Sports Articles: Boxing Legends Part 2 - Arturo Gatti page 4
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The rest of 2000 was better, he won twice more, beating Eric Jakubowski (TKO 2) and Joe Hutchinson (UD 10) and he was in a settled relationship with Vivian Penha, who he got engaged to. He was also given a chance of a big money shot, at welterweight, against golden boy Oscar De La Hoya set up for March 2001. His emotional side was still there though, leading to him to walk out of one of his regular post-press conference chats with a small group of familiar reporters. One, a man named Michael Katz, had made a bad joke about how Gatti should start the fight wearing bandages due to the way he always cut up. Gatti got upset and left.
Gatti did suffer a bad cut under one eye as he was badly beaten by a fighter a class above him before losing to a TKO in the 5th round. Afterwards he went straight to the bathrooms to cry out his frustrations before he would see the doctor. Though De La Hoya called him the hardest hitter he had ever faced, Gatti feared his career was over after such a bad defeat and went down to Florida to stay for a while. It was Christmas Eve 2001 when his career was turned around as he skipped rope in Vero Gym, just trying to keep in shape. Former boxer James 'Buddy' McGgirt, looking to build a reputation as a trainer walked in, looking for undiscovered prospects to train.
Soon the pair were working together and Gatti's partying settled down, in the run up to fights he would stay in his hotel room watching movies, rather than his old routine of all night strip joints. Gatti stepped back down to light welterweight to face yet another former world champion in the shape of Terron Millett, who he beat with a 4th round KO in January. It was his next opponent that most people know him from.
'Irish' Mickey Ward later became the subject of a film starring Christian Bale, with Mark Wahlberg playing him, and was involved in 2001's Fight of the Year. It was two big hearted brawlers who would not back down who were about to face off in a fight that, amazingly, managed to live up to all expectations. In fact it surpassed it all as the pair fought an unforgettable fight that no description could possibly manage to convey fully. It really is a fight that needs to be seen to be believed. Legendary trainer Emmanuel Steward was commenting on it and described the 9th round as the 'round of the century' in commentary. It is difficult to argue with his assessment. A majority decision went the way of Ward as both fighters ended up in hospital, but both were quick to agree a rematch. The bout won Fight of the Year for 2002 and also was picked as one of HBO's 10 best fights of the decade.
The second fight was just as tough, even more brutal than the first, even though the first had left Gatti with a cyst under his ribcage, which Gatti called his Mickey Ward lump. Ward had punched him so hard it caused the cyst. The second fight saw even more damage to the pair, Ward suffered a burst eardrum after being punched so hard by Gatti. It is probably no wonder Gatti suffered a broken hand and had to have the titanium plate holding his hand together fixed after it came loose. This time the decision went Gatti's way, a unanimous decision this time. Again the pair were carted off to hospital after the fight and ended up in beds next to each other, where they struck up a close friendship. They were not done fighting each other though and agreed to a decider.
The third fight drew a sellout crowd of 12,643 to Atlantic City on 7th June 2003, the largest ever for a non-heavyweight fight in the city, despite no title being on the line. No one wanted to miss this. Once more the two, who can only be described as warriors, faced off and went toe-to-toe. Gatti broke his hand again, this time with a punch that connected with Ward's hip, in the 4th round, but continued on and was dominating the 6th round when Ward hit him and knocked him off his feet. Gatti was saved by the bell and recovered enough between the round to go on and take another unanimous decision over Ward. It was 2003's Fight of the Year and was also picked as one of HBO's 10 best fights of the decade. However it also ended Ward's career as he was left with irreparable eye damage, which left him with permanent tunnel vision.
Boxing Legends Part 2 - Arturo Gatti page 5
Written by Tris Burke - June 25 2018 19:55:06
