Why Doen't Gatti Get the Respect He Deserves???

[Beanflicker]

The sentiment that Gatti is not a hall of famer, which I would think is an absolute no brainer, is really disappointing to me. He gets a lot of backlash and I don't know why. Even when he is losing he is exciting as hell. Against Mayweather he was bit timid, but please that was among the greatest mismatches for a big fight of all time. How he isn't a hall of famer, it's beyond me. Honestly.

Do you really want them to start putting guys in the Hall of Fame simply for being entertaining?

[ICB]

The sentiment that Gatti is not a hall of famer, which I would think is an absolute no brainer, is really disappointing to me. He gets a lot of backlash and I don't know why. Even when he is losing he is exciting as hell. Against Mayweather he was bit timid, but please that was among the greatest mismatches for a big fight of all time. How he isn't a hall of famer, it's beyond me. Honestly.

heart doesn't=HOF!!!! if that was the case Tex Cobb would be in it...he's not right?...please tell me he's not in.....

Yea i agree come on Amat you can't just put guys in for entertainment and great heart even though im big Gatti fan we gotta face facts Gatti is no hall of famer.

[sexydarin]

gatti does have great defence at times during his fights, but at other time he has great lack of defence. He'll do really good defencive moves for a round or two, then he just leaves his face open for big shots for the next two rounds. Believe me, Gatti has a great defence if he would only use it for the full 12 rounds.

[BoxingGorilla]

if that was the case Tex Cobb would be in it...he's not right?...please tell me he's not in..... Ragu

LOL funny stuff.


I could take him or leave him in the Hall. If I were strolling around and saw a bust of Gatti I wouldn't blink twice and I wouldn't run around screaming obsenitities if I couldn't find him among the greats.

I admire Gatti's ability to absorb punches. That's an attribute just like speed, stamina, and power. Sometimes it's the only + a boxer has going for him.

[Rick_Rack]

Believe it Gatti has all the respect he knows it himself where you been he is always selling out his fights in the US gots the fans behind him win or lose! Gatti has sooo much heart not many skills but the heart taks over! Big huge huge difference from a bum quitter like Freitas who I shouldnt even mention in the same topic as Gatti! Gatti is a man fights with one hand because his other is brocken there is no quit in Gatti! Gatti is a man in everyway true boxer their! ! !

[gyrokai]

Why doesn't Gatti get the repect he deserves?

Because he gets his *ss kicked.



haha I respect his heart,
that's also another way to say, "He sure can take a beating."

[Rick_Rack]

He went up to 147 to fight Mayweather and Baltazar that isnt his weight he has his respect just for taking those fights. Now Mayweather has become champion at 147lbs against no real 147 pounders except Baltazer who isnt even from the US. He was a champion in Argentina big difference to a De La Hoya who is coming down and has been getting ready for this for maybe the last 2 years droping slowly! Get ready for a different ball game!

[ElTerribleMorales]

Gatti is a warrior..had some great fights and one of the best trilogies in boxing....he is fan friendly and seems like a genuinely nice person.....all that aside he is not in the elite class.....HOF bound?..No...apart of our discussions for the next 20-30 years?....Yes.....

i agree with a lot of what you said, but i honestly don't see why Gatti shouldn't be a HOF candidate, he is a 2 time 2 division champion, and was willing to fight anyone, and give it everything at that, an example of someone that was a lot like Gatti was Dwight Muhammad Qawi, and well he's in the HOF, so i don't think it's out of the question

[amat]

People seem to forget...it's the hall of FAME. FAME. The most famous baseball players get in to. It's just that in baseball, the most famous players are the best ones.

Gatti is perhaps the most famed fighter of this generation. How many FOTY's has he been in? I mean the guy leaves it ALL in the ring. If the requirements for the hall of fame was that they had to be the absolute best fighters from each and every generation then Gatti would be by no means a hall of famer. But the hall of fame is for guys who bettered the sport, advanced the sport (Gatti practically single handedly revived boxing in Atlantic City and to some extent New England), entertained fans and those who acheived fame. Gatti accomplished all that and then some. Sure the guys' accomplishments do have to be a factor aswell but he WAS a champion. I mean it's not like he spent his whole career on the underbelly of the contender list. The Hall of Fame is for people who deserve to be frozen in time alongside other legends, Arturo Gatti is LEGENDARY. He is this generations Carmen Basilio minus the victories over Sugar Ray (Basilio would have got even if he lost imo). He is this generation's Beau Jack or Tony Zale. Maybe not quite the number of wins as those guys, but guys who didn't have the skills of the elite fighters, guys who weren't world beaters but guys who were immensly popular and left their body in the ring everytime they went out.

Arturo Gatti is absolutely something I want people of future generations to be able to read about. He is a guy who doesn't ever deserve to be forgotten.Now I'm not saying his accomplishments are legendary, and he definitely isn't a hall of famer on paper, but it's the IBHOF's job to go past the notepad and enshrine him. He's first ballot imo no question. I'm surprised there is such a strong sentiment to keep him out to be honest.

