Originally Posted by RozzySean

Really. Who else goes in because Gatti opens the gate? What other fighters are comparable to him in terms of impact on the sport in the last 10 years that wouldn't get in anyway because of other achievements in the ring? As much as I love Shane Mosley, who has a much better resume, Gatti has had more impact on the sport. Gatti has brought more American fans back into boxing than almost anybody I can think of outside of the HW division. He was the face of boxing and the biggest draw on the East Coast for years. He was superb boxers turned blood and guts warrior, one of the most compelling and beloved figures in all of boxing. You would be hard pressed to find a person to say a bad word about Arturo Gatti.

An in regards to the Meldrick Taylor comment from earlier...Meldrick didn't have the impact on the sport that Gatti had. Meldrick was a great fighter and perhaps could have been HoF, but he didn't bring new fans in or create the buzz that Gatti created. He's not an ATG, but I think he's qualifies for the hall based on the McGuigan allowance for exceptional contribution to the sport. I don't think Meldrick Taylor or any other number of fighters comes close to his impact.