Vinny Pazienza
Boxing · Hometown: Cranston, RI
- High school
- Cranston High School East
Vinny "The Pazmanian Devil" Pazienza was born in Cranston, Rhode Island, and became one of the most remarkable figures in boxing history. He won world titles in three weight classes — junior lightweight, lightweight, and super middleweight — and embodied a fierce, crowd-pleasing style that made him one of the most popular fighters of his era. In 1991, a catastrophic automobile accident fractured his spine, and doctors told him he might never fight again. Within 13 months — defying his own physicians — he returned to the ring and won a world title, one of sport's most stunning comebacks. His career became the subject of the film "Bleed for This" (2016), starring Miles Teller. Pazienza remains the most beloved athlete in Rhode Island sports history.