Comments Thread For: Spadafora Reflects on Mayweather Sparring Session

[jlcelestine]

If someone asks you how a sparring session over a decade ago went, say I dont remember, no comment. It was just another day at the office. I wasnt totally coming down on Spadafora, but this article is only his most recent commentary on the event. A few months ago he was calling out mayweather for a fight saying he beat him in sparring. Its not like hes humble and honest about it all the time. Literally, I dont know how you could not remember the articles posted on here after Mayweather got out of jail. Spadafora was calling him out and acting like he was ducking him. I read the article in its entirety. You apparently arent aware of the entire situation.

I remember reading that he wanted a shot, watching a video about how his management lied to him about actually getting the fight. Saying on several occasions that he wanted to fight a top guy. But never have i read anything about him accusing any fighter of ducking him. I am not saying I'm right, just that i dont remember.

In regards to saying "it was just another day at the office", that is exactly what he is saying here. Why claim he forgot, when he hasnt? it isnt like he is walking around with a T-Shirt saying "I beat Mayweather in sparring". People are interested in this, they ask him about it, and he answers. This isnt the first interview ive read where he downplays the session as just another day in the office, and explains that it doesnt mean anything.

[MASTER1454]

He wasn't bragging, but he needs to STFU about it.....

allow me to speak for anyone whos ever boxed. We all spar with guys above our level. Its how we get better. Sometimes you do better than you expect, but it doesnt mean anything. Theres nothing on the line for the better fighter. Hes just working on things and not necissarily about winning every round decisively. Theres much lesser killer instinct and adrenaline involved than in a real fight in front of an audience that will go on your permanent record. This guy needs to stop talking about it...Look at Floyd and look at him. Its like some guy saying "I played in a pick up game against Lebron James and made a jump shot!!"...Even though Lebron wasnt really trying or cared at all. My avatar is me sparring with Bryant Jennings. I know Im his sparring partner. Im proud to help out, but I know it isnt the real thing. Just the same, when I spar with guys a few notches below me, they need to realize that too. Spadafora is like some high school kid who made out with some girl at a party and goes around telling everyone they did it...its sad and pathetic. He needs to get a life and get a meaningful win on his actual record sometime before he turns 40.

He needs to stop fighting in racetracks - he's mad, that's the problem.....

^^^ yep this

The mentality of a real fight is totally different IMO and effects performance too I spar with guys that have a lot better records than I do but and do better than them but they are better in the actual fights. Plus Floyd may have been trying to work on some stuff that day that made him look worse cause its not a competition in there its time to sharpen skills

Exactly - you work on & try to apply what's been taught during sparring, so mistakes will be made. Better in sparring than come fight time.....

Its obvious to me that Floyds been ducking Paulie for a decade now.

It's obvious that you've been confronting ignorance for a lifetime.......

Isn't Spadafora in prison or dead?

By that post, it seems that you were in prison......

[edgarg]

Many boxing fans remember the infamous sparring session between Paul Spadafora and Floyd Mayweather, which happened over ten years ago. Since then rumors circulated wildly about a potential Mayweather-Spadafora showdown. The sparring session took place when Paul was a few days away from a fight but Floyd did not have one lined up.

Last night, Paul Spadafora stopped by ATG Radio to discuss his upcoming fight with Robert Frankel this Saturday night LIVE WORLDWIDE on GFL.tv. Many topics were discussed - such as his past, fighting for Roy Jones, Kelly Pavlik, and much more. Paul was discussing the difference in sparring father away from a fight and close to a fight, which led him to clear the air as you will about the infamous sparring session with P4P king Floyd Mayweather.
[Click Here To Read More]

The writer should look up the proper meaning of "infamous"...

People these days throw far to many out-of-place terms around. "Legendary" is another.

As for the sparring session, whilst they are usually not to be taken seriously, they do serve a purpose. Regardless of whether Spadafora was prepared and Mayweather not, Mayweather is reputed to always make the point that he is better than the other guy, even in sparring. And he's always boasting about his readiness, and fitness. So the fact that Spadafora showed himself better at that time, means that Mayweather either improved since, or Spadafora was that good.

I've always thought that Spadafora was the shiftiest, smoothest boxer of the period, and he showed it in the sparring session. His damaged leg is the main reason for his boxing style. I remember hearing him talk about it one time.

