Manfredo To Spina: Put Up Or Shut Up

Peter “The Pride of Providence” Manfredo, Jr. (25-3, 11 KOs), one of the stars of the first season of The Contender, plans on silencing his Little Rhody rival, Joey “KO Kid” Spina, when they meet on October 14 in the 12-round main event – “The Contender Special – Put Up or Shut Up” – at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island.

Manfredo and Spina grew-up less than a mile from each other in the Silver Lake section of Providence

“This is a step down fight for me,” Manfredo said from his training camp in L.A. “[Spina’s] not on my level. He’s been fighting stiffs; he’s a built-up fighter. When he gets in the ring with me he’s going to realize that I’m the real deal. I’m going in there to do a job, just listen to my corner. I’m going to embarrass him right in our hometown. I’ll put on a boxing clinic to show him what it’s really like to be a complete fighter. Spina has no jab, no fundamentals. He just throws a left hook and hopes; even if he lands, I have a chin of steel.

“There are some in Providence who think he can fight. On October 14th I’m going to show them that he’s a joke. He’s telling people he’s the real ‘Pride of Providence.’ He’s shown no respect for me. I don’t like him. It’s personal because of all the crap he’s talked about me, my father, my wife, my family.”

Manfredo is rated No. 14 by the WBC and No. 15 by the IBF, and is the former NABO super middleweight titleholder. In his last fight, Manfredo registered a devastating third-round TKO victory against former world No. 1 contender Scott “The Sandman” Pemberton in front of nearly 10,000 Providence fans at The Dunk.

WBC USNBC and IBF Intercontinental super middleweight champion Spina (19-0-1, 14 KOs) is rated No. 16 by the WBC.

“We used to spar when I was 154 pounds and he was 175,” Manfredo said. “I used to drop him back then with body punches. Maybe now he’s a little better fighter, but I’m bigger and better today. All of the talk is over October 14.”

“They’re saying Joey is bigger and stronger than Peter,” Peter Manfredo, Sr. (father/manager/assistant trainer) added. “His manager (Pat Doljanan) is new to the game. He has what, two fighters? He believes what he sees. I’ve been in this business 30 years, around the best fighters and trainers. I know this is going to be a whitewash. Peter’s training with some of the top contenders. Oscar La Hoya came by the gym the other day and said to me, ‘Your kid looks good.’ And that means something coming from him. This kid’s (Spina) promoter (Jimmy Burchfield) built him up against stiffs.

“My kid is sharp. Don’t be surprised to see this guy (Spina) get hit a lot more and harder than he’s ever been. The way he’s talking he could end-up getting hurt. I’ll never have respect for him as a fighter or person for what he’s said about my family. Peter’s around guys like Freddy Roach (Peter’s head trainer). Nothing against Eddie Mustapha Muhammad (Spina’s head trainer), but how many champions has he trained?  My kid is going to embarrass Joey. He’s a one-dimensional fighter who’s easy to plan for. He’s going to get beaten up so bad that maybe he’ll have to retire after the fight.”

“The Contender Special – Put Up or Shut Up” is promoted by The Tournament of Contenders, in association with Classic Entertainment & Sports.

Also on the card, 2000 Olympian Jerson Ravelo takes on undefeated prospect Allan “Sweetness” Green in the eight round co-feature. Ravelo (17-1, 12 KOs), fighting out of Newark (NJ) via the Dominican Republic, holds and amateur win against former world champion Jeff Lacy.North American Boxing Federation and NABO top contender Green (22-0, 15 KOs), fighting out of Tulsa (KO), is rated No. 6 by the World Boxing Organization and No. 18 by the WBC.

Alfonso Gomez, another Contender I standout, will also fight in Providence against an opponent to be determined. NABF rated No. 8 Gomez (15-3-2, 6 KOs) is a native of Mexico but now lives in California.

The fights will be televised on ESPN2 from 10:30PM – 12:30 AM/ET. It will be tape-delayed as the main event will begin LIVE at 9:00 PM/ET inside the Dunkin’ Donut Center.

Tickets priced at $502.00, $302.00, $202.00, $102.00, $77.00 and $42.00 are on sale through www.Ticketmaster.com, all local Ticketmaster outlets or by calling Ticketmaster at 401.331.2211 or .617.931.2000.  Tickets are also available through CES Boxing at 401.724.2253, www.cesboxing.comand the Dunkin’ Donuts Center Box Office.

For more information visit www.tournamentofcontenders.com, www.cesboxing.com, www.cesboxing.comor www.dunkindonutscenter.com.