ESPN

Vinny Paz

  (3:59 PM)

Hello everyone! I'm ready for your questions! Glad to be here!

Adam (Cranston) Go Rhody!!!

Who would you say was your toughest opponent?

Vinny Paz

  (4:00 PM)

My toughest fight was against Gilbert Dele for the WBA Junior Middleweight title. My toughest opponent was Roy Jones.

Aaron Waxman

The Paz! How are you? Are you goign to be on FNF tonigth? if so, I'm watchin!

Vinny Paz

  (4:00 PM)

I'm on FNF tonight brother! Tune in!

your buddy Barry from NC

just wanted to say "Hi" champ!

Vinny Paz

  (4:02 PM)

Barry .. you are my man! I'm going to give Brian Kenny some of your MandMs tonight! I love them! Thank you so much! So much!

Dave

How has boxing changed since your debut in '83?

Vinny Paz

  (4:03 PM)

Well, in over 20 years of boxing, of course life is going to change. Including boxing. But the fights are still the same type of warfare that it has always been.

Raja

What would you be doing if you hadn't come a pro boxer?

Vinny Paz

  (4:03 PM)

Raja, I couldn't tell you. I started when I was 6 years old.

Darren

I think Roy Jones is ONE of the best of all times. Where does he stand if he loses to Tarver and should he fight Toney or Hopkins if he loses to dignify his legacy? I truly don't believe Tarver would give him a rematch if he loses!!

Vinny Paz

  (4:05 PM)

Without a doubt, Jones is one of the most athletic human beings of all time. Great athleticism, great mobility, great speed .. there are not many, if any at all, that can match his talent. I don't think he will lose to Tarver. The first fight was close only because I don't think he should be fighting at light-heavy. Hopefully he makes the weight better but I just think he outgrew light heavyweight.

Vinny Paz

  (4:06 PM)

I still think he will beat Tarver and then I would like to see him move up and challenge for the Cruiserweight title.

Jeff (Kansas City)

Vinny, is this your first time at ESPN Headquarters? What's that place like?

Vinny Paz

  (4:07 PM)

Jeff, it's f-in awesome! It's huge! I can't believe this place! Everytime I come it gets bigger and bigger.

John

Whats some advice you can give a new fighter? I am starting out late in life...

Vinny Paz

  (4:08 PM)

If you love boxing, you just have to do it, no matter how old you are. You are not talking 50 or 60 are you? I hope not! But, go at it 100 percent and see how you make out. Hopefully you will come back with a good story for us!

Mikey (Seattle)

what up paz! were you the kind of kid to throw fists on the playground when you were a kid? did you raise hell in the third grade??

Vinny Paz

  (4:09 PM)

Mikey, my father used to constantly have to come to the school because the princpal always had me in her office. And she was kind of hot so I fought more than I wanted to!

Bibby from LA

Vinny, what do you think are some of the attributes that make a great champion? I

Vinny Paz

  (4:11 PM)

Bibby .. I always say there is something special and unique that makes a champion. I call it an 'intangible'. It's usually something you can't see because it is inside your body and starts with a lot of heart. But being a champion is not just having the talent, not just having the speed and power, it entitles all of those but has a little something extra that makes a champion.

Jacob (LA)

PAZ!!! if you weren't a boxer, what would you want to be?

Vinny Paz

  (4:12 PM)

Hey Jacob, good question. It's really the only thing I ever thought of being my whole life. You are making me think on this answer! The first thing that comes to mind, obviously, would be porn star. Second thing, I was a pretty good baseball player. Thirdly, without a doubt, if I was bigger, I would have been in the NFL. I told that to Bill Parcells who just wrote me a letter and congratulated me on my 50th win.

John (NYC)

PAZ, you sound like a ladies man. How do you do it? Arent the girls scared off by your constant cuts and bruises?? I guess not! YOu're the best!

Vinny Paz

  (4:14 PM)

John, I'm crackin up! That's funny! After my last fight, which I hope you saw, the announcer said to me "Vinny, you are cut up but you still look good!" He said it jokingly. I told him the more black eyes and cuts I get, the more chicks I pick up! He said "Well, you are going to be a busy man tonight!"

Mason (Sacramento)

Vinny, I was really worried for your health when you went down after the Roy Jones fight. I know you are a true warrior and all but do you think the referee should of stopped the fight earlier? Thanks.

Vinny Paz

  (4:17 PM)

Mason, I was scared for my health before I went down but there is not a shot in hell that I would quit. Jones is just unbelievable. But in all reality, it didn't hurt. I just wanted to make it to the end of the fight. Knowing that I couldn't win, I still wanted to make it to the end of the fight. But I thank you for being worried about my health. I appreciate it. Now I am on the Peanut MandM tour!

Hussapup (London, Ontario)

PAZ!!! I loved you gorwing up ( in manly way of course). Do you think Jones will fight at Criuserwieght to make it 5 divisions with belts? Who does he fight?

Vinny Paz

  (4:19 PM)

Thanks for the love Hussapup! Jones could beat anybody at cruiserweight so I would like to see him move up and grab another title. The only fight out there for us to see Jones in any kind of battle is him fighting a heavyweight. It would be interesting for everybody to see. People want to see interesting fights.

Peter (Vermont)

Pazmania!!! if you could invite any three people to dinner -- living or dead -- who would you choose.

Vinny Paz

  (4:24 PM)

Good question, Peter .. Elisha Cuthbert, the girl that starred in "The Girl Next Door", Bill Parcells and my buddy The Rickster! I know after we are done with dinner, we'll have a couple drinks and then The Rickster will leave and Bill Parcells can coach me about what I'm going to do with Elisha Cuthbert!

