:45:37He's like one of those St. Louis Cardinals teams
00:45:40that shows up in first place on September 15th
00:45:42and you're like, why are they there?
00:45:44You know, back in the old days before they had Maguire.
00:45:50Let me see.
00:45:51Let me see.
00:45:51Let me see.
00:46:02Awfully hard for a ringside judge
00:46:04to go against that kind of work
00:46:06and that kind of crowd reaction.
00:46:07He's fighting the other crowd in addition.
00:46:09And I figured this was going to happen.
00:46:11Going down the stretch,
00:46:12Spadafora, whatever he did earlier,
00:46:14he would be doing better the last half.
00:46:21Well, we have said earlier that Manfredi
00:46:26has beaten the B and plus fighters,
00:46:28but he hasn't beaten the A and A plus fighters.
00:46:33He's not beating this fighter,
00:46:35so either Spadafora is an A or an A plus, I suppose.
00:46:41Well, give him credit.
00:46:43Spadafora has fought with great confidence from the beginning,
00:46:46and he himself said this was his biggest test.
00:46:49He freely acknowledged,
00:46:50I'm going to learn something in there
00:46:52because I haven't been in with somebody as good as Angel before.
00:46:54But he also thought that he was up to the task,
00:46:57and so far he is.
00:46:58In all honesty, after studying a lot of Spadafora's fights,
00:47:02this really is his easiest fight in one of them.
00:47:05Even though the expectations are there
00:47:06and he's fighting a big name,
00:47:08Manfredi is a really easy fight for him tonight.
00:47:10Even when Manfredi does punch,
00:47:11it's really not a threat to him.
00:47:14Keep him up, baby.
00:47:22So if the class of the lightweight division
00:47:25is guys like Floyd Mayweather
00:47:28and Castillo,
00:47:29who Mayweather's going to fight later on this year.
00:47:32Well, that's a different class right here, I think,
00:47:34and Spadafora is going to have to do a lot more
00:47:36than just angle and pretty bad punch himself.
00:47:38He's going to have to do...
00:47:39But, you know, Spadafora,
00:47:40you can't really underestimate
00:47:42because he's a developing young fighter.
00:47:47He's a big kid for a lightweight, too.
00:47:50Very few, fewer boxers in boxing history
00:47:55have become popular gate attractions
00:48:00outside of their own hometowns.
00:48:02It would be interesting
00:48:03to see if Spadafora can carry his popularity
00:48:08to Las Vegas or New York.
00:48:12I agree.
00:48:13You know, I look back at history
00:48:15and I think of a Benny Leonard,
00:48:17a Willie Pepp,
00:48:18Cornell Whitaker,
00:48:19but very few and far between.
00:48:22Yep.
00:48:23Apparently, I'm one of the maybe the last
00:48:25of the recent fighters.
00:48:28Larry, let's take a look at
00:48:30the point we've made
00:48:32about Angel Manfredi losing
00:48:34to the A and A-plus fighters.
00:48:36Here are the key losses
00:48:38in Manfredi's recent career.
00:48:40Yeah, all two top fighters,
00:48:42Diego Corrales,
00:48:44who was undefeated at the time,
00:48:45Stevie Johnson,
00:48:47very good, lightweight champion,
00:48:49and, of course,
00:48:50Floyd Mayweather Jr.,
00:48:52who just overwhelmed him.
00:48:55And even in those fights
00:48:57that he outsaw him lose,
00:48:58I thought he fought
00:48:59a much more spirited performance
00:49:00than he's put down tonight.
00:49:04It's like batting
00:49:05against a junk ball pitcher.
00:49:08It's hard to get a rhythm
00:49:09and you can look for it.
00:49:12When he moves away,
00:49:13you've got to step with him
00:49:13and throw the punches.
00:49:15He's three, all right?
00:49:16Come on, let's go.
00:49:17Keep doing.
00:49:23Scott Afora started slowly
00:49:25in the fight,
00:49:26has built the tempo,
00:49:27particularly from round six onward.
00:49:30Now we go to the tenth
00:49:32of a scheduled 12.
00:49:34Three quarters of the way through.
00:49:35Harold, how do you have it?
00:49:36Okay, Chip,
00:49:37I'll tell you something.
00:49:38I think the last five rounds
00:49:40have been a disaster
00:49:41for Angel Manfredi.
00:49:42The shots that he's landing
00:49:43just don't seem to do any harm.