It's not called the hall of BEST, it's the hall of fame. My favorite example is Beau Jack.There is a reason guys like Beau Jack is side by side with Kid Gavilan. Kid Gavilan beat the hell out of Jack and was regarded as one of his era's best. So of course Gavilan is in the hall. Jack is in because EVERYTIME fans came out to see Jack, he gave them exactly what they wanted to see. He gave them an exciting fight. Jack never once won a world title and his only real accomplishment was giving Ike Williams two hell of a fights and forcing a split decision draw. Gatti on the other hand has accomplished much more then Jack.

Let's not forget that Gatti was a damned good fighter. People rail on Mayweather for choosing him but remember, Gatti was not favored against Dorin. Dorin had just fought a bloody battle with the very good Paul Spadafora and got the short end of a bad decision. In 1995 he won his first title from Patterson and from 1995 to 2005 he was constantly at the top in or around title fights. That's 10 years and along the way gave us some of the most thrilling bouts a boxing fan has ever witnessed. So we're not just rewarding great fights but you have to do that too.

Gatti is a 1st ballot hall of famer and I am willing to bet that it's unanimous. I love the sweet boxers who are absolutely masters of their craft as much as the next guy and without any question at all they deserve a spot in the hall, but it can't be exclusively reserved for them. You have to have diversity, you have to be able to show future generations a guy like Pernell Whitaker and say, this is defense. Then guys like Ali and say that is how you outsmart your opponent. But then you also have to show guys like Gatti and show that this is how you give it your all and never sell anyone short.

Jeff Fenech is a guy who is in the hall of fame yet Gatti isn't? It's ridiculous to think that Gatti shouldn't or won't get in.

[Beanflicker]

Those are good points but you're taking "fame" at its literal meaning and not the meaning that is relevant to a hall of fame discussion. You can twist around definitions and words, but in the boxing "Hall of Fame" was created to commemorate the GREAT fighters of our sport. Just because boxing has a lot of ass-backwards fans who value "excitement" over "skill" doesn't mean that boxing's Hall of Fame should be different than any other sport's Hall of Fame.

[amat]

Gatti is a great fighter. IMO of course, but look at the hall of fame roster and Gatti is probably more great then at least a quarter 30 of those guys and will be remembered a lot longer then half of them. And that's just modern fighters. Jeff Fenech, Qawi, Apostoli (great SF boxer), Jeff Chandler, Rosario are all in there, there is no reason for Gatti, especially by Canastota's standards, to be considered not great.

[bigragu]

if that was the case Tex Cobb would be in it...he's not right?...please tell me he's not in..... Ragu

LOL funny stuff.


I could take him or leave him in the Hall. If I were strolling around and saw a bust of Gatti I wouldn't blink twice and I wouldn't run around screaming obsenitities if I couldn't find him among the greats.

I admire Gatti's ability to absorb punches. That's an attribute just like speed, stamina, and power. Sometimes it's the only + a boxer has going for him.

CC#384 bro! I agree with you..I don't think he belongs but if he did get in I wouldn't protest....He is one of my favorite fighters....

[LegendBoxing65]

I am not sure Gatti makes it in the hall of fame. I do not know what the requirements are. On talent he is not HOF material. but on his impact and fights he is. Should Corrales be in the hall because of his one fight? Hard to say.

[DaxxKahn]

Underappreciated in what sense?
I mean, are you saying he should be regarded in the same sense as guys like Mayweather and Oscar?
If you're talking about recognition for being the blood and guts champion of the world, he is already recognized as such from most fight fans. I think he gets the appreciation and respect he deserves.
Or are you saying he should be recognized more in the mainstream public outside of boxing for everything's he's put into the sport? If that's what you're saying, I can't disagree with you there. The world owes it to themselves to watch his career fights.

Well of course I don't mean in a pound for pound sense like PBF and DLH...But hey.....If everyone was P4P...there would be no such thing as pound for pound now would there

I mean as far as what he has contributed to the sport......Who has given more thrills...PBF or Gatti?....Fight of the year honors.....If you had a choice between...PBF and Baldomir and Gatti VS anyone who would you buy??

If you had to model heart and determination....who is the first guy you would point to??.....

My whole point is people always HAVE to mention well he lost to this guy or that guy instead of just Gatti is a hell of a fighter do you remember his fight with.....

Instead it's Gatti couldn't beat whats his name.....

IMO sometimes what you put into the sport and what you show as far as the way you carry yourself is more important then who you beat...

[Wacko3205]

Honestly...I think that Gatti doesn't get respect for the obvious reasons.

He loses badly when put to the test against the big bwoys & he even falls apart against the lesser demons of boxing.

I have always felt that Gatti is a glorified club fighter that has always been in the right place at the right time.

Don't get me wrong...I think that he's good for boxing based on his fan appeal...but he aint HOF worthy.

Entertainer or not.