Is Arturo Gatti Hall of Fame worthy ??

[OumaFan]

Looking at the votes, people that I usually agree with a lot are on the other side. Oh well, I just don't think he quite is.

I'm sure he will get in though.

[Spicoli]

I don't think the main criteria for adminitance is souly all out boxing skill 101.Maybe it should be but thats a bit narrowminded Imo.Take into account the impact factor,propelling the sport into the main stream.Think about it....in 15,20 or so years when Another fan generation comes up I think he will be defined 1st or last name alone.

Much better skills early on,had his share of showcase type lesser matches that made him look the balls out brawler of media folk lore we have come to know.I can definatly see both sides but I think he gets in.

[holmcall]

No, no and no. Not ever.

[C-Lo]

If someone can get into the hall of fame for being exciting, then he's in for sure.

But I don't see him as an elite fighter or even a great fighter, just someone fun to watch. I don't see someone getting inducted if he fought 2 future HOFers and was not anywhere near competitive in those fights.

[holmcall]

If Gatti gets in, open the gates becuase here comes the flood.

[Kel]

If Gatti gets in, open the gates becuase here comes the flood.

I agree, great fighter but just not great enough.

[RozzySean]

If Gatti gets in, open the gates becuase here comes the flood.

Really. Who else goes in because Gatti opens the gate? What other fighters are comparable to him in terms of impact on the sport in the last 10 years that wouldn't get in anyway because of other achievements in the ring? As much as I love Shane Mosley, who has a much better resume, Gatti has had more impact on the sport. Gatti has brought more American fans back into boxing than almost anybody I can think of outside of the HW division. He was the face of boxing and the biggest draw on the East Coast for years. He was superb boxers turned blood and guts warrior, one of the most compelling and beloved figures in all of boxing. You would be hard pressed to find a person to say a bad word about Arturo Gatti.

An in regards to the Meldrick Taylor comment from earlier...Meldrick didn't have the impact on the sport that Gatti had. Meldrick was a great fighter and perhaps could have been HoF, but he didn't bring new fans in or create the buzz that Gatti created. He's not an ATG, but I think he's qualifies for the hall based on the McGuigan allowance for exceptional contribution to the sport. I don't think Meldrick Taylor or any other number of fighters comes close to his impact.

[holmcall]

If Gatti gets in, open the gates becuase here comes the flood.

Really. Who else goes in because Gatti opens the gate? What other fighters are comparable to him in terms of impact on the sport in the last 10 years that wouldn't get in anyway because of other achievements in the ring? As much as I love Shane Mosley, who has a much better resume, Gatti has had more impact on the sport. Gatti has brought more American fans back into boxing than almost anybody I can think of outside of the HW division. He was the face of boxing and the biggest draw on the East Coast for years. He was superb boxers turned blood and guts warrior, one of the most compelling and beloved figures in all of boxing. You would be hard pressed to find a person to say a bad word about Arturo Gatti.

An in regards to the Meldrick Taylor comment from earlier...Meldrick didn't have the impact on the sport that Gatti had. Meldrick was a great fighter and perhaps could have been HoF, but he didn't bring new fans in or create the buzz that Gatti created. He's not an ATG, but I think he's qualifies for the hall based on the McGuigan allowance for exceptional contribution to the sport. I don't think Meldrick Taylor or any other number of fighters comes close to his impact.

Danny "Littel Red" Lopez, Tone DeMarco, Paz, Benn, Eubanks, Collins, Dariuz, Nunn and the following:

South Korean

In-Chul Baek - 1980-1990
Jung-Koo “The Korean Hawk” Chang -1980-1991
In-Jin Chi -1991-2006
Soo-Hwan Hong - 1969-1980
Ki-Soo Kim- 1961-1969 (South Korea's first world boxing champion
Chong-Pal Park- 1977-1988
Myung-Woo “Sonagi” Yuh - 1983-1992

Japanese

Yuri Arbachakov -1990-1997 (alias Yuri Ebihara) Russian born but fought out of Japan and was the first Russian professional boxing champion)[/font]

Hiroyuki Ebihara- 1959-1969
Yoko “Fierce Eagle” Gushiken- 1974-1981Hiroshi Kobayashi - 1962-1971
Masao Ohba - 1966-1973 (Ohba was fatally injured in car accident in 1973Yoshio Shirai- 1943-1952[/font]

Masamori Tokuyama -1994-2006 (North Korean born but fought out of Japan
jiro Watanabe- 1979-1986

]Thai

Sot Chitalada - 1983-1992
Chartchai Chionoi- 1960-1975
Pone Kingpetch - 1954-1966
Muangchai “J-Okay” Kittikasem- 1988-1999
Samart Payakaroon-1982-1994 (Also was a legend of Muay Thai boxing)


Filipino

Luisito “Golden Boy” Espinosa -1984-2005
Rolando “Bad Boy from Dadiangas " Navarrete- 1973-1991
Jesus “The Hawaiian Punch” Salud-1983-2002 (Born in Philippines fights out of the U.S.)
Ben Villaflor - 1966-1976

Ceferino “Pedro” Garcia -1923-1945 (Was first] Filipino-American World Middleweight Boxing Champion inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame)

Your move, Ace.