Gatti does not belong in the Hall of Fame!!!

[ricsan]

I'm getting so tired of people mentioning that Gatti belongs in the Hall of Fame. That statement is an insult to all of the fighters who actually win big time fights and have beaten boxing legends. It's a disgrace to all of the future HOFs like ODLH, Hopkins, PBF, and Pac that he is even mentioned with them. Don't get me wrong, the Gatti-Ward series was as close to classic slugfest as you're ever gonna get and the guy has a ton of heart, but heart shouldn't outweight skill, training, and championships. The guy has lost every fight against a big-time fighter and wasn't even close, and he has lost against regular journeyman too. Let's all remember Gatti as a guy who put his heart on the line every fight, but let's also remember that he was just one cut or so below the rest. There are a ton of fighters with Gatti's heart, it doesn't mean they belong in the HOF.

Apparently this guy knows NOTHING about true Heart in this sport...

I have seen what we call "heart" in some of my fighters....But, I have not seen or had any that would have fought the majority of a fight with a broken hand, Nor, have I ever had a fighter that produced the greatest trilogy in boxing today....

The Hall of Fame is exactly what it is, A "Hall" of "Fame".....And Gatti has all the fame a fighter could ask for...

He belongs there...If Carbahal can get in, Gatti is basically a shoe in....

Name ONE great fight Carbahal ever had

Thats what I thought....

Good luck

Coach

I agree with you ...........Gatti is the "poster boy" for prize fighting, ! but carbijal was a great little fighter also, his wars with Humberto "Chiqita" Gonzalas were classics ! . i wounder if Humberto Gonzalas made it in? that 107lber could fight !

cc i agree......Humberto Gonzalez vs Michael Carbajal their first fight was fight of the year in 93 ......and both were elected into the hall this year.......both deserve to be there......

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael...rto_Gonzalez_I

[BoxingCoachBW]

Thnx for the CC, one right back at ya...

When I said name one good fight for Carbahal, that was it...

I can name well over half the fights Gatti has had that were nail biters and jaw droppers....

This last fight with Baldy was basically a former champions good-bye to the sport....

Its time for Gatti, anymore fights and this guy will be either dead or living the rest of his life like Ali(not saying that as a cutdown).

Good Luck,

Coach

[albsur2006]

Oh ok, yall are basing his HOF status on actual fame. I was basing his status off of his career. He beat a lot of club fighters and whenever he stepped it up against title competition he always got KTFO. Gatti always provided excitement in the ring, that's undeniable, but in terms of boxing success the guy could never reach greatness. If Gatti belongs in the HOF, then using yalls logic, so does Micky Ward.

[Lords Gym]

Oh ok, yall are basing his HOF status on actual fame. I was basing his status off of his career. He beat a lot of club fighters and whenever he stepped it up against title competition he always got KTFO. Gatti always provided excitement in the ring, that's undeniable, but in terms of boxing success the guy could never reach greatness. If Gatti belongs in the HOF, then using yalls logic, so does Micky Ward.

No ! Micky Ward never won 3 World titles in 3 Weight Classes !

[cockey cockney]

It depends what you want to see in the hall of fame i guess. If you love a warrier then Gatti has been very entertaining but perhaps not really done it in the biggest fights, however the likes of Whitaker are 10 times the fighter but no where near as exciting.

[amat]

It depends what you want to see in the hall of fame i guess. If you love a warrier then Gatti has been very entertaining but perhaps not really done it in the biggest fights, however the likes of Whitaker are 10 times the fighter but no where near as exciting.

And they both belong in

[aangel]

I have to agree with Lords gym and amat they made some excellent poits, boxing fans never wanted to miss a gatti fight.

[drgoodlooking]

Yea, Gatti's record stinks!

[Chino]

a ton of fighters with gattis heart? name one............ and i'll call u a lier cuz u won't find one.......... i believe alot of what u say is true... HOF... he'll be there. does he deserve it. I think so but in all honesty thats up for grabs. i agree with u............... don't ever say that someone today is fighting with the same heart gatti has...... dont even try.

More than a heart is needed to win the BIG FIGHTS. Hall of Famers have shown to have a heart as well as the necessary elements to win the BIG FIGHTS and more!

I like Gatti and wanted him to win this fight to come back from his loss but make him a Hall of Famer? Iiiiiiiii dunno.

