Had you asked a boxing fan a
few years ago who would be in the limelight of the Jr. Welterweight
division, not many would have had Arturo Gatti or Jesse James Leija
at the top of their list. This would have been done
with good reason, for Leija and Gatti are by no means new to the fight
game.
Arturo Gatti has always been an
exciting fighter, matching power, speed, and strength with charisma. He
reminds us of Italian-American boxers of times
past, boxers who were always willing to stand and exchange and were
always willing to fight anyone. The reality of holding
a championship belt seemed but a dream passed, and an opportunity no
longer available. As we all know, Gatti has been reinvented with the help
of Buddy McGirt. The two have come far together, and Gatti’s successes as
of late have also heightened McGirt’s ranking among top trainers. He is
now a commodity among boxers looking to revamp their careers
and take themselves out of comfort zones.
"Thunder" Gatti is no longer a brawler looking to stand and trade, although his
trilogy with Irish Micky Ward may refute that fact. Gatti is now a
fighter that moves, uses angles, and is much more willing to box than
trade. He still possesses heavier punching
power than most at this weight division, but he now picks and chooses when
to use his firepower. The Gatti that faced Oscar de
la Hoya to no avail is nowhere to be seen. With
his most recent win over the rugged Leonard Dorin via body shot, Gatti is
truly an attraction at 140lbs.
James Leija is a household name
among boxing fans. He has faced the best the
fight game has to offer. He is also nearing his 40’s, and this is
extraordinary considering most fighters retire by their mid 30’s. Leija
has always been a workman in the ring, using constant non stop action.
Many had written the fighter off considering his age, but like Gatti,
there is much more resilience in Leija than meets the eye; he
displayed that in his recent fight against Panchito Bojado. Bojado, an up
and coming star from De la Hoya’s home town of
East L.A., had caught the eye of many with his blazing speed and punching
power. Fortunately for Leija, Bojado’s quick start and dominance in the
first three rounds quickly vanished. Leija began to apply pressure to the
younger boxer, and over the next 9 rounds proved to the judges that he
deserved the win.
Jesse James and Thunder Gatti
will meet this Saturday in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
This fight will be interesting to watch given the styles of the two
boxers. Thunder’s new found boxing skills should prove
entertaining considering the keen defence and
boxing ability of Leija. Leija has never been a heavy puncher, so he will
look to take it the distance. Gatti carries the advantage of punching
power. Regardless of Gatti’s new boxer/puncher style, Leija has the
advantage in overall boxing skill. Gatti not only carries the strength
advantage, but he also has the speed to go with it.
Keys to victory for Thunder
will be to pressure the older Leija. He must use his superior power and
speed to land the shots that Leija won’t
be able to see. He needs to pressure Leija into a
slugfest. Leija will not allow this, as he is a
veteran of ring generalship. Gatti will most likely adopt the same style
that De la Hoya used to beat Gatti, moving in
and out of the proverbial phone booth, picking
his punches and making them count.
Leija’s keys to victories will
be his boxing skill. A Mayweather-esque performance on Leija’s part is
key. He will need to stay on the outside, not allowing Gatti to turn it
into a toe to toe war. Leija uses angles excellently and also has amassed
a very good defence from years of fighting champions.
Regardless of however obvious or conformed it may be, I see Gatti making
this an early night. Leija is a great boxer, but with Gatti’s movement
and punching power, the Thunder from New Jersey will be too much of a
storm for Leija to weather. Gatti by the 6th!
