MANFREDO KEEPS WORLD TITLE DREAMS ALIVE
By Kirk Lang

“I've got the heart and the Italian cajones. That gets you pretty far in this game I guess.”

“The Pride of Providence” Peter Manfredo, Jr. has a fan base in Rhode Island like no other fighter in the state. On Friday night, his faithful followers packed the Twin River Events Center and patiently waited all night to see him. They endured seven fights on the undercard; a musical performer trying his best to do a classic Sam Cooke song and a slew of introductions of local pugilists who all made walks to the ring. When Manfredo's fans finally saw their man in the flesh, just before 11 p.m., they were ready to cheer their hero on all night long.

They didn't have to. Manfredo (31-5 with 16 KOs), took care of Donny “The Savage” McCrary (24-8-2 with 13 KOs), in less than four-and-a-half minutes of official ring action. McCrary, 166, has respectable power but gained the respect of Manfredo, 168.

Manfredo landed a solid right hand to the side of McCrary's head near the end of the opening round; dropped him in the second frame with a left hook and then finished him off with a series of head shots, mainly the straight right. Referee Joey Lupino wasted no time saving McCrary from further punishment, calling at halt to the bout at the 1:24 mark.

Manfredo was happy to make quick work of his opponent but Manfredo's fans - cheering every move of “The Contender: Season One” finalist - were disappointed with the quick stoppage.
“The crowd's the best,” said Manfredo. I mean every time I fight it's unbelievable. I mean how can you not knock somebody out with this crowd. It's the best. You hit somebody and it's 'Whooaa!' They want me to kill [these boxers].”

Manfredo and his promoter Jimmy Burchfield have made the Twin River Events Center their home base ever since the slots casino, a few exits from downtown Providence, opened last year. Manfredo is undefeated at the venue, going 3-0 since he headlined the first night of boxing there in May 2007.

In defeating McCrary, Manfredo earned a minor title in the super middleweight division.  “It feels good to have a belt, you know, I'm gonna give it to my kids,” said Manfredo. “That's what belts are for, either that or hold up your jeans.” While Manfredo likes championship belts, minor or major, he really wants to one day walk out of the ring with a legitimate world title belt around his waist, not just for himself, or his family, but for his city.

“I'm on a mission. I think Providence deserves a world champion,” said Manfredo. “This [title] is good. This is a step towards that goal, but I think Rhode Island deserves a world champion, and with the fans that I have that support me, I'm going to give it to them.”

Unfortunately for Manfredo, his only shot at a major belt so far came against longtime WBO super middleweight king Joe Calzaghe. Manfredo lost on a third-round TKO when Calzaghe flurried with Manfredo along the ropes. It was a rather quick stoppage – Manfredo wasn't stunned; in fact he was in the middle of ducking and dodging punches – but that's what happens sometimes when you fight a big name like Calzaghe in the United Kingdom. Quick stoppage or not, taking on Calzaghe was a huge leap for Manfredo, who had never fought anyone close to the caliber of the man that made more than 20 defense of the WBO super middleweight title and then went up in weight and defeated Bernard Hopkins for the world light heavyweight championship.


Manfredo's dream of becoming a world champion may still come true. He's still only 27 years old and learns something each time out. In fact, this past December he got some valuable rounds under his belt when he faced former world champion Jeff Lacy. Manfredo lost a 10-round decision in a fight some thought he could win. He did well early on but faded down the stretch. Manfredo didn't go into detail as to why he under-performed against Lacy. He merely stated: “That Lacy experience, I threw it out the window and I blew it.”

Manfredo knows he can't blow another big opportunity. He has to stay in the gym and stay focused so he will have the best chance at victory. If he loses, he loses, but at least he will know he gave it his all. No longer with west coast trainer Freddie Roach, Manfredo is back by his father's side.


He said when he was out in California, Roach had so many big name fighters that he sometimes wouldn't have time for “The Pride of Providence.”

“I might get him one day, I might not get him a day,” said Manfredo, who added, “My father's with me 24-7. And that's what I need at this point in my career.”  Manfredo is willing to fight anybody, including WBC #1 Carl Froch; Anthony Mundine; Sakio Bika, who won “The Contender: Season Three;” and Mikkel Kessler, who lost the WBA and WBC belts to Calzaghe last year.
“I just feel real good right now, with myself, my body, my career, mentally and physically,” said Manfredo. When Manfredo was on “The Contender: Season One” he fought at 160 or less. 

The guy he lost to in the finale of the show – Sergio Mora – is now the reigning WBC junior middleweight [154-pound weight limit] world champion.  “He's a skinny Mexican. He eats beans all the time,” said Manfredo, who admits he has a weakness for his family's Italian food. “Maybe he farts a lot. I don't know how he loses weight. I have no idea.”

While some have suggested to Manfredo that he'd be better off at 160 pounds, since he's not a big super middleweight, Manfredo says he would be unable to make the weight without killing himself. “I can't make that weight anymore. One-hundred and sixty-eight is my weight. I'm strong at this weight,” said Manfredo. “And I feel I can deal with anybody at this weight. I may be a small 168 but I spar with guys that are cruiserweights. I sparred a heavyweight. I've got the heart and the Italian cajones. That gets you pretty far in this game I guess.”

Send questions and comments to: kirklang@yahoo.com