ARTURO GATTI WORTHY OF HALL OF FAME
July 21st, 2009 By Pedro Fernandez
San Francisco, CA- Although emotion is in the air seeing his funeral was yesterday, there has been a lot of talk about Arturo Gatti’s place in history. In other words, are Gatti’s accomplishments worthy of the hall of fame? Without any doubt! Although he held two alphabetical titles, 
Gatti’s career was a stellar one.
GATTI ACCOMPLISHED MORE THAN TITLES
In addition to being in four Ring magazine fights of the year, 1997, 1998, 2002, and 2003, Arturo had many bright ring moments since he turned professional in 1991. Beating Pete Taliaferro (25-2) in 1994 brought Gatti much notice. The 12 round win over then IBF 130 lb. champ Tracy Harris Patterson (54-3-1) in 1995 wasn’t scintillating, but it gave Gatti a belt late promoter Dan Duva could move around the boxing chessboard.
WILSON RODRIGUEZ WAS BEATING GATTI UNTIL…
In his initial defense, Gatti scored a come from behind one-punch KO of Wilson Rodriguez (44-7) in round six. After getting dropped and sporting a closing right optic, this was the first time boxing fans in masse witnessed a bloodied Gatti roar back in a manner that would become commonplace more often than not. The Gabriel Ruelas (44-3) fight in 1997 was an epic (fight of year) event, and even in losing to Angel Manfredy (22-2) and twice to Ivan Robinson (26-2, #2 fight of the year), Gatti was still one of the most popular fighters in the world.
GATTI-GAMACHE CASE IN COURT NOW
The controversy surrounding the weighing of Gatti for the Joey Gamache (55-3) fight in 2000, of which litigation is still ongoing, resulted in a KO 2 for Arturo. Gatti made big money losing (TKO 5) with Oscar De La Hoya (32-2) in 2001 before Arturo and Mickey Ward (37-11) engaged in three of the most exciting fights in history. Since the last Ward fight in 2003, Gatti went 4-3 before retiring at 40-9-1 (31 KOs) in 2007 after losing to Alfonso Gomez (16-3-2).
DORIN BODY SHOT WAS LAST GATTI VICTORY PARTY
FOR ME He lost to Floyd Mayweather (36-0) along the way, but he stopped (KO 2) Leonard Dorin (22-0-1) with a single body shot in 2004 before giving up the WBC 140 lb. trinket to Mayweather in 2005. It was at this point and time it appeared that Gatti, who had resurrected his career after losing three in a row (Manfredy & Robinson twice) was shopworn. A victory over Tomas Dammagard (37-0) a TKO 11 in 2006 was the last time Gatti had his hand raised professionally. Subsequent stoppage losses to Carlos Baldomir (42-9) and Alfonso Gomez (16-3) convinced Gatti to retire for good in late 2007.
WENT BACK TO MONTREAL AFTER BOXING
After living in Jersey City, New Jersey for most of his pro career, Gatti moved back to Montreal, the city where he was buried yesterday after being found dead in a Brazilian hotel room 11 days ago. The role of a professional boxer is to make money and excite those viewing live or on television. Arturo Gatti made millions and sold out the Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall many times.
FIRST BALLOT HONORS ARE FITTING
If you put it all together, Arturo Gatti should not only be on the 2009 International Boxing Hall of Fame list of potential inductees, the IBHOF should insure that Gatti makes it on the first ballot. People will remember Arturo Gatti until the end of time for his bravado and skill. Hey Canastota, Ed Brophy, are you listening?
Gatti was fun to watch, but there is no way he is a Hall of fame candidate. He may have been in 4 fights of the year. However, each of those were against mediocre opposition. Hall of Famer’s do not end up in fights of the year against C-class fighters. In addition, he never beat any great fighters. How can you be in the Hall of Fame if you never beat anybody good?
No way. Sorry, loved Arturo, but I never even considered him a top-ten P4P fighter. Far more deserving candidates have yet to gain entry i.e. Jung-Koo Chang, Samuel Serrano, Ernesto Marcel, etc. And Gatti should be held responsible for in-prime losses to Manfreddy and RobinsonX2. I think the HOF should be reserved for great fighters, not good fighters who engage in great fights. Is John John Molina a HOF’er? His reign at 130 was far more dominant than Gatti’s. He destroyed Rodriguez much easier. How about Tony Lopez? Two-division champ; beat Molina 2 out of 3; in many exciting fights. I think Hatton’s case is better than Gatti’s, and I consider Ricky borderline.
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The Induction process at the Hall of Fame is flawed to begin with. I love the IBHOF, i try and go every year, but really Ingemar Johannson as an inductee? Perhaps the most imsignificant heavyweight champ of the modern day, but because he is a heavyweight, he gets in. Jung Koo Chang? Really after all those title defences not in? Please!…the fighters of the far east get burned…
Tragic events lead people to saying things that are not really logical…as the lad above says, this Hall should be reserved for great fighters, not good fighters that engage in great fights. We ALL love Arturo, may he rest in peace, and just cos he’s NOT a Hall of Famer (or should be), doesn’t mean we can deminish his accomplishments, heart, courage and the love we all feel for him as a fighter.
If Barry McGuigan is hall of fame worthy, so is Arturo.
Right on, Scott.
SCR: I don’t think McGuigan belongs, either, but he beat Eusebio Pedroza, Laporte and Taylor. Superior resume to Gatti’s IMHO. Look at Tony Lopez. Think he should get in? Like I said, when did Gatti even sniff a P4P list?
I would vote him in, but i don’t think he will make it through. I’m certainly glad someone mentioned Tony Lopez. Nobody ever talks about him. He was a helluva fighter. IMO, Lopez and Chacon are both Canastota bound, and should already be in. Though Gatti didnt beat A-Listers and lost to average level fighters, 25 years from now, everyone will still remember and talk about the wars he was in.
It depends how you define a Hall of Famer. If it’s for intrinsic talent, then not; but if for great fights, then obviously, yes. But it’s more than just great fights. There may be some poor pug who engages in life-and-death struggles every other month in a small town but who will never be noticed. Gatti had a national stage (and a cinematic face) to draw everyone’s attention. So if he gets in, it’ll be because of his contribution to the Game itself.
Javier: Didn’t Chacon get in?
I also love Gatti. I see him as a borderline HOF inductee. I believe he falls short on talent and accomplishments, but given the excitement level of his fights I can probably be swayed, but not a “first ballot” inductee.
The first ballot thing never made sense to me. You either are or aren’t IMHO. My point earlier–that far more deserving candidates still await induction after many years–was done in the hopes that some outpouring of support would manifest itself in their favor.
Fair points G_R.
I like Pedroza, Danny Little Red Lopez, Laporte and Chacon for the HOF.
I do not believe Taylor (I assume you mean Meldrick) or Tony Lopez belong there.
And now that I think more about it neither does Gatti, but I would pay $100 for 1 of his fights on PPV.
Francesco: Pedroza got in in 99, I think. I was referring to Bernard Taylor, who held Pedroza to a draw and who was beaten by McGuigan. Don’t think Laporte belongs; his biggest win was over Lockridge even though he beat Miranda for the title. He lost to the big names he fought (Sanchez, Pedroza–even with 3 point deductions from Eusebio–Gomez, McGuigan, Chavez–close call for Julio–Nelson, Murray, etc. Agree about Meldrick, though I think his resume is better than Arturo’s by far. I think Chacon already got in, and I agree about Gatti’s having been worth every penny.