00:49:45Paul Spadafora,
00:49:46with those combinations,
00:49:47certainly,
00:49:48I think he's played
00:49:49five rounds in a row.
00:49:50And Manfredi hasn't landed
00:49:51enough in the big right hand
00:49:52so he just landed.
00:49:54I mean, so anyway,
00:49:5588, 83,
00:49:57seven rounds to two.
00:49:58Paul Spadafora,
00:49:59I think he's in complete
00:50:00command of this fight, Jim.
00:50:02I have the same score.
00:50:05So glad you took note, Harold,
00:50:07of the big right hand
00:50:08that Manfredi landed
00:50:09while you were talking.
00:50:10That's the best punch
00:50:11he's thrown in about five rounds.
00:50:15Maybe the only power punch
00:50:16he's thrown the entire night.
00:50:18Seemed to land right under the neck
00:50:20on the top of the chest.
00:50:22Emmanuel,
00:50:22there are two other
00:50:24what I would call pure boxers
00:50:26in the game tonight
00:50:26in the top echelons
00:50:28in the game these days.
00:50:30And today would be
00:50:31Smoke Gainer, the featherweight,
00:50:34and Chris Byrd in the heavyweight.
00:50:36Different styles completely
00:50:38than the one we're looking at.
00:50:40How would you compare them?
00:50:42Compared to Spadafora?
00:50:43The styles, yes.
00:50:44Well, I would say that
00:50:47Barrett is a very, very, very
00:50:49difficult fighter to fight
00:50:50because he's especially
00:50:51at angles
00:50:52and he's so relaxed.
00:50:54But to beat Barrett,
00:50:55you have to just come out
00:50:56and fight.
00:50:57You don't think too much.
00:50:58If he gets you into the pawn
00:50:59in the thinking games,
00:51:00he can be difficult
00:51:00for any fighter in the world.
00:51:02But I'm talking just
00:51:03in terms of their styles
00:51:04because one of the things
00:51:06that's interesting
00:51:07about Spadafora
00:51:08is that even though
00:51:09he is a pure boxer,
00:51:10he's standing there
00:51:11right in front of his opponent
00:51:13delivering punches,
00:51:14countering punches.
00:51:15He's not pity-patting now.
00:51:17He's throwing nice,
00:51:19stiff ping-ping-ping-pings
00:51:21and they're accumulating.
00:51:23Well, I would say that
00:51:24in looking at Spadafora,
00:51:26you're seeing nothing
00:51:27but a bigger version
00:51:28of Cornell for the piece.
00:51:29He's using a lot of angles,
00:51:30Christian.
00:51:31And Chris Byrd
00:51:33likes to lay in the ropes.
00:51:34He doesn't even really
00:51:35move a lot much.
00:51:35He just totally relaxed
00:51:37and then he comes back
00:51:38with punches
00:51:39when you least expect them.
00:51:40And I think he gets
00:51:42most of the fighters
00:51:42out of their room.
00:51:43He gets them to play
00:51:44in his game.
00:51:45And that's his biggest asset,
00:51:47I think,
00:51:47is to get him to play
00:51:48the type of game
00:51:49that he likes,
00:51:49which is just thinking,
00:51:51playing games,
00:51:52and he wins the fights
00:51:53that way.
00:51:54And that's why
00:51:56Ike Ippiabuchi
00:51:57was successful
00:51:57because he just came out
00:51:59and just kept throwing
00:51:59punches even though
00:52:00he may have looked bad
00:52:01in the beginning.
00:52:01He just kept throwing
00:52:02punches until he eventually
00:52:03was able to penetrate.
00:52:04And how would you compare
00:52:05him to Gaynor?
00:52:06Gaynor, I think,
00:52:07is a classy boxer.
00:52:08I think he's an upright,
00:52:09flashy boxer,
00:52:10totally different,
00:52:11utilizes his legs,
00:52:12his upper body movement,
00:52:13and he utilizes the ring a lot.
00:52:15He's a moving boxer.
00:52:21Good punches in this round
00:52:22by Manfredi.
00:52:27Achill's best round
00:52:29in quite a while
00:52:30as he displays
00:52:31the necessary sense
00:52:33of urgency,
00:52:34if not yet
00:52:36any technical mastery
00:52:37of Spadafore.
00:52:40I'll put it back further.
00:52:43Here's my piece of it.
00:52:46Keep boxing, baby.
00:52:47Use that jab.
00:52:49Paul,
00:52:50listen to me.
00:52:51Lay back, lay back,
00:52:52lay back.