Chino

[SouthLondon]

Amat,
Sorry I joined this one late. Great post. Said everything I would have alot better than I would have. Superb argument.
I agree totally. Gatti gave us fights that will never be forgotten. Gatti gave us excitement. He gave everything he could in his pursuit of a legacy. .Gatti deserves HOF. It would be criminal not to give him it. Tell me the Gatti-Ward trilogy didnt get your heart pumping? IMHO, If you ask me he's gotta go in there.
As a sidenote anyone know where I might download Gatti-Ruelas?

[killersheep]

I have to say Gatti being on HBO 20 times probably has a little to do with his fame.

And he was there, because people were always pulling for him. I think he had the public on his side more than most other fighters out there, and that's what makes the sport right? The connection with the fans?
If there were no fans there would be no boxing and Gatti was a fans fighter.

[ClydeB]

Agreed, Gatti does not belong in the Hall of Fame!!!

The fact that he has heart, minimal skills, power, & the ability to lose to B+ fighters falls below the qualifications.

Although, I hate to do it, I have to side with what Larry Merchant once said: "There are many champions in boxing, but very few stars"

I don't think hall of Fame status should be limited to talent and achievement. What Gatti's efforts have done for the sport of boxing outstrips many other fighters' achievements. Boxing is, debatably, a sport on the decline. Without fighters like Gatti to keep the casual fan interested the sport will sink further.

In short, fighters like Gatti raise boxing's profile. Add to that the numerous fights of the year he's had and he rightly belongs in the Hall of Fame.

[means2184]

I'm getting so tired of people mentioning that Gatti belongs in the Hall of Fame. That statement is an insult to all of the fighters who actually win big time fights and have beaten boxing legends. It's a disgrace to all of the future HOFs like ODLH, Hopkins, PBF, and Pac that he is even mentioned with them. Don't get me wrong, the Gatti-Ward series was as close to classic slugfest as you're ever gonna get and the guy has a ton of heart, but heart shouldn't outweight skill, training, and championships. The guy has lost every fight against a big-time fighter and wasn't even close, and he has lost against regular journeyman too. Let's all remember Gatti as a guy who put his heart on the line every fight, but let's also remember that he was just one cut or so below the rest. There are a ton of fighters with Gatti's heart, it doesn't mean they belong in the HOF.

its not the hall of winning ..or hall of skill....or hall of greatness....its Hall of fame ..and nobody can argue Arturos Fame and popularity

[Galaxy]

Agreed, Gatti does not belong in the Hall of Fame!!!

The fact that he has heart, minimal skills, power, & the ability to lose to B+ fighters falls below the qualifications.

Although, I hate to do it, I have to side with what Larry Merchant once said: "There are many champions in boxing, but very few stars"

I don't think hall of Fame status should be limited to talent and achievement. What Gatti's efforts have done for the sport of boxing outstrips many other fighters' achievements. Boxing is, debatably, a sport on the decline. Without fighters like Gatti to keep the casual fan interested the sport will sink further.

In short, fighters like Gatti raise boxing's profile. Add to that the numerous fights of the year he's had and he rightly belongs in the Hall of Fame.

Nicely said bro, Gatti has to go in.

[BoxingCoachBW]

Here are a few other things I would add....

Though many people would laugh at this,

I feel there are guys like Tyson who should be in the Hall of Fame....

Like Gatti, Tyson was guaranteed to fill house,,,,you either loved him or hated him.....

I was at the Memphis fight when Lewis fought Tyson....People talked shit about Tyson, but I also remember who got the standing ovation when he got into the ring...

Tyson had bumped into a big wall in his career, but, I felt bad for the guy.....He, like so many other boxers, is a fragile human being in need of guidance in their life...

Gatti, He would fill a house just being on the card....It didnt matter who he was fighting.....

I think there were more tears than cheers at this last fight of his(Gatti), he is the last of a very small number of fighters that fans fell in love with....We dont have many true hardcore boxers in the sport anymore....We have a bunch of "money hungry", "Out of Shape" and "Sorry exscuses" for boxers in the sport nowadays....Where are the TRUE Prizefighters?? where are the TRUE "Peoples Champions"??

What the people need is a Champion that is at their level, not someone that feels that when they get the belt that the fans dont matter anymore...

Gatti had this swagger to him, he was a People's Champion...Thats why he was so loved and that is why he will be in the HoF....

Good Luck,

Coach