Jackson (Dallas)

Vinny, I see you really respect Roy Jones. Where do you rate him historically of all time. Do you think he could of beat Ray Robinsion? Thanks Vinny!

Vinny Paz

  (4:27 PM)

Jackson, I think Roy Jones has more athleticsm than any fighter of all time. I've seen Sugar Ray Robinson fight and he was tough and spectacular but I think Roy Jones might have had a little more athleticsm than Sugar Ray. We can't rate him historically all time yet because we haven't seen what is to come from Roy. He needs to be a little more busy in the ring and take on a few more comers and if he does, he's right up there with the best of them. But to this point, he hasn't been in those war type fights that people will think of him as one of the all time greats. That's only because he is so above and beyond the rest right now, right yesterday and right tomorrow! Thanks Jackson!

Brentt (LA)

Did weightlifting help you or do you think it bulked you up to a point where it might have slowed you a bit?

Vinny Paz

  (4:29 PM)

Brentt, no, I don't think weightlifting slowed me down a bit. But it just made it harder and harder to make weight. I've worked with weights my whole life and finally when I lost my last super lighweight fight against Garza, I just couldn't handle making weight anymore. I moved up three weight classes. At the time I was fighting lightweight, I was walking around at 160. Now that I am done and have my 50th win, I'm going to bulk up on peanut MandMs!

Domenic , Providence , RI

How`s my champ doing

Vinny Paz

  (4:31 PM)

Domenic, thanks for asking! Things are going great, crazy as usual! But you have to make life fun. Peanut MandMs, red wine and beautiful women all over the place! And, I'm not going to get hit in the head ever again! I'd say things are pretty good! I hope they are good with you, Domenic!

wig (London)

Who the hell are you??

Vinny Paz

  (4:32 PM)

Wig, first of all, where the f--- did you come up with that name? Second of all, who the hell are you? At least I have a website!

Steve from New Mexico

Vinny, with the talk of you being a ladies men and all, I was curious how many women you have slept with in your career? Please answer!

Vinny Paz

  (4:32 PM)

Good question Steve. 20 or 30.

Vinny Paz

  (4:33 PM)

If you believe that, Steve. I have some swampland in Florida for you to look at!

Barry (San Francisco,CA)

Have you ever taken Steroids through out your career to gain an advantage against your opponent?

Vinny Paz

  (4:34 PM)

Barry, I've taken testosterone for years. Actually, I started taking it two years after I broke my neck. I don't think it has anything to do with my boxing career but it definately has a lot to do with my love life.

Matt, NY

Paz, you da man! Who do you compare yourself to in today's boxing world? I personally think you and Arturo Gatti remind me of one another.

Vinny Paz

  (4:36 PM)

Matt, Arturo is a warrior. It would have been a pretty cool fight, me and him. Thanks for calling me "DA Man"!

Steve from New Mexico

Hahaha good answer Vinny, who do you think is going to win the Lakers-Spurs series? Did you see that amazing shot by Fisher yesterday?

Vinny Paz

  (4:36 PM)

Steve .. Amazing! Pretty cool. That shot was better than the knockout punch that I threw against Melvin Paul.

Ted-San Jose

Does anyone call you Vinny? Or is it always Paz?

Vinny Paz

  (4:38 PM)

Ted, they call me Pazman quite a bit but I really wish that was my name because I wish I had some Jewish in me. My bank account would look much better. Being a crazy Italian is not good for the wallet.

Dom Providence

Thanks for the memories I cant belive it is over... been to most your fights including Las Vegas.. love ya brother

Vinny Paz

  (4:38 PM)

Cool Dom .. much love!

derek (boston)

since, you've fought all through the 80s, 90s, and into the new millenium...would you say that there's a noticeable difference in the skill level of today's boxers compared to the 80s? how would today's best match up with the best of the old school?

Vinny Paz

  (4:39 PM)

Derek, it just seems there were more fighters back when I was younger. Which probably is the reason why you think the skill level was better. You had more to choose from. There are still some tough SOBs out there today too.

Ricky Martin

I have a web site too, can we get together sometime and chat about our web sites alone?

Vinny Paz

  (4:40 PM)

Ricky, I love "Livin La Vida Loca" but that don't sound like much fun to me.

Bibby from LA

Vinny, do you think Mike Tyson has anything left? I hear he is fighting a bum(Mcbride)in July then he wants Mesi; do you think if Tyson rededicates himself to the sport that he has a chance against the Vitali or at least make an impact in the undeniably weak heavyweight division right now? Thanks Vinny and gimme some MandMs!!

Vinny Paz

  (4:42 PM)

Bibby, Tyson can knock out anybody at any time for another five years. Whether he wants to dedicate himself or not I don't know. But if he does, he could be the heavyweight champion again. Boxing is all about styles and Lennox Lewis just had too much of a difficult style for Tyson to beat him. He was a good big guy and that beats a good little guy all the time.

Spiro NPR Fl

Hey Vinny...your fight with Roy Jones was a tough one, but it doesn't question your skills or talents. Do you think he will defeat Tarver and would you like anothing fight with him?

Vinny Paz

  (4:43 PM)

Spiro, I think Jones would beat anybody including Tarver. The only guy who can beat Jones is a big guy with a lot of power. I'm 5'8" on a good hair day! Hell no I don't want to fight the heavyweight champion of the world again! But thanks for asking!

Mason (Sacramento)

I just want to thank you for answering all of our questions! Your the man Vinny, we need more people like you in this cruel world!

Vinny Paz

  (4:47 PM)

Mason, thanks brother! Stay strong! It's your Pazman checking out! Thanks for the questions .. check out FNF tonight!