Fight or Die : The Vinny Paz Story

by Caduto, Tommy Jon; Sugar, Bert Randolph

• ISBN13: 9781599219677
• ISBN10: 1599219670
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-09-01
• Publisher: Lyons Press

Summary

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 Storydelivers 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 Dietells 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 communityand with the incredible odds this boxer overcame again and again. A moving testament to the power of the human spirit,Fight or Dierecounts in arresting detail Vinny Paz's dramatic victories inside the ringbut it is his victory outside the ring that will inspire all readers.Tommy Jon Cadutois a lifetime Rhode Island resident and a lifelong friend of Vinny Paz. He has worked as a freelance writer for theEchoin Providence and as a drop-out prevention director and history teacher at Cranston East High School. He lives in Cranston, Rhode Island.

Author Biography

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	p. viii
Foreword	p. ix
Prologue	p. xiv
The Belt	p. 1
The Social Club	p. 16
Tragedy	p. 20
Where Did the Years Go?	p. 30
This Thing of Ours	p. 35
Rocky!Rocky!	p. 38
The Amateurs	p. 43
Russia and the Soviets	p. 54
Vinny the Pro	p. 67
Little Joe and a Big Draw	p. 83
Making Weight	p. 91
End of the Road?	p. 95
The Master Plan	p. 102
The Hampshire Hills	p. 109
King's Con and Kevin Rooney	p. 125
The Banking Crisis	p. 135
Vinny the Middleweight	p. 141
Richie Cunningham and Vinny Paz	p. 146
Roberto Duran and Vinny Paz	p. 150
Side by Side	p. 154
Home Cooking	p. 163
The Comeback	p. 169
The Exam	p. 174
Houston	p. 181
Stripped	p. 188
Stripped Again	p. 198
Fight Night	p. 203
Peace on Earth	p. 207
Epilogue	p. 210
Index	p. 216
About the Author	p. 224
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