From Buster Douglas beating Mike Tyson to Andy Ruiz stopping Anthony Joshua there are many tales of fighters defying the odds to change their lives and win, but none more so than one fighter who defied all odds when he was told he’d never fight again.
Boxing has its fair share of ups and downs – every big upset is a tragedy for one man, but life-changing for the underdog, every injury either prevents a fighter’s livelihood or spurs them on for something greater.
What makes fighters different is their resilience, their ability to keep moving forward, to defy the haters, silence the critics, and prove the doubters wrong.
When the doubters are doctors, however, it becomes a real feat to prove them wrong and fight on – but that’s exactly what Vinny Pazienza did.
Vinny Pazienza defied doctors to win a world title after breaking his neck in horrific car crash
Vinny Pazienza’s career was on track for greatness, having just beaten Gilbert Dale to claim the WBA Super Welterweight world title, and to become only the second fighter to achieve a world title in the lightweight and super welterweight divisions.
Tragedy struck, however, when a horrific car accident just weeks later left Pazienza, often known as Paz, with a broken neck.
Paz was warned against training, and said himself he was told: “Son I’m sorry to say you’re not gonna box again.”
Paz replied: “No Dr Carter, you’re wrong. I am gonna box again. You don’t understand what kind of man I am.”
Paz would prove everyone wrong, secretly training against medical advice whilst wearing his halo brace.
His determination and resilience was rewarded when, just over a year later, Paz returned to the ring, a feat in itself, and defeated Luis Santana by unanimous decision.
Paz would go on to have 23 more fights in his career, proving doctors and doubters wrong. In 1993 he did the unthinkable and won the middleweight world title against Dan Sherry.
Paz went on to beat the legend, Roberto Duran, twice by unanimous decision for the IBC Super Middleweight title.
But he was not done there. Paz challenged for other super middleweight titles, most notably against the likes of Roy Jones Jr. Though he fell short on these attempts, just his ability to get back in the ring, let alone win multiple world titles, is the true definition of defying all odds.
The night Vinny Paz refereed Butterbean’s iconic knockout
Pazienza was more than a boxer, and on once occasion was in the ring as a referee instead.
This change of roles came when Eric Esch, more commonly known as ‘Butterbean’ due to his flatulence, faced Bart Gunn in a boxing match at Wrestlemania 15.
Butterbean was brought in to punish Gunn for Vince McMahon after Gunn won a fight he was supposed to lose.
The American heavyweight knocked Gunn out in the first round, with Pazienza getting front row seats to all the action.