00:52:53This next two rounds,
00:52:54I want you busy
00:52:55with your hands.
00:52:56Don't hold them.
00:52:57And you dig that body.
00:52:59You forgot your uppercuts
00:53:00in this fight.
00:53:01Start turning on him
00:53:02and throwing those uppercuts.
00:53:03All right?
00:53:04Got to throw that right hand.
00:53:05Come underneath.
00:53:06No respect.
00:53:06No pin-pick.
00:53:07Everything's with you.
00:53:07Pick the man's out.
00:53:08Let's go.
00:53:09Take a deep breath.
00:53:11You got a deep deep.
00:53:12Spadafores shoe,
00:53:13so it was a little
00:53:13straight short punches.
00:53:14And Manfredi is,
00:53:16for whatever reason,
00:53:17fighting with his hand wide
00:53:18and he's always getting through
00:53:19because his punches
00:53:20are much straighter
00:53:21and direct to the point.
00:53:22Take it down.
00:53:27Sam Colonna and John Taylor,
00:53:29the co-trainers
00:53:30in Angel Manfredi's corner,
00:53:33stepped forward there
00:53:34to say,
00:53:34Angel,
00:53:35we need you
00:53:35to go out
00:53:36and seize this fight.
00:53:38Show the passion
00:53:39that you haven't shown us
00:53:40so far.
00:53:42And Manfredi stepped
00:53:43out of the corner
00:53:44waiting for the bell
00:53:45and said,
00:53:46I'm going to go do it.
00:53:47Now,
00:53:48he did fight
00:53:48with more urgency
00:53:49in the tent.
00:54:12Step back to him.
00:54:13Come on.
00:54:14Step back to him.
00:54:16Fight.
00:54:30Spadafore's accuracy
00:54:31with the straight left hand
00:54:32has been a factor.
00:54:36He's been able to punch
00:54:37right between Manfredi's gloves
00:54:39over and over.
00:54:44That's because Manfredi
00:54:45keeps his right hand
00:54:46too far to the side
00:54:47to be fighting a southpaw.
00:54:49You fight a southpaw,
00:54:50you should always
00:54:50keep the right hand
00:54:51but rip it in front
00:54:52of your chin,
00:54:52not on the side
00:54:53of your head.
00:54:59Swelling under
00:55:00Angel's right eye
00:55:02as Spadafore's left hand
00:55:03has begun
00:55:04to tell a tale there.
00:55:12good professional fighters
00:55:16rarely get hit
00:55:17by hard,
00:55:18clean shots.
00:55:20And Paul Spadafore
00:55:22has not been hit
00:55:24by very many
00:55:25hard,
00:55:26clean shots
00:55:27tonight.
00:55:28Manfredi
00:55:29hasn't thrown him
00:55:29anyway,
00:55:30has he?
00:55:31you give credit
00:55:32to Spadafore
00:55:33because there is
00:55:34a cause and effect.
00:55:58Jesse Reid asks Spadafore
00:56:00to throw uppercuts.
00:56:03Spadafore may know
00:56:04something Reid doesn't
00:56:05about how Manfredi
00:56:06moves in there.
00:56:07He hasn't thrown
00:56:07an uppercut
00:56:08even in this round.
00:56:23Great, great, great, great,
00:56:26great.
00:56:30One round to go.
00:56:34One round to go.
00:56:35Take a picture,
00:56:35buddy.
00:56:37Hey.
00:56:39Let me see.
00:56:40Pay the picture now.
00:56:43Pay the picture this one.
00:56:44Use the jab.
00:56:45Move to the right.
00:56:45Paulie,
00:56:46use the jab
00:56:46and move to the right.
00:56:47Paul,
00:56:48four and five at a time.
00:56:50Right.
00:56:50Box this son of a bitch.
00:56:51Last round.
00:56:52Stay where they're
00:56:52close on power punching.
00:56:54We need a knockout.
00:56:55Let's get it.
00:56:56Touch an air drop.
00:56:58Last round.
00:56:59Last round.
00:56:59Last round.
00:56:59Last round.
00:57:00Hey,
00:57:00I'm saying you want this fight.
00:57:01I want it.
00:57:01You gotta knock this guy out.
00:57:02You understand?
00:57:03You gotta pick it up.
00:57:04You gotta...
00:57:05Showcase and punch off him.
00:57:07Last round.
00:57:07Touch him up, Chad.
00:57:08All right.
00:57:08Use that jab.
00:57:10Double hook.
