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So amongst all the madness of JMM devastating KO win over Pac this Sat night.
Arturo "Thunder" Gatti was elected to enter the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
For me personally I don't think being a TV draw, blood & guts warrior merits induction.
What is your opinion on this? Does he belong in the hall?
Others who will be getting in are Virgil Hill & Myung-Woo Yuh.
Oh sure he does, it's the hall of fame after all. He drew a lot of interest to the sport and gave the fans great memories. A lot of more talented and accomplished guys could only dream about capturing the imagination the way he did yada yada. Virgil Hill being inducted along with him is a good example of this, although Hill was certainly a more formidable world champion and for longer.
It takes all kinds, Gatti was not my favorite fighter to watch but you don't find that depth of heart in every fighter.Quote:
Originally Posted by CutMeMick
Watching Gatti fight, especially when he was getting his ass kicked, was hard to do but I still went away thinking I'd be happy with a tenth of the heart he had.
He was special because he had so much of the one thing every fighter needs that his shortcomings in other areas didn't matter most of the time.
I think they called it right.
I agree that HoF is supposed for the skillful and not for the tv friendly.
Tough one.
The historian in me agrees with Mick.
The realist in me agrees with p4 and bk in this particular case.
They let Stallone in.
Seems today all you have to do is snag a couple of trinkets and your in but Gattis blood and guts approach was special as bk points out along with the straps he managed to collect. A classic over achiever.
Edit. Speaking of HOF, Rush got in today. A decade late or more but I'll take it.
I'm not even sure if there is a criteria for the HOF now or if ever? I'm honestly not bothered either way. Gatti had his nitch and while he became pigeon holed with the Ward trilogy he was a capable fighter. HOF? again it depends of what we-they gauge by. Skill wise...longevity etc both Sonagi Yuh and Hill far surpassed a Gatti. The contrast in inductees is really something. Frankly both of them were verrrrry localized almost pure boxers in backyards who some fans couldn't pick from a crowd, let alone non fans. Gatti on the otherhand was everywhere it seemed, exposure and network wise and also benefits from being current. All and all I think they got it right and would have a bigger problem with HOF if they excluded guys like Yuh etc rather than include a Gatti..if that makes sense :cwm13: Been a long day ;D I do know Mills Lane got the nod as well and it is awesome seeing that!! That man was a true professional and is very much missed.
Its the Hall of Fame not the Hall of Greatest & Most Technically Skilled Boxers of All Time. Boxing is a sport where technical proficiency doesn't always win. Heart, brute strength and determination can trump natural talent with one punch. That's what makes boxing so exciting. That's the kind of fighter Arturo Gatti was. Battered and beaten, Gatti wouldn't quit until he was done, making his fights some of the most of the most exciting and memorable of his era. The era of massive HBO PPV and Boxing After Dark events, of which he was an frequent participant an which made him a star.
He fe fought in fights that were recognized as Ring Magazine Fight of the Year 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003 and Round of the Year 1997, 1998, 2002.
Some boxing purists might enjoy A. Ward v Froch or Pacquiao v Marquez III but I'd much rather watch Gatti v Ward III or Gatti v Robinson and would be happy to show it to my MMA loving friends and new fight fans.
Did Virgil Hill deserve to get in instead of Dariusz M, who beat him to unify the light heavyweight titles? Dariusz won titles in two divisions like Virgil, and had a more impressive run of title defenses.
The should rename it the "American" Boxing Hall of Fame instead of International.
Of course he should be included. It's about the impact people have on boxing and Gatti is among the most exciting and famous fighters of his era.
From @ruthless roccoThe end.Quote:
He fought in fights that were recognized as Ring Magazine Fight of the Year 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003 and Round of the Year 1997, 1998, 2002.
I think both sides make strong cases...
It is my understanding that the hall of fame is for the "greats" of the sport.
@Freedom : Was talking with someone else about that myself on FB yesterday seems they just go with the flow of things and don't really keep track of who beat who or something... ;D
Also on that note Jorge Arce should get in when he retires.
He was a huge draw here in the States & in Mexico, multiple titles, blood & guts to this day, long career as well.