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03/28/2004 Archived Entry: "Plasmanian Devil Paz Wins 50th, Announces Retirement"
"Plasmanian Devil" Paz Wins 50th, Announces Retirement
By J.D. Vena
MASHANTUCKET PEQUOT TRIBAL NATION - After five rounds, the final chapter of the fantastic career of Vinny Paz didn’t seem to be going the way he had envisioned. Absent during those rounds was the speed and reflexes and the ability to work his way inside the taller, determined Tocker Pudwill of Bismarck, ND. For any other fighter, father time would have told the story but in what would prove to be one of the most satisfying wins of a career that began in 1983, the bloodied Paz rallied to defeat Pudwill by unanimous 10-round decision at Foxwoods Casino Resort.
After the victory Paz announced that his career was a “great ride” and that he would have never been able to do it without his fans. He admitted that his skills were nearly gone but that he had enough left in the tank or enough to overcome Pudwill. One thing was for certain, the fans didn’t help the Pazmanian Devil win his 50th nor did his boyhood idol, Roberto Duran cheering for him in the first row, but they enjoyed every minute of it.
Pudwill, 169, was clearly the sharper of the two, owning advantages in height, reach and being nearly 10 years younger. Pudwill’s jab was clearly a distraction for Paz who didn’t seem to care about getting tattooed by it through the first five rounds. As has been the case with most of his fights, the cuts began to open, including a nasty one on Paz’ right cheekbone. One could sense Paz’ utter frustration as he would often follow Pudwill to his corner after each round would end.
Pudwill was gaining confidence as the blood began to pour from the cut and referee Dick Flaherty would have the ringside physician examine it. If anything, the cut helped push Paz to the limit he would need to reach in order to fulfill his dream. Most fighters, especially 41 year old ones don’t reach that limit, but Paz has known it his whole life.
“I remember when I was six,” said Paz. “It was my first fight and I lost to some big kid and my father told me, ‘Well, now this is over, maybe you should play baseball instead.’ And I told him, ‘No dad, I like this and I’m going to stick with it.”
There was nothing different about Paz 35 years later. Despite being thoroughly outboxed during the first five rounds, Paz stuck with it and began to mount a steady body attack and land some occasional big right hands. He was so happy with his work he intentionally hit Pudwill with a left hook after the 6th. Flaherty did not take away a point but it didn’t appear to hurt Pudwill. In the 7th, a roundhouse right hand stunned Pudwill and dropped him to his knees. Pudwill rose to his feet and was pressured by Paz until the end of the frame.
Paz continued to stalk Pudwill and in the 9th dropped Pudwill with a left hook to the body. The tiring Pudwill and father time just couldn’t stop the relentless Paz.
Paz won the final five rounds on all three judges’ scorecards, including two 10-8 rounds. Judges Glen Feldman and George DeGabriel had Paz by tallies of 95-93, while Steve Epstein had Paz winning 96-93. Feldman’s and DeGabriel’s cards were incorrectly tallied and announced as 95-91. The CBZ had Paz winning 95-94 because of an even 6th.
“In one way, I’m relieved that it’s over and I went out in a blaze of glory,” said the former two time world champion. “In other ways, I’m very sad it’s over because this is something I’ve been doing my whole life. I’m very proud I went out on a note like this and proud that so many people came to support me.”
As Paz had planned #50 was hard-earned and tougher than expected and he wanted nothing other than what Tocker Pudwill brought last night.
“The kid fought a great fight,” said Paz of Pudwill who dropped to 39-6 with 14 KO’s. “I knew he was tough going in and I knew I had my work cut out for me. He wasn’t slowing down as I had hoped but I’m glad it turned out this way.”
As he had hoped Vinny “The Pazmanian Devil” Paz exits boxing with 50 wins, 10 losses, 30 wins by knockout and a terrific end of a great story.
In what would prove to be the most impressive performance of her career, Jaime "The Hurricane" Clampitt, of Narragansett, RI pounded Lanie Ellis of Houston, TX at will until Ellis’ corner halted the bout at the end of the fourth. Clampitt used a two fisted attack to the head and body and seemed unable to miss Ellis with her left hook.
“I hit her with everything but she just wouldn’t go down,” said Clampitt. “So I just kept hitting her.”
Ellis, 136, was repeatedly warned by dinosaur referee Frank Cappuccino for holding Clampitt behind the head. It would prove to be her only defense and when she ended those tactics after the third, the Hurricane poured it on until Ellis’ corner climbed onto the ring apron to have Frank stop it. Of course, Cappuccino didn’t see any of it until the round had ended. Clampitt, the defending IWBA and WEBA world champion, is now 13-2 with 5 KO’s while Ellis is now 9-2 with 3 KO’s.
"Bad" Chad Dawson of New Haven, CT made his first ring apearance since winning the WBC Youth Middleweight title in October when he completely out-boxed Aundalan Sloan of Fond du lac, WI, over six one-sided rounds. Dawson, 162, controlled form the outside but never hurt Sloan, 157, who had difficulty with Dawson’s reach and southpaw stance. Dawson, now 15-0 with 10 KO’s won by three scores of 60-54. Sloan now slumps to 4-7-1 with 2 KO’s.
In a sloppy fight between two people who can’t fight, Wayne "Lights Out" Johnson, 177, of Peabody, MA stopped Tomas Gonzalez, of Miami, FL in the second round about a minute or so after getting decked in the first time in his career. Gonzalez, 179, turned out Johnson’s lights early in the second with a right hand and dropped him to his knees a few punches later. When referee Dick Flaherty began counting, Gonzalez inched his way across the ring from the neutral corner as if he never knew what do after a knockdown. Flaherty’s warnings helped Johnson gain some needed time but he had no idea what to do with Johnson when he was finally allowed to attack him. Johnson ended up hurting Gonzalez with a right hand and from then on, Gonzalez was turning his back on Johnson as he was getting hit. Flaherty stopped the fight at 2:27 shortly after he had ruled a knockdown of Gonzalez who is now 2-2 while Johnson is now 4-0 with 3 KO’s.
Photo by Marty Rosengarten 917-576-7035
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Replies: 1 Comment made on this article
Anyone know where I can send a letter to Paz? I need an address. Thanks. Martin
Posted by MJacobs784@aol.com">Martin Jacobs @ 04/05/2004 02:40 AM EST
