Exclusive Interview with Arturo “Thunder” Gatti: Thank You Giovanni Gatti.

“He is an embarrassment to the sport. All real fighters are hard workers. It takes a lot of work to get to where you are and he makes all of our hard work seem like it’s a joke to the sport of boxing. But you know that guys like that get knocked out, and when they do get knocked out, they disappear from the face of the earth and he is going to be one of them. I’m going to do that to him because I’ve put in a lot of work, I respect my sport and I love my sport.”–Arturo “Thunder” Gatti on his next opponent, Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Whenever Arturo “Thunder” Gatti steps into a ring and fights, one can clearly see that, although in front of us stands a full grown man, there is still a kid in that body that just loves to fight. Although I have no idea what Arturo was like as a child, I venture a guess that “Thunder”

was a bombastic, ballsy, energy packed kid that loved to have fun, cause trouble, raise hell and, most importantly, fight! Just because one likes street fighting does not mean that one is going to get into boxing. If that were the case, then the majority of the testosterone driven males I know, which is every friend I have ever had, would be world-class pugilists. Most of them do not even have class. In Gatti’s case, he is definitely a world-class fighter. Why did this kid, stuck in a man’s body, start boxing in the first place? “I’ve been a competitive kid all my life that always wants to be the best at what I do. My father was the one that brought me, and my brother Joe (former super middleweight) who was also a professional fighter, to boxing. I fought in the amateurs a lot. Then, when I was fifteen-years-old, my father, Giovanni Gatti, passed away. He was the toughest man in Montreal. He was an electrician, but he could really fight (laughing). Totally different, but he could really fight (laughing). I kind of lost direction when he died, you know, but I knew boxing because of him, and I knew it was the way to go. Also, my great trainer, Dave Campenell, who was like a stepfather to me controlled me as much as he could (laugh). You know, I just got to thank God that I’m ok and here today (laugh).

Don’t miss this SaddoBoxing exclusive with Arturo “Thunder” Gatti as he makes his final preparations for his showdown with “Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather.

Arturo is such a throwback in that his fame does not seem to change his personality. Gatti seems to be oblivious to the fact that he is one of the most liked and admired fighters of his time. The “Human Highlight Reel” is how the media often refers to him. Still, “Thunder” has a very down to earth personality, which is something that his upcoming opponent, “Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather lacks. “I think it’s funny you know. All of my fans know what I’m about. I’m going to expose him, and he (Mayweather) is going to make me the star that my fans already know I am. I am going to show the whole world that I am so underestimated in the talent that I have, you know.”

And in regards to Floyd’s flashy antics in front of cameras, portraying a “Larger than life” image, and disrespecting Gatti, Arturo had this to say, “You know, that’s who he is. He is an embarrassment to the sport. All real fighters are hard workers. It takes a lot of work to get to where you are and he makes all of our hard work seem like it’s a joke to the sport of boxing. But you know that guys like that get knocked out, and when they do get knocked out, they disappear from the face of the earth and he is going to be one of them. I’m going to do that to him because I’ve put in a lot of work, I respect my sport and I love my sport.”

In regards to what a win over Floyd would do for Arturo, considering the fact that Gatti, despite all his career accomplishments, is still not regarded in most mythical “Pound-for-pound lists,” “Thunder” said, “For all the years I’ve been fighting, to me it is a great achievement. I’m going to earn my Masters when I knock him out. I’m very excited about this fight. I have a great trainer in “Buddy” McGirt, who I completely believe in. My conditioning coach, Teddy Cruz, has worked my ass off, and my manager has been just great to me. I have a great team who believes in me and that’s all I need to know, that my team really believes in me. My work has been done in the gym, and I’m ready.”

For those of us who remember the younger version of Arturo, images of bloody, swollen eyes seem to fill our memories. During his last four to five fights, Arturo has not suffered any such problems. What is he doing differently? “When I was younger, I did a lot of stupid things and I was just running around. I would party all the time; it’s not like a big secret. I was a wild kid, just having a good time, and I wasn’t taking care of myself in between fights. Now I live the right way and, fight by fight, my body has gotten stronger. I’m thirty-three-years-old, and I feel stronger than I did when I was twenty-three.”

And with all those party nights, and wars in the ring, how much longer does Arturo plan to fight? “You know, I really can’t answer that question right now. I feel very strong, and physically, I feel great physically. I don’t want to get hurt, and I know my team will take care of me. I have a great team around me and I’m sure they will let me know when it is time. If the day comes that I no longer want to run like I should, or be ready for a fight like I should, then I need to get out. That’s when fighters really get hurt, when they fight unprepared. The scary thing is that I train harder and harder, and I just can’t see myself retiring anytime soon.”

“Thunder” is a very big 140-pound fighter, who seems to be so much stronger than his opponents. Is the junior welterweight division going to be his home for much longer? “After this fight, to be honest with you, I’m going to move up to 147 (pounds) for one fight, and see how I feel. I’m really having a hard time right now making the weight. It’s not easy for me anymore. It has been very hard on me and my body right now. After I beat Mayweather, I’m going to fight one fight at 147 (pounds), and if I bring the power with me I will stay there. I know I tried it one time before, but it wasn’t the right decision. I will definitely fight one fight at 147 (pounds), a ten rounder. After that, I’ll see if I come back to 140 (pounds) or go for the welterweight title.”

In closing, “Thunder” had this to say, “I’m going to win this fight. To all the people who support me, tune in because it’s going to be a great fight.” And when I told Gatti that a lot of us Mexican fight fans consider him an “Italian-Mexican, rather than an Italian-American, because of his left-hooking, all out warring style, Arturo responded, “Gracias mucho” (English: a lot of thanks). We usually say it “Muchas gracias”, but hey, he is Arturo “Thunder” Gatti, so “Gracias muchos” to you Giovanni Gatti for taking that wild kid to a boxing gym.

Sergio Martinez can be reached at srg_mrtnz@yahoo.com