Former IBF lightweight world boxing champion Paul Spadafora is in the hospital after being attacked by a dog. Our news partners at the Trib reported Wednesday that the McKees Rocks-based boxer was hospitalized in Las Vegas for a severed artery in his left arm after he was bit by his pit pull Sunday night. His wife, Nadine (Russo) Spadafora, told the Trib the boxer required a two-hour surgery to repair his arm, with doctors needing to use an artery from his left leg.She confirmed to the Trib the 49-year-old is on a “ventilator while sedated but said he is conscious and alert, with the hope that it will be removed once he can show the ability to breathe without any assistance.”He is reported to be in stable condition in the ICU at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center. Nadine said to the Trib he is expected to make a full recovery. Paul Spadafora became the first Western Pennsylvania-based world champion to win the vacant IBF lightweight title in a unanimous decision over Israel “Pito” Cardona in August 1999, the Trib said. He was nicknamed the “Pittsburgh Kid” in a nod to Billy Conn. The Trib said Spadafora made eight successful title defenses, ending his title reign after fighting Leonard Dorin to a draw in May 2003 and relinquishing his title to move up from the 135-pound weight class.Spadafora had moved to Las Vegas in 2022 and began training fighters up until his attack. “It’s just him versus him right now,” Nadine Spadafora said to the Trib Wednesday. “He has to let himself heal and recover. He has a lot of kids that he’s training right now. He’s doing really good. People are learning from him and like training with him. The hardest thing for Paul is to sit still for six weeks.”Spadafora’s former trainer, Tom Yankello of the World Class Boxing Gym in Ambridge told the Trib he believes the Spadafora will show his resilience in recovery and be back to fighting soon.” “I just hope that he’s going to be OK,” Yankello told TribLive. “He’s going to be the Comeback Kid, like he always is.”
Former IBF lightweight world boxing champion Paul Spadafora is in the hospital after being attacked by a dog.
Our news partners at the Trib reported Wednesday that the McKees Rocks-based boxer was hospitalized in Las Vegas for a severed artery in his left arm after he was bit by his pit pull Sunday night.
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His wife, Nadine (Russo) Spadafora, told the Trib the boxer required a two-hour surgery to repair his arm, with doctors needing to use an artery from his left leg.
She confirmed to the Trib the 49-year-old is on a “ventilator while sedated but said he is conscious and alert, with the hope that it will be removed once he can show the ability to breathe without any assistance.”
He is reported to be in stable condition in the ICU at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center.
Nadine said to the Trib he is expected to make a full recovery.
Paul Spadafora became the first Western Pennsylvania-based world champion to win the vacant IBF lightweight title in a unanimous decision over Israel “Pito” Cardona in August 1999, the Trib said.
He was nicknamed the “Pittsburgh Kid” in a nod to Billy Conn.
The Trib said Spadafora made eight successful title defenses, ending his title reign after fighting Leonard Dorin to a draw in May 2003 and relinquishing his title to move up from the 135-pound weight class.
Spadafora had moved to Las Vegas in 2022 and began training fighters up until his attack.
“It’s just him versus him right now,” Nadine Spadafora said to the Trib Wednesday. “He has to let himself heal and recover. He has a lot of kids that he’s training right now. He’s doing really good. People are learning from him and like training with him. The hardest thing for Paul is to sit still for six weeks.”
Spadafora’s former trainer, Tom Yankello of the World Class Boxing Gym in Ambridge told the Trib he believes the Spadafora will show his resilience in recovery and be back to fighting soon.”
“I just hope that he’s going to be OK,” Yankello told TribLive. “He’s going to be the Comeback Kid, like he always is.”
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