Press Release: Paul Spadafora was issued his license and Federal ID by the state of Pennsylvania today and will return for an exhibition next week, ending an eight-month hiatus. Spadafora was a former IBF lightweight titlist who went to jail for shooting his girlfriend. He got out and had two fights but  spent 75 days back in jail over the summer in custody for parole violation accusations that were ultimately rescinded. He will spar in an four-round super welterweight exhibition on Michael Acri's 23rd Annual Erie Boxing Classic held every Thanksgiving eve. This years's Classic takes place on November 21st at The Avalon Hotel in Erie.  It was at the 2006 Classic that Spadafora began his ring comeback, knocking out Jesus Francisco Zepada in the fifth round.
 
"Paul has never stopped working out and is in tremendous shape," said Acri, Spadafora's promoter.  "I am very hopeful that he will be in the ring for an official bout by December or January at the latest.  We are all very pleased with how quickly his timing returned and he has shown some very impressive power with his added muscle."
 
Spadafora (40-0-1, 16 KOs), last fought on March 9, winning a 10-round decision over Oisin Fagan (17-3, 10 KOs), ending his two-year, 11-bout winning streak.  Spadafora captured the vacant IBF lightweight title in 1999, upsetting the heavily-favored Israel Cardona via a unanimous decision. An attempt at unification with WBA titlist Leonard Dorin wound up in a draw. After successfully defending his world championship crown eight times during his four-year reign, he vacated the title and moved up in weight.