Boxing Perspective: Arturo Gatti

Will Three Titles In Three Divisions Decide Gatti’s Place In History?

Michael Buffer draws out the word “THHUUUNNDEERRRR” in a fashion only he can. When he does, the already pumped up Atlantic City, New Jersey crowd goes wild. When Arturo Gatti fights in NJ, it’s not just a night at the fights, it is an event! In the eyes of his NJ fans, Gatti is what boxing is about. The only other fighter in the sport that garners such reactions from their hometown is Ricky Hatton. Believe me, not every fighter receives this kind of reception just because they are fighting at or near home. It takes a special kind of fighter to make your fans so loyal. Truth is though unlike Hatton, Gatti receives this kind of reception everywhere he fights. His heart and style is something that every fight fan has to admire.

With a 40-7 (31) record, Gatti has won titles in two different weight divisions. One at super featherweight in which he took the IBF crown from Tracy Harris Patterson and one at light welterweight, in a bout that earned him the vacant WBC title in a win over previously unbeaten Gianluca Branco. Gatti is a three time co-winner of Ring Magazine’s Fight of the Year honors. Once in 1998 against Ivan Robinson (Robinson also won upset of the year) and twice more for his fights with Micky Ward in 2002 and 2003 in one of boxing’s greatest trilogies.

His all out style has given him the moniker “The True Blood and Guts Warrior” and is often referred to as “A throw back from another era” due to his “Its not over til it’s over” attitude. With all this on his resume, some would ask, why wouldn’t he be considered elite? Well, it all depends on how his career is looked upon by the so called experts.

Winning a world title once isn’t an easy task, let alone twice, and in two different divisions to boot. Sometimes though it’s not the quantity of reigns you have, but rather the quality. Both times that Gatti was champion they were short term holdings. Also, he won the belts fighting two guys not exactly up to par. Tracy Patterson, a great fighter, was not in his prime and Branco, though undefeated at the time, had a long line of very soft opposition.

Gatti’s defenses of the title were also against not quite up to par competition. At super featherweight, his best defense was against Gabe Ruelas, who had seen better days. Light welterweight defenses were against Leonard Dorin and Jesse James Leija. Leija way past his best and not a real 140 pounder by any means. Dorin had fought some of the worst guys imaginable to boost his record. A draw with Paul Spadafora was his best fight before Gatti. Without the help of boxrec, I bet you couldn’t name another one of Dorin’s opponents. So you can see Gatti’s time as champion wasn’t spent chasing the best out there.

Also, all but two of Gatti’s losses were against guys he should have beaten. Obviously, he was favored hugely over Robinson or else Ivan would not have won Upset of the Year by Ring mag in 1998. He lost twice to Ivan back to back and was KO’d by Angel Manfredy about the same time. Both fighters went on to have only mediocre success throughout the rest of their careers.

Gatti had already been in with and beaten better fighters by time he faced these two guys. His only blemish before Robinson and Angel came early in his career and could have been counted as a growing experience. But A few years later, he was beaten at his own game by Micky Ward in an all out war that Ward won by split decision.

Gatti did come back to beat Ward twice in a row in two of the hardest fought fights in history, but what does that tell you?. If he could beat Ward twice by unanimous decision, he had the ability to win all three. Don’t get me wrong, there is no shame in losing to Micky Ward, he is one tough guy. The point is, Gatti had the goods to beat him the first time out and somehow let it slip away. Also, when Gatti faced P4P elite, he was blown out twice. Oscar De La Hoya beat him so bad that his corner had to throw in the towel in the fifth round to save him from further punishment. Same thing happened in the sixth against Floyd Mayweather Jr when he took Gatti’s WBC title last year.

There seems to be some question marks on exactly on where Gatti belongs as far as his place in this sports history books. On one hand, you have a guy who has won belts in two divisions and has been in there with some of the sport’s best ever fighters. He has given us three of boxing’s best and most exciting fights.

Then there is the Gatti who comes up short when he should come up ahead. Last but not least, we have the Gatti who wasn’t expected to win, yet earned more than the W for his efforts against guys much better than him. It kind of puts him at a catch 22 for the moment, I would have to say. Is he a fighter who can be considered more towards the bottom of greatness or is he a top rate contender who has been able to make the most of his chances? Should he be criticized for his shortcomings or applauded for his hard earned success?

On July 22, Gatti makes a run at capturing his third world title in as many divisions. He will face Carlos Baldomir, the WBC Welterweight Champion who took the belt from Zab Judah earlier this year in a seemingly one sided affair.

Baldomir, 42-9-6 (12), hasn’t lost since 1998 and is on a 20 fight winning streak. Until January, when he fought Judah, he was relatively unknown due to the fact that most of his career was spent in other countries. But most of his competition has been against guys with winning records. Baldomir also has several minor titles to go along with his current world title. He is not new to all this. He has proved he can be a spoiler and should be taken serious as a champion.

If Gatti pulls this off, not only does he have three world titles but he has beaten a legit world champion for his belt. Arturo will still not be on the P4P elite but will have accomplished what only a handful of the elite have. Three belts in three divisions. He then will have molded his spot in history and will most likely have earned himself a future place in boxing’s hall of fame. On paper at least it’s cemented. Then again so is Buster Douglas’ spot as a heavyweight champion. That still doesn’t decide on which list he will end up on when we look back on his career in the future.

With Floyd Mayweather at 147, he will eventually be looking to unify the belts. If Gatti has a version of the title, how long can he remain champion? Mayweather has already beaten him once and would most likely target him first knowing this. Also, Oscar de la Hoya speaks of fighting Mayweather at 147, although so far is all it is talk. It has been an on again, off again subject for sometime now.

He too has already beaten Gatti in a rather one-sidedbout and there is no reason to think he couldn’t do it again. It would sweeten the purse if De la Hoya and Floyd met and both had titles at stake. Also De la Hoya could use Gatti as a warm up to get used to being at 147 again. So beating Baldomir may only put a target on Gatti’s chest and instead of a longer reign than his first two times as champ, it could end up as his shortest yet.

No matter what happens, Arturo Gatti is still one of the hardest working fighters in the sport. He gives us all he has on that particular night in the ring whenever he fights. That can not be denied. Why he tends to come up short when he should win may just be one of those questions that can not be answered. It has nothing to do with lack of effort, I can promise you that.

When he retires, the only thing left in question is how he will be looked back upon? Again, as of right now it can go either way. A win over Baldomir will most likely put him on the list of the elite and cancel out his shortcomings.

If a third reign happens, it will be how successful he is during it that decides where on the list he is placed throughout time. If he fails July 22, well truth is that he will be no worse off and nothing will be taken away from what he has already accomplished.

You will never leave a Gatti fight disappointed with the effort put into the bout, win or lose. He is not the type of guy to just lay down. Even his opponents who have beaten him wonder where he gets his will to continue. His wins are big and his losses are even bigger, if that makes any kind of sense?

His heart ranks up there with legends like La Motta, Marciano, Basillio and Ali. He is a True Blood and Guts Warrior and always brings the Thunder, even if it does get silenced by the fifth. He has earned the respect of the boxing world as far as his heart and desire are concerned. Now he just needs to find his place in its history.