Former lightweight champion Paul Spadafora is currently in trouble with the authorities after an alleged altercation between him and his brother in another chapter of a long history of being in trouble with the law.
Spadafora stabbed his brother in the thigh in the evening of December 21 and refused to cooperate once officers arrived, according to Pittsburgh authorities. Spadafora also was charged with assaulting his mother, who was present during the incident.
The 41-year-old former boxer allegedly threatened police, telling his mother, "Get all their names. I know they have to live in the city. I'm gonna kill them."
Police had to use a stun gun on Spadafora after he attempted to throw something at them, and they put a mask on him after he tried to spit on the officers, police said. Defense attorney Phil DiLucente sent a text to the Associated Press saying there will be no further comment for the time being.
"This time of year is always very emotional for families and family members, and we will patiently await to give further comment after the arraignment but before the preliminary hearing," DiLucente said.
After the arrest, Spadafora remained in the Allegheny County jail early on December 22 because he was unable to immediately post $100,000 bail. It has been determined that his preliminary hearing has been scheduled for January 4, 2017.
Spadafora once served 13 months in a state prison boot camp for the shooting of his then-girlfriend in 2003. Spadafora agreed earlier this year in May to take anger management classes to resolve charges that he put a woman in a headlock at a Pittsburgh-area bar, drank her beer and then threw her down when she went outside to call police.
Spadafora was a former IBF lightweight titleholder from 1999-2003 when he vacated the title due to his 2003 arrest. His last fight was in 2014 and has a career record of 49-1-1. His lone loss was in 2013 when he challenged for the vacant WBA super lightweight title, losing to Johan Perez via majority decision.