Tuesday - August 04, 2009

Arturo Gatti, who has been murdered aged 37.  Obit appeared in paper here only today.

For those interested, check YT for the Gatti-Ward fights. Awesome fighter this fellow was.
I didn’t post the Ward fights coz I couldn’t stand or see the sense of the damn music posted along with them. Especially when the music drowned out the commentary.

This guy was a champion.

Arturo Gatti, who has been murdered aged 37, may not have been the most talented boxer in the world, but few others have captured the hearts and admiration of so many fans of the sport.

The Italian-born Canadian’s all-action style and indomitable spirit made him hugely popular, and the former world light-welterweight and super-featherweight champion will forever be remembered for his epic trilogy of fights with the American “Irish” Micky Ward.

These rip-roaring encounters – spread over a 13-month period in 2002-03 – provided 30 rounds of some of the most compelling and savage ring action in recent years.

Ward won their first encounter at Uncasville, Connecticut, on a majority decision after a point deducted from Gatti for a low blow proved crucial.

“The guy must be made of granite,” a battered Ward said afterwards. “What’s he got in his head? My hands are killing me.”

The ninth round of a contest that Ring magazine subsequently named “fight of the year” saw Gatti floored by a body shot which appeared to have broken the Canadian virtually in half.

Although Gatti somehow hauled himself upright, Ward came in for the kill – only to be rocked by a series of furious counter-attacks by a fighter, nicknamed “Thunder”, who moments earlier had seemed out on his feet.

Arturo Gatti was born in Calabria, Italy, on April 15 1972, later emigrating to Montreal with his family.

Having taken up boxing at the age of eight, he seemed destined to represent his adopted country at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics before electing to turn professional at the age of 19.

His reputation bolstered by regular appearances on HBO’s Boxing After Dark series, the crowd-pleasing fighter’s progress through the paid ranks was swift. In December 1995 Gatti outpointed the American Tracy Harris Patterson at New York’s Madison Square Garden to claim the International Boxing Federation super-featherweight title.

He defended the belt three times before relinquishing the crown to move up to the 135lb lightweight division.

THE REST OF THIS OBIT IS HERE

Posted by peiper     on 08/04/2009 at 10:48 AM   
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