Tuesday, August 26, 2003

By Chuck Finder, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Paul Spadafora, his manager and his promoter officially cleaned out their corner yesterday, firing co-trainers Jesse Reid and Tom Yankello -- the latter having been at Spadafora's side for most of the past six years and all but two of his past 24 fights.

In making the announcement, Spadafora signaled a complete break from his past along with the aim to start anew soon after Labor Day and his 28th birthday next week.

Spadafora (36-0-1), the former champion from McKees Rocks, relinquished his 4-year-long International Boxing Federation lightweight title in late June and prepared to ascend from that 135-pound division to the 140-pound welterweight class. Now he'll begin there with a new trainer -- and only one.

"The bottom line is, I can't put up with it," Spadafora said in a conference call. "It's like fighting amongst each other. It's causing me too much trouble at camps. ... It's been bugging me, pffffft, practically the whole time. Ever since everybody's been together [before winning the IBF belt in August 1999]. You could tell everybody didn't like each other. They both kind of do the same thing. Just a lot of backbiting on each other. They're both great trainers. I just can't put up with their pettiness in camp. It's not about them; it's about me."

Added manager Al McCauley, who was on the call along with Erie-based promoter Mike Acri: "Make no mistake, Jesse has been with 19 world champions. Tommy has put a good, honest effort in. The problem is, they couldn't get along. Paul felt he couldn't make the choice between the two, and the only choice was to get rid of both. It wasn't Mike's choice. It wasn't mine. Paul made this decision. He wants to get one trainer, and he wants to use that trainer the rest of his career."

Acri characterized the co-trainer situation as "too much disarray."

McCauley telephoned Reid to inform him of the decision. "Jesse was disappointed. He wants what's best for Paul."

As for Yankello, Spadafora said he made it known throughout the springtime camp preceding his May 17 Leonard Dorin fight that he was discontented with the co-trainer arrangement. But he privately told people how Acri and McCauley were pushing him to sever his ring relationship with Yankello, to whom his late trainer P.K. Pecora sent him in 1997 and with whom Spadafora has worked basically since. Yankello, from Beaver, was forced out of the camp between February and August 2000, but back-to-back lackluster showings by Spadafora caused the fighter to force the issue and return Yankello -- who is only six years older -- to his corner.

In ring circles, Emanuel Steward was purported to be the likely successor to Reid and Yankello as recently as July, about the exact same time Yankello landed another boxing gig: His two-time amateur champion Verquan Kimbrough turned professional. Certainly, Kimbrough selecting a different promoter and joining ranks with Mountaineer Race Track & Gaming Resort boss Ted Arneault couldn't have sat well with Spadafora's handlers.

"No one has notified me, and as far as I'm concerned I am still under contract," Yankello said last night. "I had talked to Paul five, six days ago, and the conversation was nothing about that. He told me he was coming back to the [Ambridge] gym in a week and a half."

"Tom's my man," Spadafora said, then he referred to Kimbrough. "It isn't like he's not doing his thing, either. I'm not leaving him out in the cold. Now I'm going out to do what's best for me."

McCauley and Acri whittled their list of trainer candidates to 15, of which they plan to interview two or three within the next week or two. They declined to divulge names. They said a November or December rematch with Dorin remains possible, but the hiring of a new trainer wouldn't delay any potential timetable of fights.

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