Boxer Accused Of Assault To Undergo Alcohol Counseling

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - A former boxing champion, accused of assaulting a woman at a local bar, was in court Thursday morning for a preliminary hearing.

The woman claims Paul Spadafora put her in a head-lock and threw her to the ground when she tried to call police.

Charges of simple assault and harassment were not dropped against Spadafora in court this morning. However, a deal was worked out.

"I just think that you should do the right thing in all walks, I should do the right thing and the lady should do the right thing," Spadafora said.

The 40-year-old former lightweight champion allegedly threw a 63-year-old woman to the ground outside the Red Stone Tavern in Crafton.

The incident was caught on surveillance video. But, Spadafora's attorney said the incident was a misunderstanding.

"Essentially, what happened and this is extremely common, one side believes one thing happened and the other side believes the other thing happened. We came to an agreement, and the agreement was he is going to get an alcohol evaluation, that is not uncommon because actually, the alleged incident happened in a bar. He also is going to take anger management classes," defense attorney Phil DiLucente said.

Spadafora and his attorney will be back in court on Aug. 25 after the alcohol evaluation and anger management classes. At that time, Spadafora will plead to a fine.

DiLucente called this a big victory and that both sides are happy.

But a man, who only wants to be identified as David, says he was in the tavern when the incident happened and doesn't agree with the deal.

"How can he get away with something that? A normal person here in Pittsburgh would go to jail for. I really don't understand that," he said.

Spadafora was allegedly involved in another incident on the same day.

He is said to have been holding a knife during a rant in front of the manager of a Sheetz in Armstrong County. Those charges have been dropped.

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