Early life

His mother was Louise Pazienza (1927-2002), from Cranston, Rhode Island.

Career

In the 1980s, Vinny Pazienza built a reputation along the East Coast by putting together an impressive streak of wins over fighters Melvin Paul (KO 2), Joe Frazier Jr. (TKO 7), Harry Arroyo (UD 10), Nelson Bolanos (TKO 6) and Roberto Elizondo (KO in 10). His first world title fight came on June 7, 1987, in Providence, RI, 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 juinior welterweight division: in 1988 against WBC World Champion Roger Mayweather and, in 1990, versus both WBO Champion Hector "Macho" Camacho and WBA World Champion Loreto Garza. It was during this time period that Pazienza was having difficulty making weight for his fights. After the Roger Mayweather fight, Pazienza collapsed in the dressing room from near-fatal dehydration and was rushed to hospital. After the loss to Garza, Pazienza decided to move up to a more natural weight class. It has been said that his then manager Lou Duva did not want Pazienza to move up in weight due to the Duva's managing champions in other weight classes.

In 1991, Pazienza made the move to the junior middleweight division and in his first fight at this weight class he won the USBA Championship against Ron Amundsen in a 12-round decision. Pazienza looked faster, healthier and stronger. He then received a shot at the WBA World Title and was successful in defeating the WBA World Jr. Middleweight Champion Gilbert Dele with a 12th-round TKO win in Providence, RI. With this world title win, Pazienza became the second fighter in boxing history to win both the lightweight and junior middleweight world championships. Pazienza was considered the underdog going into the fight but delivered what many believe was the finest performance of his career.

Shortly after winning the junior middleweight world title, 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. Pazienza had the Halo screwed to his skull for 3 months, during which time he maintained a workout regime--disobeying the doctors' orders. Pazienza returned to the ring thirteen months after the accident and beat future WBC World Jr. Middleweight Champion Luis Santana via a 10-round decision. It is considered the greatest comeback in boxing history. The rights to this story were sold to Verdi Corrente Productions and have been turned into a feature film dubbed Bleed for This. American actor Miles Teller portrays Paz.

After the Santana fight, Pazienza then went on to defeat Brett Lally by a 6th-round TKO and then, in another TKO, beat the 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 also went on to beat Roberto Duran twice, both via decision, with the IBC Super Middleweight Title on the line both times. In June 1995, Roy Jones, Jr. vs. Vinny Pazienza, a fight billed as The Devil and Mr. Jones, resulted in a loss in the world title bid against IBF World Super Middleweight Champion Roy Jones, Jr. In 1996, Pazienza inflicted then-prospect Dana Rosenblatt's only loss (a knockout in 4 rounds) to win the vacant WBU Super Middleweight World Championship.

In early 2001, Pazienza legally changed his last name to Paz.

In 2002, Paz 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 (the IBF Lightweight Championship, WBA Jr. Middleweight Championship, IBO Super Middleweight Championship, IBC Super Middleweight Championship and the WBU Super Middleweight Championship). He also won the USBA title.

Outside of boxing, Paz was a guest star on the tv series Police Academy, 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.

