Today, twenty years ago, ring legend Arturo Gatti scored another big win that set up a massive fight for “Thunder.” On January 29th, 2005, Gatti, the WBC champion at 140 pounds, met veteran Jesse James Leija.
Arturo Gatti perhaps burned brighter than any fighter of his time. So many times, “Thunder” struck, sending fans into a frenzy, with them craving more upon leaving the arena or after having tuned in on TV.
As we posthumously wish the great Arturo Gatti a happy 52nd birthday, one of the men “Thunder” went to war with during his enormously thrilling career is also thinking about Arturo.
THE trilogy? Maybe. You could certainly make the argument, passionately, that the three-fights (see wars) Arturo Gatti and Micky Ward thrilled the world with rank as the best in all of boxing.
During his astonishing blood, guts, and thunder career, the one and only Arturo Gatti fought two superstars, these being Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Junior.
Some fights are only truly appreciated years after they took place. Other fights are instantly recognized as special; in some cases, super-special.
Had he lived as he so richly and undeniably had every right to, Arturo Gatti would today be celebrating his 50th birthday.
The late, great Arturo Gatti will always be a fighter we have nothing but fantastic memories of. Aside from one memory, that is: his untimely, and mysterious, death.
How many times during his simply unmatched, consistently thrilling ring career, did Arturo Gatti go to the well? Close to a dozen times?
The great, the all-action every time, the simply unmatchable Arturo Gatti, should be celebrating his 49th birthday today. Instead, as we all lament, the most exciting fighter of, not only his era, but perhaps any era, lost his life at the far too young age of 37, this back in July of 2009.