Honored on November 18, 2004
Name: Arturo Gatti
Alias: Thunder
Born: 1972-04-15
Birthplace: Calabria, Italy
Died: 2009-07-11 (Age:37)
Hometown: Jersey City, New Jersey, USA
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 5′ 7½″ / 171cm
Reach: 70″ / 178cm
Boxing Record: click
Manager: Pat Lynch
Trainers: Hector Roca, Ronnie Shields, James (Buddy) McGirt, Mickey Ward
Contents
Career Overview
Arturo Gatti was one of the most exciting boxers in history. He won world titles in two weight divisions and was involved in The Ring Fight of the Year four times.
Gatti was born in Italy on April 15, 1972. While still a young boy, the Gatii family emigrated to Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Living in the Little Italy section of Montreal, Gatti developed a passion for soccer and hockey but eventually followed in the footsteps of his older brother, Joe Gatti, and became a boxer.
After representing Canada at the 1991 World Junior Championships in Peru, Gatti turned professional at age 19. Three years later, he stopped Pete Taliaferro in one round to win the USBA Junior Lightweight Title. Gatti won his first world title in 1995, outpointing Tracy Harris Patterson to win the IBF Junior Lightweight Championship. In his first defense, Gatti had to get off the floor to stop Wilson Rodriguez in six exciting rounds. After outpointing Patterson in a rematch, Gatti stopped Gabriel Ruelas in four thrilling rounds. The Ring named it Fight of the Year for 1997.
After three successful title defenses, Gatti vacated the title and moved up to lightweight in 1998. He was stopped on a cut against Angel Manfredy and then lost two brutal fights to Ivan Robinson by decision. The first Robinson fight was named 1998 Fight of the Year by The Ring. Some people called for his retirement after losing three grueling fights in a row, but Gatti continued to fight. He moved up to junior welterweight and won four straight fights before being dominated and stopped by Oscar De La Hoya at welterweight.
Gatti engaged in a great trilogy with Micky Ward in 2002 and 2003. Ward won the first fight, and Gatti won the next two. The Ring named the first fight the 2002 Fight of the Year, and the third fight got the honor for 2003.
Gatti outpointed Gianluca Branco in 2004 to win the vacant WBC Super Lightweight Championship, becoming a two-time champion, something many felt he would never be able to accomplish. In his first title defense, Gatti knocked out undefeated former lightweight champion Leonard Dorin with a left hook to the body. He followed the Dorin fight with a knockout of former junior lightweight champion Jesse James Leija.
Gatti made his third defense against the highly-regarded Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2005. Gatti was no match for Mayweather, who completely dominated the fight until Gatti’s corner stopped it after the sixth round.
After stopping undefeated Thomas Damgaard to win the lightly regarded IBA Welterweight Championship in 2006, Gatti challenged Carlos Manuel Baldomir for the WBC Welterweight Championship and was stopped in nine rounds.
Gatti retired in 2007 after being knocked out by Alfonso Gomez.
Gatti was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2013.
Championship Record
- Has a record of 7-2 (4 KO) in World Title fights.
- Has a record of 9-3 (6 KO) against former or current world titlists.
- Won against Jose Sanabria, Tracy Harris Patterson (twice), Calvin Grove, Gabriel Ruelas, Joey Gamache, Terron Millett, Leonard Dorin, Jesse James Leija
- Lost against Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Carlos Manuel Baldomir
Awards and Recognition
- Arturo Gatti vs. Gabriel Ruelas was named Fight of the Year and Knockout of the Year for 1997 by The Ring.
- Arturo Gatti vs. Ivan Robinson I was named Fight of the Year and Upset of the Year for 1998 by The Ring.
- Arturo Gatti vs. Micky Ward I was named Fight of the Year for 2002 by The Ring and the Boxing Writers Association of America.
- The Ring named Gatti the Comeback of the Year fighter for 2002.
- Arturo Gatti vs. Micky Ward III was named Fight of the Year for 2003 by The Ring.
Comments
- Dan Rafael of ESPN: “He was the greatest action fighter of our era and maybe one of the top two or three action fighters of all time.”
- Promoter Lou DiBella: “He captivated people. He had a warrior spirit in the ring.”
- Micky Ward: “He gave it all in the ring. He gave everything to the sport of boxing. He gave the fans what they wanted.”
Death
Gatti was found dead with blood stains on his neck and the back of his head at about 6:00 a.m. on July 11, 2009. He was on his second honeymoon with his Brazilian wife, Amanda Rodgrigues, in Porto de Galinhas, Brazil. The following day, it was announced that Amanda Rodgrigues had been charged with murder and arrested by authorities. Early reports alleged that Gatti was struck multiple times in the back of the head and then apparently strangled with a purse strap while unconscious. On July 30, 2009, authorities in Brazil ruled Gatti’s death a suicide and ordered the release of Rodrigues. During a 2011 civil trial in Gatti’s native Montreal, the Quebec coroner ruled that there was no evidence of foul play in the ex-boxer’s death, and a Quebec judge awarded Rodrigues the entire Gatti estate. She still faced a wrongful-death suit filed in New Jersey against her by Gatti’s ex-wife, Erika Rivera, but that was dismissed in 2012 by a New Jersey judge.
External Links
- “Former boxer Arturo Gatti found dead on second honeymoon in Brazil,” New York Daily News, July 11, 2009
- “Arturo Gatti’s wife Amanda Rodrigues strangled him with her purse strap, say cops,” New York Daily News, July 13, 2009
- “Family angry after Brazilian officials rule boxer Arturo Gatti’s death suicide,” New York Daily News, July 30, 2009
- “Gatti’s death examined further on 48 Hours Mystery Saturday,” USA Today, March 23, 2012
| Preceded by: Tracy Harris Patterson |
IBF Super Featherweight Champion 1995 Dec 15 – 1998 Mar 13 Vacated |
Succeeded by: Roberto Garcia |
| Preceded by: Kostya Tszyu Stripped |
WBC Light Welterweight Champion 2004 Jan 24 – 2005 Jun 25 |
Succeeded by: Floyd Mayweather Jr. |