Fight or Die: The Vinny Paz Story

by Tommy Caduto, Bert Randolph Sugar (Foreword by)

Overview

NOW IN PAPERBACK!

A personal account of how a beloved boxer beat the odds inside and outside the ring

"Written by Tommy Jon Caduto, a childhood friend of Vinny Paz who was there every step of the way. It's a book that not only captures [Paz's] entire journey, but also expertly captures the culture the journey sprang from." —Providence Journal



"Fight or Die: The Vinny Paz Story delivers every bit of excitement to both the clamoring Pazmaniacs and mainstream sports fans that the 'Pazmanian Devil' brought into the ring every night of his fan thrilling career.. .. Every bit as entertaining as it is accurate, [it] leaves no stone unturned." —onthegrindboxing.com

Fight or Die tells the remarkable story of one of America's best-loved boxers, Vinny Paz. Born Vincent Pazienza in 1962 in the mean streets of Cranston, Rhode Island, Vinny rose to become a champion in two weight divisions over a twenty-year career. Here, his best friend captures all the pain and sweat of the boxing world, with the rich traditions and grit of Rhode Island's Italian-American community—and with the incredible odds this boxer overcame again and again. A moving testament to the power of the human spirit, Fight or Die recounts in arresting detail Vinny Paz's dramatic victories inside the ring—but it is his victory outside the ring that will inspire all readers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781599219677
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	09/01/2010
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Tommy Jon Caduto is a lifetime Rhode Island resident and a lifelong friend of Vinnny Paz. A LaSalle Academy alumnus, he has a bachelor of arts degree in history and political science from Rhode Island College. He has worked as a freelance writer for Echo in Providence and as a drop-out prevention director and history teacher at Cranston East High School. He lives with his wife, Jennifer, and his dog, Moochie, in Cranston, Rhode Island.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments viii

Foreword Bert Randolph Sugar ix

Prologue xiv

1 The Belt 1

2 The Social Club 16

3 Tragedy 20

4 Where Did the Years Go? 30

5 This Thing of Ours 35

6 Rocky!Rocky! 38

7 The Amateurs 43

8 Russia and the Soviets 54

9 Vinny the Pro 67

10 Little Joe and a Big Draw 83

11 Making Weight 91

12 End of the Road? 95

13 The Master Plan 102

14 The Hampshire Hills 109

15 King's Con and Kevin Rooney 125

16 The Banking Crisis 135

17 Vinny the Middleweight 141

18 Richie Cunningham and Vinny Paz 146

19 Roberto Duran and Vinny Paz 150

20 Side by Side 154

21 Home Cooking 163

22 The Comeback 169

23 The Exam 174

24 Houston 181

25 Stripped 188

26 Stripped Again 198

27 Fight Night 203

28 Peace on Earth 207

Epilogue 210

Index 216

About the Author 224

Recipe

Fight or Die tells the remarkable story of one of America’s best-loved boxers, Vinny Paz. Born Vincent Pazienza in 1962 in the mean streets of Cranston, Rhode Island, Vinny rose to become a champion in two weight divisions over a twenty-year career. Here, his best friend captures all the pain and sweat of the boxing world, with the rich traditions and the grit of Rhode Island’s Italian-American community—and with the incredible odds this boxer overcame again and again. Vinny lost much of his money in aRhode Island banking scandal, butendured. Known for his uncompromising fighting style, he almost died from dehydration after one fight. And then there was the car crash that broke Vinny’s neck but not his resolve: Despite a doctor’s prediction that he would never fight again, he returned to the ring—the only life he’d ever known.

A moving testament to the power of the human spirit, Fight or Die recounts in arresting detail Vinny Paz’s drama-tic victories inside the ring—but it is his victory outside the ring that will inspire all readers.

Editorial Reviews

"Written by Tommy Jon Caduto, a childhood friend of Vinny Paz who was there every step of the way. It’s a book that not only captures [Paz's] entire journey, but also expertly captures the culture the journey sprang from."

—Providence Journal
 

"Fight or Die: The Vinny Paz Story delivers every bit of excitement to both the clamoring Pazmaniacs and mainstream sports fans that the 'Pazmanian Devil' brought into the ring every night of his fan thrilling career... . Every bit as entertaining as it is accurate, [it] leaves no stone unturned."

—onthegrindboxing.com

From the Publisher