PITTSBURGH Spadafora's record now 35-0

The lightweight successfully defended his title for the sixth time.
By BOB ROTH
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
PITTSBURGH -- A common clich & eacute; of boxing is that "styles make fights."
It was quite evident in Saturday night's bout for the International Boxing Federation lightweight title at the A.J. Palumbo Center.
In that battle, Angel Manfredy was trying to take the IBF belt away from local favorite Paul Spadafora. That task was easier said than done.
Boxing clinic: After a slow start, Spadafora, an elusive southpaw with quick hands, made the 12-round bout a boxing clinic against the aggressive Manfredy to win a unanimous decision.
The trio of judges all rendered a 115-113 verdict, which wasn't popular with either fighter. Manfredy thought he was a winner and Spadafora believed he won more convincingly.
Spadafora, with his sixth successful title defense, remained undefeated at 35-0.
Manfredy made no secret of his intent as he came out throwing right hand shots in the first round, taking the fight to Spadafora.
His aggressiveness seemed to have him in the driver's seat in the early going, but even with a slow start, Spadafora landed countering straight lefts and with every round began asserting himself and dictating the tempo of the fight.
Round five was a wake-up call for Spadafora who, because of his southpaw stance, became more difficult for Manfredy to tag with his right-hand leads. The fifth round saw Spadafora, a classic counterpuncher, take to the offense with a series of his best combinations of the night.
It gets better: He worked more body shots in the next round, and in the seventh, with the frustrated Manfredy in an attack mode, countered with lefts. The next two rounds were Spadafora's best as he used straight rights and lefts in the eight, and moving in and out as an elusive target in the ninth he peppered Manfredy with right jabs.
Manfredy, who rallied at the end of most rounds, caught Spadafora with his best punch of the night, a short right-hand shot in the 10th, but Spadafora, with patience, good focus and outstanding ring presence, was in control of the fight to the final bell.
"I thought I won the fight, but I knew I needed a knockout to win in this guy's town," said Manfredy (39-6-1).
"My plan was to keep putting pressure on him because I wanted to see what Spadafora would do and he didn't do much as I kept coming at him. He was moving and running like Paul does which in my opinion is kind of amateurish."
Spadafora replied, "He did the head-butting first and I wanted to show him I could answer in other ways.
"In my heart I know I could have done better than I did. It was a good fight and a good test for me, but I could have started better."
Sensed strength: Asked at what point of the fight he began to gain confidence, Spadafora said, "In the middle of the second round I began to see I was better than Angel because when I was inside I felt stronger than him. Tonight I think I showed people that I can do what I want with the best in the world."
A next step for Spadafora is to unite the lightweight championships, which means a fight with Floyd Mayweather.