[chump123]

The writer should look up the proper meaning of "infamous"...

People these days throw far to many out-of-place terms around. "Legendary" is another.

As for the sparring session, whilst they are usually not to be taken seriously, they do serve a purpose. Regardless of whether Spadafora was prepared and Mayweather not, Mayweather is reputed to always make the point that he is better than the other guy, even in sparring. And he's always boasting about his readiness, and fitness. So the fact that Spadafora showed himself better at that time, means that Mayweather either improved since, or Spadafora was that good.

I've always thought that Spadafora was the shiftiest, smoothest boxer of the period, and he showed it in the sparring session. His damaged leg is the main reason for his boxing style. I remember hearing him talk about it one time.

Hmmmm.......That is a bit like the armpit calling the ass crack hairy.

[radioraheem]

The writer should look up the proper meaning of "infamous"...

People these days throw far to many out-of-place terms around. "Legendary" is another.

As for the sparring session, whilst they are usually not to be taken seriously, they do serve a purpose. Regardless of whether Spadafora was prepared and Mayweather not, Mayweather is reputed to always make the point that he is better than the other guy, even in sparring. And he's always boasting about his readiness, and fitness. So the fact that Spadafora showed himself better at that time, means that Mayweather either improved since, or Spadafora was that good.

I've always thought that Spadafora was the shiftiest, smoothest boxer of the period, and he showed it in the sparring session. His damaged leg is the main reason for his boxing style. I remember hearing him talk about it one time.

At that time, Mayweather was not reputed to always make a point that he was better than the other guy. The sparring session happened in the early 'Pretty Boy' days. Floyd came in out of shape and wasn't sharp. For the most part, in the 'Pretty Boy' days, he wasn't bragging about his fitness and readiness. But one thing is certain, the experience definitely taught him a lesson about preparation. I think after this session, it was one of the things that taught him the lesson of why it's important to stay in shape consistently -- year round. And not to ever take anyone lightly.

Spadafora was a good boxer, but I don't agree about him being the smoothest boxer of the period and whatnot. That's saying a bit too much.

[josenoway]

lmao, people like edgarg trying to make conclusions off a sparring session. smh.

[ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY]

I remember when this happened, the next day at Foxwoods in CT a big name trainer flew in from Vegas for a show and was telling us about it...it was big at the time...the story he gave was that Floyd was talking a lot, bragging etc, and his team was kind of calling Paul out and he accepted...everybody was hyped it, it had the feel of a real "gym fight"... I love those situations...it doesn't say who would win in a real fight of course but u can be sure in a situation like that both guys were trying with all they had in those moments...no one wants to get shown up in a session like that...my guess is that Floyd underestimated Paul and realized after a couple rounds that Paul was legit and in better shape at that time...Floyd clearly wasn't at his best

[junior gong]

allow me to speak for anyone whos ever boxed. We all spar with guys above our level. Its how we get better. Sometimes you do better than you expect, but it doesnt mean anything. Theres nothing on the line for the better fighter. Hes just working on things and not necissarily about winning every round decisively. Theres much lesser killer instinct and adrenaline involved than in a real fight in front of an audience that will go on your permanent record. This guy needs to stop talking about it...Look at Floyd and look at him. Its like some guy saying "I played in a pick up game against Lebron James and made a jump shot!!"...Even though Lebron wasnt really trying or cared at all. My avatar is me sparring with Bryant Jennings. I know Im his sparring partner. Im proud to help out, but I know it isnt the real thing. Just the same, when I spar with guys a few notches below me, they need to realize that too. Spadafora is like some high school kid who made out with some girl at a party and goes around telling everyone they did it...its sad and pathetic. He needs to get a life and get a meaningful win on his actual record sometime before he turns 40.

this sounds a little butthurt from you...I couldnt pick up anything to suggest he was bragging, in fact, he was pretty spot on in his assertion that he was just about to fight and that floyd wasnt really even training. How you got 'bragging' out of that, I dont know.

What I do know is that sparring has its purpose for preparation and all fighters use it differently....some never do very much, dont perform or dont even like it. Tommy Hearns was notoriously poor when it came to sparring but he didnt do too bad when it really mattered.

[MrRolltide91]

after this sparring session this made mayweather to stay in shape all year round.