00:57:10Last round and point your shoulder.
00:57:12Move to that right.
00:57:13Listen.
00:57:14Bring those punches up.
00:57:15Bring them up.
00:57:16Bring them up.
00:57:17And come back with that hook.
00:57:19It's up to you now.
00:57:20Let's go.
00:57:20It's up to you.
00:57:23Let's go.
00:57:32Let's go.
00:57:33Let's go.
00:57:33Touch him up.
00:57:34Let's go.
00:57:36Fight.
00:57:39Crowd cheers and rises to its feet for round 12.
00:57:42Harold Letterman, how do you have it scored?
00:57:44Okay, Jim.
00:57:45I thought Angel Milfredi got a little bit more aggressive in rats 10 and 11.
00:57:48I thought he possibly pulled him out.
00:57:50I've got it seven rounds to four.
00:57:521-0-6, 1-0-3.
00:57:55Paul Spadafora, he's just got a commanding lead.
00:57:58Angel Linfredi gave up too many rounds between round six and round nine and ten.
00:58:04Paul Spadafora by three-quarters.
00:58:06I think it might be that close.
00:58:09I wonder, given where we are, the crowd being so much for Spadafora.
00:58:16Spadafora seeming to dictate everything going on in there,
00:58:20whether the scoring will be more one-sided than that.
00:58:24I personally feel that Spadafora should have probably scored more points
00:58:28because even when Manfred is landing, it's more like he's feeling it.
00:58:33He's not really landing with any power.
00:58:34So if that be the case, I would have Spadafora hit about a much bigger margin than what Harold has.
00:58:53So far in round 12, Spadafora is being safe and sure.
00:59:00And he looks like he might have hurt his right hands there.
00:59:08Back hands with the right hand.
00:59:13Technically not legal, though Sharifi did nothing about it.
00:59:17Just a sign of his confidence that he can do anything.
00:59:23That he's winning the fight.
00:59:26Coming down the home stretch about 20 lengths ahead.
00:59:32And his meeting yesterday said he used to like to see Tommy Hearns do that in fights.
00:59:36But he can do what he wants now.
00:59:38He's got this fight wrapped up.
00:59:41So you think maybe he was throwing that backhand punch for your benefit?
00:59:44No.
00:59:45Giving it a little of the old Tommy Hearns?
00:59:47If he were doing something like we have, he'd knock him out.
00:59:49I love knockouts.
00:59:50Yeah, that's right.
00:59:52Too many decisions for you.
00:59:54I do not like decisions.
01:00:06It's a hot night in this arena.
01:00:07Right.
01:00:09And both fighters show the wear and tear of 12 rounds.
01:00:26And the forest says, okay, that'll be enough contact for the evening.
01:00:31And it is.
01:00:42Both fighters jump onto the ropes.
01:00:45He's got a four of turns to look at Manfredi as if to say, what are you doing jumping on
01:00:49the ropes?
01:01:00Manfredi as if to say, what are you doing jumping on the ropes?
01:01:14Mike.
01:01:17Paul Spadafora bidding tonight to become one of the top lightweights in the sport.
01:01:23Larry Merchant, what's the company he's trying to join?
01:01:26Well, Castillo is regarded as the champion.
01:01:30Floyd Mayweather will try to take his title away.
01:01:32After that fight, Spadafora will rank second.
01:01:35Juan Lascano is coming into a position to challenge for the lightweight championship.
01:01:41and these others, Baldy and Doreen
01:01:43are going to have a rematch of their fabulous
01:01:45fight, Stevie Johnson is still around
01:01:47there's Manfredi and Julio
01:01:49Diaz, a young man
01:01:51still with much time
01:01:53to become a champion
01:02:01I won that fight
01:02:03he fights in his hometown
01:02:05this time he got beat
01:02:06he got outboxed, he got outslicked
01:02:08he got outgunned
01:02:10his hands didn't go up that far
01:02:11we have to show everybody
01:02:12how I can box like that easy
01:02:14you win it easy baby
01:02:15you win it easy
01:02:17so you've heard the statements of both fighters
01:02:20campaigning before our cameras for the decision
01:02:24we win this easy
01:02:27and now let's go to Michael Buffer
01:02:29to find out who won
01:02:33ladies and gentlemen
01:02:34here in Pittsburgh we go to the Budweiser
01:02:36scorecards
01:02:37all three judges scored
01:02:39about the same
01:02:40Don Ackerman
01:02:41George Kachoulis and Dave Hess
01:02:44have it
01:02:44115 to 113
01:02:47for the winner by unanimous decision
01:02:50the pride of Pittsburgh
01:02:51Pennsylvania
01:02:52still the undefeated
01:02:56IDF lightweight champion of the world
01:03:00the Pittsburgh kid
01:03:02Paul
01:03:03Scott 74
01:03:16Scott 74
01:03:18you know it
01:03:18he knows it
01:03:30Final CompuBox numbers, total punches landed, Spadafore landing 23 more, Manfredi throwing 247 more punches and therefore Spadafore's connect percentage
01:03:44much higher at 28%.
