Paul Spadafora Makes a Comeback

Paul Spadafora is sitting in a hotel room just outside of Pittsburgh, the city where he grew up, talking about coming back.

It seems that's all boxers do these days, is come back. Well, Spadafora is really coming back, he says for the last time. The former IBF lightweight champion will fight Wednesday night against Ivan Bustos in a junior welterweight bout in downtown Pittsburgh.

This is the beginning of a comeback for Spadafora, who at 33, needs this break. He got one years ago when he was this young undefeated fighter who beat veteran Israel Cardona on ESPN2 to win the IBF lightweight title. He's also fought on HBO and earned millions of dollars for hitting and moving and raising his arms in victory since winning the belt in 1999.

But over the last few years, Spadafora's life resembled an irritated engine.

"Difficult," Spadafora said in describing his life away from the sport. "It was difficult. The setback with the injuries and the other stuff is very difficult. I'm just ready to fight. It's really difficult. It's the past that I'm talking about. I'm moving on today."

In 2003, Spadafora fought Leonard Dorin to a draw. Following that, he decided to vacate the belt and move up in weight. That's when his troubles started.

In the midst of a drinking binge, he got into a fight with his girlfriend, Nadine Russo, and shot her in the chest after a struggle.

Spadafora served seven months in prison and six months in a boot camp after he pleaded guilty to second-degree felony assault. Russo spoke on Spadafora's behalf at sentencing. They are no longer together.

Alcohol, whether it was a beer, shot or cocktail, was the root of Spadafora's problems. He attended AA meetings, but, like with any addiction, there have been setbacks.

Spadafora had a parole violation and injuries, one to his ankle in March, causing delays in his career restarting.

His last fight was April 2008, when he beat Shad Howard in Erie, Pa. He's fought three times since 2006 and says he has changed his life for the better.

He has Hall of Famer fighter Pernell Whitaker training him now. In his prime, Whitaker was, pound-for-pound, the best fighter in the sport, a southpaw noted for defensive skills with the ability to beat you down with a jab and footwork. When Whitaker was on the big stage, he was robbed of a decision in a loss to Oscar De La Hoya.

When Whitaker lost to Felix Trinidad in 1999, he was past his prime.

Now Whitaker is trying to reach it again, this time as a trainer. He's told Spadafora, also a southpaw, to keep moving to his right. Stick the jab. Move around the ring. Work his opponent. Wear him down. Win the fight.

"This feels great," Spadafora said of Whitaker. "My whole mind has a different perspective of things now. Pete breaks it down for me, keeps it real simple for me. He doesn't expect me to lose."

Spadafora is no longer the fresh-faced kid HBO fell in love with years ago when they showcased him on that afternoon boxing show, which seems like years ago now.

Spadafora is a veteran guy, with an impressive record (41-0-1), trying to make a comeback.

Yeah, it seems like boxing always has guys coming back for something.

"This won't happen again," Spadafora said of long layoffs. "I'm going to do this until the end. I just want to stay busy. I never watched what I was doing, now everything I do I make note of it. I like boxing too much."