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Boxing

Arturo Gatti Was Truly a Ring Warrior

Posted Jul 12, 2009 3:10PM By Tom Herrera (RSS feed)

Filed Under: Boxing Video

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Cliches are tossed around in sports far too often, it's true. From legends to legacies, our natural tendency is to define every star with a label. But when you want to talk about Arturo Gatti the Warrior, no one can dare accuse you of hyperbole. In an era where cash is king, Gatti was the fans' bread-winner.

There are very few fighters that brought more heart than Gatti. He was never the biggest name, or the flashiest champion, but he had the respect of the entire audience -- something rarely seen in boxing these days. Participant in Ring Magazine's "Fight of the Year" a total of four times, Gatti thrilled onlookers who were fortunate enough to witness his legendary battles with "Irish" Micky Ward from 2002-03.

Gatti's rubber match with Ward in June 2003 was a war in every sense of the word. Gatti broke his twice-repaired right hand on an uppercut, then fought nearly one-handed for several rounds. When the final scorecards were announced in favor of Gatti, I don't think anyone really cared. All that mattered in the end was that fans got to see one of the greatest exhibitions of courage in the ring.

The remainder of Gatti's career was filled with ups and downs, including a six-round TKO loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr., which ended his title reign. By that point, he was already known as the "ultimate blood and guts warrior," a title earned through pure determination and a will to survive.

Every time the Atlantic City crowd stood, jaws agape, and asked for another highlight, he rarely disappointed.

Below, relive some of Gatti's most memorable moments.

Arturo Gatti vs. Micky Ward



Gatti's Greatest Hits

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