01:03:50Jabs, Spadafore landing twice as many as Manfredi, they both threw in the neighborhood of 350 jabs, Manfredi simply not
01:03:58able to get his jab there against the longer fighter, Paul Spadafore.
01:04:04And now, as the crowd rejoices over Spadafore's 35th consecutive victory, Larry Merton stands by with the unbeaten lightweight.
01:04:14Thank you very much, Jim. Congratulations, Paul. You've waited a long time for a fight in which you can make
01:04:23a statement to the world beyond your hometown about where you stand in your division. Give us your thoughts after
01:04:31this fight.
01:04:31First of all, I'd like to thank God, all my Spadafore team, my Spadafore family, and I knew I was
01:04:38going to come in here and win this fight.
01:04:39I thought I was going to win this fight easier, but I did a little bit too much climbing, had
01:04:43my hands down a little bit. I started getting in the flow and the rhythm, so I didn't want to
01:04:46get out of it.
01:04:46And yes, now it's time for me to step it up. That was a good test for me, and I'd
01:04:51like to go out here again.
01:04:51Why were you able to dictate the terms of the fight? Do you feel you do that to all fighters
01:04:57you fight, even someone who has the credentials of Manfredi?
01:05:04Larry, to wrap on me is I'm not a strong guy, but I'm stronger than all these lightweights. Believe it,
01:05:09I tell you. I'm physically stronger.
01:05:11Maybe not punches hard, but I'm stronger than these guys, so I can dictate the pace. When I want to
01:05:16set the pace, that's when the pace gets set.
01:05:18So you believe that no matter who's in front of you, you can frustrate them and make them fight your
01:05:24fight?
01:05:25Most definitely. I'm very confident about who I am and about my style of a boxer, and I feel that
01:05:31I'm a younger champion. I'm bound to get better.
01:05:34I just got to change my habits up on the outside of life, and I think I'll be around here
01:05:38a long time, Larry.
01:05:39Long time.
01:05:40Who in your scenario would you box next? Everybody talks about a showdown with Mayweather someday.
01:05:50Do you think that's off in the distance, or do you want to go there right away?
01:05:55I would like to go there right away because everybody heard the stuff about him talking bad about me, about
01:06:01how he wants to break my nose, shatter my jaw, this and that, all that personal stuff.
01:06:04So I'd like to go there and get that fight right away and prove to myself that it wasn't an
01:06:09accident in the gym, that we can get it on. Let's do it.
01:06:12Let's do what we got to do. I'm able to do it. Believe what I tell you.
01:06:14Do you think you can have a crowd as enthusiastic on your side when you leave Pittsburgh as when you
01:06:23are in your hometown?
01:06:24Why not, Larry? I'm a good guy. I'm a good person. I'm a good person. I'm a good boxer.
01:06:29But most of all, I'm a good guy. And why wouldn't people want to see me fight?
01:06:32Thank you so much for that performance today.
01:06:35Thanks for having me on.
01:06:37All right. Thank you very much. Let's bring in Emmanuel Stewart here.
01:06:41He's campaigning for a fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr.
01:06:44And that's where the money is, particularly if Mayweather gets past Castillo a little bit later on this year.
01:06:49But as you said earlier in the fight, that's a whole different league.
01:06:52Well, from what I saw tonight, I would definitely have to go with Mayweather, the other top guys.
01:06:57He won the fight, but it was not that impressive to me.
01:06:59As a matter of fact, actually, if Manfredi had a fault the way he said he was going to fight,
01:07:04with more intensity and urgency and more punching power,
01:07:07I really believe that Manfredi could have possibly won this fight tonight.
01:07:10I definitely feel that there's a little bit more work that Spadafore has to do before he steps up.
01:07:14And it sounds like if you're Mike Acri and Spadafore is management,
01:07:18you might try to keep him in Pittsburgh a little while longer, huh?
