PETER                       MANFREDO JR.                    STORY 

After the dust settled, I proceeded to Manfredo’s dressing room only to find him staring in awe at his new title belt.  At this point I knew that professional journalism was out the window; this was an inspiring life lesson that did not deserve any editing.  I watched 10 years of heartfelt hugs, tears and laughter emerge right in front of my own eyes among friends and family.  I, for one, was honored to be part of this treasured moment.  I reserved my questions to a minimum to make certain Manfredo had time to grasp every second of enjoyment.  I asked, “How did you find it in your soul to dig so deep?” Manfredo responded, “I knew tonight it was do or die. If I were to lose, this would be my last shot.” With that determination mounted in, and the assistance of his devoted fans chanting his name, he pulled off the impossible.  Undisputedly, on this evening, Manfredo demonstrated he’s more than worthy of bearing his new crown.


Here, I got a firsthand look at the intensity this man possesses.  Manfredo would continue to mix it up with two additional world-class fighters. He seemed to improve further every round, methodically wearing them down, pulling them into deep waters.  To the naked eye, his style looks generic, leading a boxer to think he can out-speed Manfredo, and a slugger confident that he can catch him. This is a total misconception!   He fights this way because it’s comfortable.  What allows him to do so is the one major plan that thirty-five men have left out of their blueprint:  a heart the size of Providence, along with willingness to acquire multiple punches in order to inflict damage on the opponent. This attribute has surfaced more so than ever in recent performances.  Manfredo has been on a mission since his defeat to Samuel Bika, in front of his hometown crowd late in November of 2008.  It seems this loss reignited a hunger from his early years and has helped compile a recent string of victories, positioning him back in the championship picture.


I recently attended Manfredo’s  tenth round technical knockout of the extremely game Angel  Hernandez at Mohegan Sun casino, which earned him the IBO Middleweight Championship. Early on, Manfredo dictated the pace with superior boxing skills. Midway through the contest it was apparent that he could not keep up this disciplined pace the whole fight. The pressure Hernandez was imposing was inhuman and would eventually force him into a hellacious toe to toe battle. Manfredo has seen these dimensions before, but never on the lines of this degree.  Hernandez was eating punches by the dozens and laughing, on top of firing shots of his own. Manfredo’s only protection was to dismount an offensive arsenal that would prohibit Hernandez to enter his domain.  This technique had an effect to a certain extent, but once again, Hernandez broke the strategy. At this point, it was apparent that Hernandez was willing to meet his maker this evening before quitting in front of this audience. The later rounds consisted of brutal seesaw action for both men. Manfredo exhaustingly returned to his corner to find a concerned father, Peter Manfredo Sr., give an encouraging sermon that seemed to be the final antidote Peter needed. With that, he unleashed a wrath of punishing blows, willing himself from the depths of hell to secure a victory. This convincing performance was worthy of recognition.


With the Mora chapter closed, Manfredo would move on. His valiant showings in the Mora fights would assure marketability.  Manfredo would see success over the years, including a title shot against the pride of Whales, Joe Calzaghe. Unfortunately for Manfredo, he came up short when the stakes were at the highest level. At one point in his career it seemed inevitable that he would become champion.  Now, with six defeats and dozens of hard fought battles, what once was considered destiny looks unattainable. Manfredo is without a doubt at a crossroad in his career where one more loss can make a world title shot nearly impossible. The question is which path he will take.

​I’ve been fevering following Manfredo’s latest comeback streak.  It started at his famed gym in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. I was covering a young Heavyweight prospect that was set to spar Super Middleweight hopeful Edwin Rodriguez, when suddenly I glanced over to my right and saw Manfredo lacing up his boots.  I wasn’t expecting to see him join in for the day’s action. Manfredo’s gym credibility and seniority allows him to choose when he climbs in the ring to spar. What I found most intriguing this day was that Manfredo, having no knowledge of this prospect’s credentials, except that he had won the Heavyweight Golden Gloves, decided to be the first one in to take on this young, indestructible force. The two didn’t waste any time. Both came forward exchanging powerful shots.
The fight, an action packed seesaw match-up, left the audience on their feet after every round. The deciding outcome would see Mora’s hand raised in victory by decision.  The performance by both of these young men would leave the audience demanding an encore.  The two would grant the public their wish in Mora’s hometown of East Los Angeles.  Again, Manfredo would give it all he had, leaving his heart in the ring, but still come up short.  His performance was even more impressive this time around, leaving some to question if the decision loss was due to a hometown advantage for Mora.
Peter Manfredo Jr. : Upclose
​By Mike Natalino
Around 5 years ago, a young man from Providence, Rhode Island, received a career defining opportunity to compete in the boxing drama series titled The Contender.   Peter Manfredo Jr. would rise to the challenge set before him, and along with that, fight his way into the heart of American fans. The very beginning of the series saw Manfredo faced with adversity, as he was dealt a heart breaking defeat in just the very first round of the tournament.  Alfonso Gomez would not only stop Manfredo from advancement,   but also cause him his first career loss. Crushed by the outcome, surprisingly, Manfredo left very humbly.  His graceful acknowledgment of the defeat explains why he was asked to reappear on the show when stable mate Jeff Fraza was forced to pull out of the tournament due to a case of the chicken pox.  Manfredo would cease the opportunity, advancing up the ladder, eventually avenging the loss to Gomez . Along with The Contender audience, Manfredo watched in suspense week after week, anticipating who would qualify for the finals.  Finally, the day of reckoning would come. He would find himself in the finals matched up against Sergio Mora, a man who conquered his own share of adversity and shared the same agenda to fulfill a lifelong dream to win the championship. The fight had the making of a Hollywood movie, with these two as the classic main event combo. In one corner was Mora, a flashy, confident kid, fighting his way out of an impoverished East Los Angeles upbringing, with a large family support system.  In the other corner was Manfredo, the total opposite, quiet and humble, carrying the burden of supporting a young family all on his own.  For both combatants the road traveled to this point was anything but easy, which made it all the more difficult for the fans to side against the other.
MANFREDO JR.