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[Previous entry: "New England Chatta"] [Main Index] [Next entry: "Diaz vs. Augustus Headline Explosive January 30th Card"] 01/28/2004 Archived Entry: "A Realistic Look at Arturo Gatti"
A Realistic Look at Arturo Gatti I enjoyed the Gatti-Branca fight this past Saturday even if I had to turn on the mute button several times after HBO's Jim Lampley went in teenage cheerleader mode several times for Arturo Gatti. It seems as if no matter where you look you cannot get a realistic view on Gatti and his place in boxing.
Arturo Gatti put on another show before a packed Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ. This time it wasn't the shoot em up bang-bang that he showed against Micky Ward, but it was the boxing skills that trainer Buddy McGirt has helped him with.
Gatti showed that he can utilize his speed, skills and defense as well as street fighting in this bout against Gianluca Branco. However, he was exposed for a whole in his defense as he was repeatedly hit with the light punching Branca through the night. It is doubtful if Gatti could have won with those types of defensive skills against a Tszyu, Mitchell or Judah or even survived the first half of the fight, which he was unable to do against Oscar De La Hoya. While Irish and Italian Americans not only represent large segments of the boxing public, they can also sell in Middle America. Pemberton and Sheika as action-packed as their fights are they represent two ethnic groups that are detested by much of America and are not as marketable to the non-hardcore boxing public, although hardcore fans loved their two fights. Before the fight HBO showed the post-fight hospitalization of Ward and Gatti after their third fight and focused on the effects to Ward. This was a good piece of boxing journalism and showed the fans a side of the sport the rarely get to see. Maybe after seeing this sports fans will have more respect for Winky Wright or a Cory Spinks who choose not to fight like cave men and end up punchdrunk. The three Gatti-Ward fights were remarkable and the two fighters need to be recognized for that great trilogy. I will always remember those fights and respect the effort of those two men. However, I am a little tired of seeing the fights lionized to the level of a Holyfield-Bowe or an Ali-Fraizer, because the talent level of Gatti and Ward is on a much lower level than those legends. Let us remember how Ward could not deal with the cunning style of Zab Judah and how Gatti was knocked out by De La Hoya and Angel Manfredy. Gatti struggled at times against Branca, and I had him winning 116-112 on the scorecard, but just as he displayed boxing skills, and hats off to Buddy McGirt, he also displayed his short comings and it is unlikely that he could beat any of the top-ten 140 pounders fighting like that. Should he fight Leonard Dorin he will have to bring his skill-level up to another level if he he expects to win. Nonetheless, Gatti will put on a good show for the fans whoever he fights next.
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