Two weeks after his 19th birthday, Angel Manfredy was out doing two of the things he liked to do best–drinking and driving. It mattered little to him that he had a girlfriend with a baby on the way. Ostensibly he was a prizefighter, but with a record of three wins, two losses, and one draw, he appeared to be heading nowhere fast.
He was cut from the car, and more than 200 stitches later found himself in a hospital bed, looking into the face of his father.
The struggle to lead a righteous life is a daily one, says Manfredy, who describes himself as “scarred, inside and out.” His battle is reflected in the body art that covers parts of his scarred arms and shoulders. “My tattoos represent the split,” he explains. “The right side is my devil side, the dark side, all black, all representing the bad times, while the left side is my angel side, all bright colors, representing the light in my life.”
Boxing historian Bert Sugar is a fan. “I love the kid because of the contradictions he presents. He’s got that tough look and fights like a demon, but he’s a sweet kid who respects the sport.”
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Movie director Ron Shelton interviewed Manfredy while researching his latest film, Play It to the Bone, which is set to open this fall. “I found him a sweet, soft-spoken guy who was comfortable in his theatrical role yet a technically sound fighter, which is incredibly rare,” Shelton says. “He’s very evangelical, believing God and the devil are real, which is something my Baptist upbringing can relate to. Plus having stared death in the face and rebuilt himself also impressed the hell out of me.”
Manfredy scored two quick knockouts, bringing his record to 5-2-1. Then he took his first big step up the pro boxing ladder, facing Jimmy Deoria (20-2) in Terre Haute. Manfredy dropped Deoria in the first round and pounded out a unanimous decision against the more experienced hometown favorite. He then avenged his debut loss, winning a decision against Charles McClellan. Three weeks later, he impressed the Chicago crowd with a second-round knockout of Jeff Whaley.
Still, that $2,500 was by far Manfredy’s largest purse to date, which illustrates how difficult it can be for even a successful club fighter to earn a living.
