Sports Articles: Boxing Legends Part 2 - Arturo Gatti page 7

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In March 2010, armed with the report from the detectives, the family requested a second autopsy in Canada and a Quebec coroner, Jean Brochu, agreed to exhume the body. Brochu warned that it would take time before conclusions could be drawn because of a shortage of staff. In the event it took eight months, with the coroner's report being released on 11th November 2010. Brochu's report agreed with the previous conclusion by Brazilian coroners that Gatti died a violent death from asphyxia by neck constriction. While it was difficult to do a full toxicology report due to the presence of embalming fluids, it was noted that a muscle relaxant called carisoprodol, as well as alcohol, was found in Arturo's system. The expert toxicologist consulted said that the drug can produce withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, confusion and psychosis. His report also criticised the private eyes for ignoring evidence.

The full story does not paint a pretty picture for either Amanda or Arturo Gatti. Arturo's partying following retirement, paired with the constant pain from boxing injuries, had turned to a drug and alcohol dependence and abuse, which had led into domestic abuse. While he was aggressive and nasty when drunk, she was no angel either and would, according to friends of Arturo, verbally bully him. Just six months into their marriage, while the couple were on vacation in Maui, Arturo was cited for domestic violence. By spring 2009, the pair were often living apart and had talked about divorce, with Amanda even taking out a court order that ordered Arturo to stay away from his wife. On 16th April he was charged with violating that court order.

It does seem there is some truth to Amanda's statement that the trip to Europe, to visit both Amsterdam and Paris was intended as a second honeymoon, but, while they were away, he left a voice message on a friend's voicemail describing the trip as a "fucking nightmare" and said he would be returning early. He did return from Europe before Amanda, returning to Canada while she flew by herself to Brazil. Arturo joined her there on the 2nd July with Arturo Jr. On the 9th July, Arturo Gatti, his wife and the 10 month old baby arrived in the state of Pernambuco and rented a two floor apartment at the Ancorar Flat Resort on the 10th for a 30 day period.

That evening the couple took the baby and went to a restaurant. Both drank heavily and the pair began to argue inside a bar. Leaving the bar the argument turned physical in front of a number of witnesses. Arturo threw Amanda to the ground, but she denies he hit her at any point on that night. Arturo had got into a fight with a bystander who had attempted to intervene and protect Amanda. Arturo had knocked him to the ground, which enraged bystanders who threw objects at Arturo. He was hit in the head as objects, which included a rock and a bicycle, were thrown at him. At that point, Arturo took the baby and headed off to the apartment in a taxi. Amanda was left stranded with no money, she tried to book into another hotel, which refused to let her book in with no money. A second hotel was fully booked. She took a taxi back to the apartment but found he had left, so she sat to await his return in the taxi, so that he could pay the fare.

When Arturo returned to the apartment, he showed Amanda blood on the back of his head, a legacy of the fight outside the bar. The taxi driver who drove Arturo confirmed that he not only saw blood on the back of Arturo's head, he also found a blood stain on the headrest the next day. Amanda took the baby from Arturo and went inside, asking him to pay for the taxi. It was about 2:35am and Amanda says she then went up to her room and slept until about 6:30am, when she woke up and went downstairs to prepare some milk. Arturo was lying on the floor but she says she thought nothing of it as he would often pass out drunk on the floor of the baby's room when they were at home in Canada. So she made the milk and went back to bed.

When she woke again at 9:30am, she found him lying in the same position and, trying to wake him, found him cold to the touch. She shook him and noticed his tongue was sticking out. She says she panicked and ran outside the apartment to scream for help. Emergency services could do nothing for Arturo and he was pronounced dead at the scene. There were no signs of a struggle within the apartment and investigators believe there was no way anyone could have got in through the balcony, as the apartment was on the third floor. No entry was recorded to the front door between 4:48pm 10th July and 2:32am 11th July or between 2:32am and 10:30am when emergency services arrived. A robbery was ruled out as there was a large amount of cash lying on the table with Arturo's credit cards.

Investigators at the scene decided he had hung himself with a handbag strap. Tests carried out on the strap showed it snapped in 5 seconds under a weight of 35kg, there was never any explanation for how it managed to support his weight for long enough to kill him. However there were problems with the crime scene, which even the photographs taken by Brazilian police showed they had 'contaminated' the scene. Objects were moved about, items went missing and the photographs, which had been the only thing the experts used by the two detectives had used to base their claims on, were unclear and misleading. The second autopsy was hindered by the previous autopsy having removed parts of organs as well as the embalming, leaving results fairly inconclusive.

With evidence from Mario Costa, who said the debilitating injuries he had received boxing made him want to kill himself and that he suffered with vision problems and a dependence on painkillers, and Joe Gatti, who confirmed Arturo was taking drugs, painkillers and was an alcoholic, the Canadian coroner agreed with the findings from Brazil that Arturo took his own life. Dr Brochu said that it was the lividity - the pooling of blood in hands and feet - that most convinced him that Arturo had hung himself, as it usually occurs with hanging. The will stood and Amanda inherited all that was left after the costly legal battle and she rejected, unsurprisingly after they accused her of murder, the suggestion by the family that she share the money with them.

It was not over there though, as ex-wife Erika Rivera filed a wrongful death suit against Amanda Gatti, but the judge dismissed the case in 2012. At the end of that year, in his first year of eligibility, Arturo Gatti was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Neither Amanda Gatti nor Arturo Jr were given an invite, instead his daughter Sofia accepted the award on his behalf.

We will probably know the real truth behind his death. Was it a premeditated murder to get his money as so many of his friends and family believe? Was it perhaps an abused woman snapping and killing him after being driven to retaliate? Or did he genuinely just have enough and commit suicide? None can really be ruled out totally. He was wealthy enough to be a victim of murder for his wealth. He was an abusive alcoholic with a history of drunken violence. He also had a history which showed he was a massive suicide risk. Arturo Gatti brought fight fans immense pleasure and himself fame and fortune but it cost him dearly to do so.

Suggested by Johncrow Junior

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Boxing Legends Part 2 - Arturo Gatti page 8

Written by Tris Burke - June 25 2018 19:55:06