Spadafora admits to Alcoholism and Cocaine

Newsmaker/ Paul Spadafora-- Now an admitted addict, former boxing champ seeks mercy in court Monday, December 27, 2004 By Milan Simonich, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Paul Spadafora went from rags to riches and then blew it all away. The former world lightweight boxing champion from McKees Rocks sits in jail this morning, a convicted felon who at last admits he is addicted to cocaine and alcohol. Spadafora, 29, has two goals now that he has hit bottom. One is sobriety. The other is to avoid a long prison sentence for shooting his girlfriend, Nadine Russo, during a drunken rage last year. Spadafora pleaded guilty last week to second-degree assault, a reduced charge, but one that still could put him in prison for two to three years under the state's standard sentencing guidelines. Spadafora's lawyer, William Difenderfer, said he will argue for the minimum sentence -- probation to nine months -- at a Feb. 14 hearing. "The offense, on the face of it, looks bad -- a young lady was shot," Difenderfer said. "But there's a lot more to this that will come out at the sentencing hearing." Difenderfer would not let Spadafora be interviewed for this story, saying his client would speak only at his sentencing before Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey A. Manning. First Assistant District Attorney Edward J. Borkowski said he considered it inappropriate to comment on Difenderfer's contention that Spadafora deserves a light sentence. "The seriousness of the offense is obvious," Borkowski said. "We have faith that Judge Manning will be evenhanded and fair because he always is." Manning is awaiting a background report on Spadafora from the probation department, a standard procedure before sentencing. He also will hear testimony from Spadafora and his victim. Russo, 22, intends to ask Manning to treat Spadafora mercifully. She said she and Spadafora have a son, Geno. He was born Dec. 1, more than a year after Spadafora shot her. Manning said the standard punishment range for second-degree assault is 15 to 21 months in prison. Spadafora's use of a handgun in the crime is punishable by three to 14 months in prison, according to those same guidelines. By dropping the charge of first-degree assault with a firearm, the district attorney lost his chance at a mandatory five-year prison sentence for Spadafora. But because of that concession, prosecutors said, they enticed Spadafora to admit his guilt to lesser crimes. "That was the plea bargain," Borkowski said. The case against Spadafora was not ironclad. Borkowski said prosecutors could not directly tie him to the .38-caliber handgun used to shoot Russo. In addition, she was a reluctant witness, though prosecutors could have compelled her to testify. Even with the state guidelines, Manning has discretion over how much time Spadafora will serve. The judge also could recommend that the corrections department place Spadafora in a boot camp instead of a prison. Correctional boot camps are populated by younger criminals, many of them addicts. Spadafora, who stands 5-feet-9, lived a spartan existence to get down to his fighting weight of 135 or 140 pounds. But between fights, he went to excess with food, alcohol and drugs. "He has an addiction problem, period," Difenderfer said. So Spadafora will remain in jail at least until he is sentenced, thereby avoiding the temptations of street life that could occur if he were released on bail. His jail time also would be credited toward any prison sentence he receives. Promoter Mike Acri said Spadafora, if he wants to, can overcome his desires for drugs and alcohol. Spadafora, 38-0-1 as a professional boxer, never could have reached such heights if he were not capable of self-discipline, Acri said. Spadafora had two fights this year, both victories. Then came Labor Day, a holiday that coincided with his birthday. He went on a drinking binge and was charged with disorderly conduct in Mercer County. Soon after, on Sept. 20, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission revoked Spadafora's boxing license. Without a fight to prepare for, Spadafora continued his self-destructive ways. A drug test earlier this month revealed he had used cocaine. Greg Sirb, executive director of the state athletic commission, said he likes Spadafora and worries about him. "He's never been anything but a gentleman to this commission," Sirb said. "But Paul has a problem and he -- not his lawyer or his corner men or anybody else -- has to deal with it. Nobody else can." Spadafora, when sober, can be engaging. Unlike many celebrities, he seemed to enjoy interacting with the public. He would sign autographs for hours and talk with strangers who paid to see him fight. His fans say this was proof that he never forgot his humble start. Born poor, he dropped out of school at 16 for a career in boxing. Two weeks shy of his 24th birthday, Spadafora defeated Pito Cardona for the vacant International Boxing Federation lightweight title. He held the championship in the 135-pound class for three years and 10 months. He gave up his title to move up to junior welterweight, allowing him to add five pounds to his bony frame. In better times, Spadafora marketed himself as The Pittsburgh Kid, a bootstrap success story in a blue-collar town. Pittsburgh Brewing Co., maker of Iron City Beer, signed him to an endorsement deal in 1999, after he won his world title. The cruel irony of an alcoholic representing a beermaker was not apparent then. Joe Piccirilli, president of Pittsburgh Brewing, said in an interview last week that he hopes Spadafora can salvage his life and his career. "Our relationship is that, if and when he fights again, we have the opportunity to sponsor him," Piccirilli said. "The door is open." Not everybody feels that way. Promoter Acri said he would work with Spadafora again only if he were clean. "He'd have to prove to me that he has straightened out," Acri said. "Really, I'm not even thinking about boxing. I just hope this kid can get his life together." Sirb has the same view. "Boxing should be the last thing on Paul's mind," he said. -------- This really sucks, as I am a big Spadafora fan. I would love to see Spadafora back in the ring, but not a shadow of himself. I want to see him get clean and back in the ring.