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Two Local Boxers Fighting Their Way To The Top

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June 23, 2009

Meza-Clay, Spadafora Travelling Separate Roads To Same Goal

There was a time when boxing was considered a major sport in the Pittsburgh area, highlighted by the career of local native Billy Conn, who challenged the legendary Joe Louis for his heavyweight title in 1941.

These days two local fighters, Monty Meza-Clay and Paul Spadafora, are trying to put Pittsburgh back on the boxing map, each on their own epic journey to get there.

Meza-Clay, a Rankin native and 1999 graduate of Woodland Hills, met Fernando Beltran, Jr. last Friday night in a bid to win the IBF Latino featherweight belt. He lost a unanimous decision to Beltran, his second loss in a row after losing to the IBF top contender Jorge Solis in January.

With a career 28-3 record as a professional, Meza-Clay was the fifth-ranked contender in the IBF featherweight division entering last weekend's contest, and could still be in consideration for a title shot.

On the other end of the spectrum is Spadafora, a graduate of Sto-Rox, who will meet Ivan Bustos of Argentina in a junior welterweight bout Wednesday night at the Station Square Amphitheatre.

Spadafora, nicknamed "The Pittsburgh Kid" by Conn himself, reached the peak of his career when he defeated Israel Cardona on August 20, 1999 to win the IBF lightweight championship, and held it until he vacated it in 2003 to move up to the junior welterweight class.

Later that year, he was arrested for accidentally shooting his girlfriend, Nadine Russo. Within 11 months, he had been arrested three times, and eventually was sentenced to 21 to 60 months in prison for the shooting.

In November 2006, Spadafora returned to the ring to beat Jesus Francisco Zepeda in his first fight since his release from prison, but a parole violation landed him back in jail until he was released in July 2007.

Citing alcohol abuse as one of the main reasons for his decline out of the ring, he is now sober and focused on regaining his championship status.

In his second attempt at a comeback after being released from prison, Spadafora is back to his winning ways. In April 2008, he defeated Shad Howard in a unanimous decision to improve his record to 41-0-1 with 16 knockouts.

Although he is 33, it is believed by many in his camp that he still has plenty of time left to contend for another championship in his career. He has since employed the help of one of his idols, former boxing great Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker, to help with his training.

Both fighters are on the long road to the top of the boxing profession. A measured level of success could be a blow for the championship cause, as well as the local boxing scene as a whole.