"Pazmanian Devil" goes broke

Vinnie "The Pazmanian Devil" Paz (formerly Pazienza) has gone broke. The Providence Journal (registration required) is reporting that Rhode Island's most famous living athlete has filed for bankruptcy, owing over $2,000,000. The ProJo lists where some of the money is owed:

• $463,179 owed to the Internal Revenue Service
• $145,264 owed to the Rhode Island Division of Taxation
• $291,171 owed to the Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas
  
• $212,000 or so owed on his home in Warwick

The Pazmanian Devil has a little income coming in after his retirement, but not much. He can currently be seen on Cox cable local ads for a mortgage company, which will not be giving him anywhere near the bread required to pay this off. Paz blames his gambling habit and his lavish extravagant gift giving as having put him in the hole. A sad state of affairs from a once formidable boxer, who might easily be the only sports celebrity who is actually proud of being from Rhode Island! I certainly hope the five (five!) time former world champion finds a way to get out of the hole and back on his feet.

Note: the one and only Rhode Island bred and born Vinnie Paz should not be confused with the repulsive, doughy white rapper "Vinnie Paz" from the group Jedi Mind Tricks.