01:07:20I think it would be a wise decision.
01:07:23Larry Merchant, your final comments on Paul Spadafore, the Pittsburgh kid.
01:07:28Well, Jim, you know you're in Pittsburgh when you're in a hotel and people come in
01:07:33lugging their kids under one arm and a case of local beer under the other.
01:07:38And we saw a lot of that because there was big hockey games here over the last couple of days
01:07:46and a lot of fans hanging around.
01:07:48But now there's really four franchises in Pittsburgh.
01:07:53The Pirates, the Steelers, the Penguins, and Paul Spadafore.
01:07:58And Spadafore has better special teams than the Steelers.
01:08:01All right. We'll have a final word on what happened here in the ring in just a moment.
01:08:04Right now, let's look ahead to some upcoming programs on HBO.
01:08:08I have seen the future and this is it.
01:08:10You really like it?
01:08:11Who wouldn't?
01:08:12On the next episode of Six Feet Under.
01:08:14God!
01:08:15I heard that he smoked a joint and dipped in embalming fluid.
01:08:19Vanessa and I found a house.
01:08:21Oh, Rika, that's great.
01:08:22We're bound.
01:08:2311 grand short.
01:08:24I forgive you.
01:08:25I don't need your forgiveness.
01:08:27Hey, what's going on with you?
01:08:28Maybe.
01:08:29I really am a more lying personality.
01:08:31What are you on?
01:08:32Nothing.
01:08:32Don't lie to me.
01:08:33I know nothing.
01:08:33Let's just cut the foreplay.
01:08:35But that's the best part.
01:08:37Winner of two Golden Globes.
01:08:39An all-new episode of Six Feet Under.
01:08:42Sunday night at 9 on HBO.
01:08:44With Encores every Monday night at 10 on HBO2.
01:08:52Where do the biggest names go?
01:08:56To speak their mind.
01:08:58I'll be happy to answer.
01:09:00Right here.
01:09:03Big names.
01:09:05Bold questions.
01:09:06Think you had an emotional problem at some point?
01:09:08Bob's back.
01:09:09An all-new season of On The Record with Bob Costas.
01:09:13Premieres Thursday, March 28th on HBO.
01:09:16Get with the program.
01:09:18World Championship boxing returns March 23 when we travel to London, England for a pair of featherweight fights.
01:09:24Prince Nassim Hamed coming off his 11-month layoff.
01:09:27Takes on Spain's Manuel Calvo and Johnny Tapia hoping for a shot at Hamed later this year.
01:09:32Facious Angel Vasquez.
01:09:34Then on April 20, undefeated Floyd Mayweather steps up in weight to challenge Jose Luis Castillo for his lightweight title.
01:09:40HBO, The Heart and Soul of Boxing.
01:09:43Earlier this evening in the featherweight division, Juan Manuel Marquez won his 38th out of 40 fights and took a
01:09:51big step toward a possible title shot in that division.
01:09:53As he easily defeated Australian Robbie Peden.
01:09:56The fight was stopped after the 10th round when Peden, cut and bleeding into his own mouth, vomited in his
01:10:03corner.
01:10:03Then Paul Spadafora piled up points in a unanimous decision over Angel Manfredi.
01:10:09All three judges scoring the fight identically, 115-113.
01:10:13Spadafora with his boxing style able to neutralize Manfredi's attack enough to win the fight.
01:10:19Next on HBO, stay tuned for The Artistic Landmark, Six Feet Under.
01:10:24And now for the entire HBO crew, I'm Jim Lampley saying so long from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
01:10:38You know what?
01:10:40The executive producer of HBO Sports is Rick Bernstein.
01:10:44Tonight's edition of...
01:10:45The executive producer of HBO Sports is Rick Bernstein.
01:10:49Tonight's edition of Boxing After Dark was produced by Thomas Odelfeld and directed by Mark Payton.
01:10:55Associate directors, Thomas Huffine and Israel De Herrera.
01:10:58Assistant to the producer, Abteen Motia.
01:11:01Production manager, Mark Payton.
01:11:03Technical supervisor, Bob Hunter.
01:11:05And the technical director was Randy Hargrove.
01:11:32Lightspeed.
01:11:35Just kidding.
01:11:53And we'll be right back
01:11:54in.
01:11:54We're going.
01:11:56We're doing this today, Mike.
01:11:57And with Mike Zubyos, Andrew.
01:11:59We're going.
01:12:00And...
01:12:00Where might we?
01:12:00Look at them.
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