Professional boxing record

50 Wins (30 knockouts, 20 decisions), 10 Losses (3 knockouts, 7 decisions)
Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round	Date	Location	Notes
Win		Tocker Pudwill	UD	10	27/03/2004	Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, United States
Loss		Eric Lucas	UD	12	01/03/2002	Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, United States
Win		Levan Easley	UD	10	07/12/2001	Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, United States
Win		Tim Shocks	UD	10	21/09/2001	Rhodes-on-the Pawtuxet, Cranston, Rhode Island, United States
Win		Pat Lawlor	KO	2	27/07/2001	Rhodes-on-the Pawtuxet, Cranston, Rhode Island, United States
Loss		Aaron Davis	TKO	8	09/02/2001	Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, United States
Loss		Dana Rosenblatt	SD	12	05/11/1999	Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, United States
Win		Esteban Cervantes	SD	10	25/06/1999	Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, United States
Win		Joseph Kiwanuka	UD	10	09/04/1999	Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, United States
Win		Undra White	TKO	9	08/01/1999	Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, United States
Win		Arthur "Ashe" Allen	UD	10	06/11/1998	Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, United States
Win		Glenwood Brown	MD	10	26/07/1998	Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, United States
Loss		Herol Graham	UD	12	06/12/1997	Wembley Arena, Wembley, London, United Kingdom
Win		Dana Rosenblatt	TKO	4	23/08/1996	Bally's Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Loss		Roy Jones, Jr.	TKO	6	24/06/1995	Atlantic City Convention Center, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win		Roberto Duran	UD	12	14/01/1995	Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win		Rafael Williams	UD	10	08/11/1994	Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, United States
Win		Roberto Duran	UD	12	25/06/1994	MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win		Jacques LeBlanc	UD	10	05/04/1994	Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, United States
Win		Dan Sherry	KO	11	28/12/1993	Ritz Carlton, Aspen, Colorado, United States
Win		Robbie Sims	UD	10	26/10/1993	Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, United States
Win		Lloyd "Ragamuffin Man" Honeyghan	TKO	10	26/06/1993	Atlantic City Convention Center, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win		"Irish" Brett Lally	RTD	6	02/03/1993	Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, United States
Win		Luis Santana	UD	10	15/12/1992	Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Connecticut, United States
Win		Gilbert Dele	TKO	12	01/10/1991	Providence Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Win		Ron Amundsen	UD	12	02/07/1991	Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Loss		Loreto Garza	DQ	11	01/12/1990	Arco Arena, Sacramento, California, United States
Win		Greg Haugen	UD	10	05/08/1990	Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Loss		Hector 'Macho' Camacho	UD	12	03/02/1990	Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win		Eddie VanKirk	TKO	5	27/11/1989	Providence Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Win		Vinnie Burgese	TKO	10	11/06/1989	Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win		Jake Carollo	TKO	2	14/04/1989	Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Loss		Roger Mayweather	UD	12	07/11/1988	Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win		Rick Kaiser	TKO	3	04/10/1988	Park West, Chicago, Illinois, United States
Win		Felix "The Cat" Dubray	TKO	4	27/06/1988	Providence Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Loss		Greg Haugen	UD	15	06/02/1988	Atlantic City Convention Center, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win		Greg Haugen	UD	15	07/06/1987	Providence Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Win		Roberto Elizondo	TKO	10	08/02/1987	Providence Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Win		Roger "Rabbit" Brown	TKO	4	08/11/1986	San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States
Win		Nelson Bolanos	TKO	6	18/09/1986	Providence Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Win		Harry Arroyo	UD	10	18/05/1986	Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Win		Joe Frazier, Jr.	TKO	7	05/02/1986	Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Win		Melvin Paul	TKO	2	26/11/1985	Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win		Jeff "Tazmanian Devil" Bumpus	UD	10	18/09/1985	Harrah's Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win		Antoine Lark	TKO	6	27/03/1985	Harrah's Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Loss		Abdelkader Marbi	TKO	5	01/12/1984	Palazzo Dello Sport, Milan, Italy
Win		Bruno Simili	TKO	3	17/11/1984	Riva del Garda, Italy
Win		Rich McCain	UD	8	29/08/1984	Sands Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win		Mike "Graham" Golden	PTS	8	15/04/1984	Sands Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win		David "Liberty" Bell	TKO	4	26/02/1984	Beaumont Civic Center, Beaumont, Texas, United States
Win		Jose "Cheo" Ortiz	KO	6	14/12/1983	Ice World, Totowa, New Jersey, United States
Win		Emilio "Estevez" Diaz	TKO	3	02/12/1983	Warwick, Rhode Island, United States
Win		Robert "Louis" Stevenson	KO	1	27/10/1983	Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win		Jim Zelinski	TKO	2	24/09/1983	Ice World, Totowa, New Jersey, United States
Win		"Ricky" Ricardo Moreno	TKO	3	09/09/1983	Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win		Rafael Alicia	TKO	2	31/08/1983	Sands Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win		Eddie Carberry	TKO	2	16/08/1983	Playboy Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win		Patrick Dangerfield, Jr.	KO	2	10/07/1983	Caesars Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win		Keith McCoy	KO	3	30/06/1983	Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win		Alfredo Rivera	TKO	4	26/05/1983	Sands Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States

Criminal charges

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

[ Source: Wikipedia ]