The Arturo Gatti "Thunder" sobriquet, unlike nicknames handed to so
many others today, some before having a first professional
fight, fitted the Italian born Canadian much like a finely
tailored suit.
Nothing pretty in style - but Gatti sure caught the eye. My
first peek was in with Tracy Harris Paterson -for the IBF
S/feather strap - went to Gatti by unanimous decision.
The Gatti 'Thunder' approach became a fight fans delight -
and he paid for it in blood - for Arturo was known as a
bleeder - but also seen as a warrior - the Micky Ward
trilogy earned accolades for both, among media and fans
alike.
But after successful defenses of his WBC Light Welterweight
bauble over Gianluca Branco (UD); Leonard Dorin (KO2): Jesse
James Leija (KO5) the sun began setting.
The date June 25, 2005, the venue the "Boardwalk of Bag
Ladies" Atlantic City, NJ, a TKO6 loss to Welter champion
Floyd Mayweather.
To his credit, Gatti followed with a stanza eleven stoppage
of IBA Welterweight champ Thomas Damgaard - finally, the
rest of the story saw TKO losses to Carlos Baldomir and
Alfonso Gomez, and with it, a No-Mas to a storied career of
40-9, 31 KOs.
Never a complete entity ? but if not the bravest that ever
donned the mittens, he surely earned honorable mention.
Says here, Canastota, NY would do itself justice by
upgrading its Hall of Fame with a new category - label it
'Where Valor was a Common Virtue.'
