01.04.05 – What is your reaction to what Floyd was saying?
Gatti: Number one, he’s got no class and that’s the way he is. I just can’t wait to see him on the 25th when he sees me across the ring from him.
What do you think he brings to the table besides speed?
Gatti: That’s the only thing he brings. What everybody forgets is that it runs in the family. They all have glass jaws – chins. That’s why he moves so good, because he can’t get hit. Roger, his father, everybody. And they all have big mouths. I don’t like to say that but that’s a fact. Like Buddy says, it runs in the family. They have glass jaws and that’s the one thing you can’t have against me. I’m a very hard puncher at 140.
Moretti said you didn’t need this fight, so why did you want it?
Gatti: This is a fight for myself. I want to be the best and I want to be recognized as the best.. I’d make the same amount of money for anybody else. So this is for me and my own achievement.
Was there anyone else you wanted to fight?
Gatti: This is who I want to fight. Styles make fights and he’s going to walk right into my punches.
Can you explain your absence from yesterday?
Gatti: I feel much better. I apologized to the guys that I didn’t make it. From what I read in the paper, I’m glad I wasn’t there yesterday.
I feel much better now. I read those things in the paper and I’m glad I wasn’t there yesterday. I would have done and said some things I really don’t do or say that would make me look as bad as he did.
He called you a punching bag, a C fighter and a bum…
Gatti: Actually it doesn’t bother me at all. Anything he has I can do better. The only thing he has over me is speed. Speed cannot make you win fights when you fight guys like me. He’s going to fight someone that is going to fight back. I’m not afraid of him. I have nothing to be afraid of.
I’ve been in a lot of fights, but I’ve never been in a fight where my opponent was talking like he was. He has no class. To speak about another fighter or a professional athlete like he does, just shows the type of person he is.
Did you think after it was off that you would be fighting?
Gatti: It was because of me. I pulled out of the fight because I think he was playing around or he was just not to sure of himself. The contract was supposed to be signed on January 29 and it wasn’t. It was signed a couple months later. I kept going over to my manager’s office. I said, ‘Is it signed?’ He said not yet. Then one day you know what? I said Pat, you know what? I’m out. I’m not fighting him anymore. And that made him sign the contract.
Do you know what took so long to be a main event on PPV?
Gatti: Everything happens for a reason. I’m happy to be on PPV at this stage of my life and they are going to find out how popular I am. On the PPV, we will find out how many people are interested in buying this fight. It’s definitely on me whether it will sell or not. I sell the tickets. Mayweather has to give tickets away when he fights.
Did de la Hoya help you prepare for this fight?
Gatti: Not at all. Two different styles. I was a little weak for him. Right now I am de la Hoya’s size, so I’m kind of glad he is coming back down to 147.
Who has been the fasted guy you have faced?
Gatti: To be honest with you, I can’t tell you the fastest guy I fought was. I can tell you one thing, I sparred with Randy Hopson and Hopson was like lightning. I had a hard time sparring against him. I was a sparring partner of Pernell Whitaker. I’ve learned from the best. Maybe I will have a little bit of trouble in the beginning, but we are going to have some good sparring. We are going to bring in some fast guys and I’m going to be ready for this fight.
What will you do about distractions, being this is on PPV?
Gatti: I think every Thursday we are going to take a couple of hours and talk to the press. I’m going to training camp tomorrow. I’m not going to be traveling anywhere. It will just be on the phone so it won’t bother me.
Who will be your cut man?
Gatti: Joe Souza.
Why do you think you are so popular in Atlantic City?
Gatti: It’s not because of my looks. It’s my ability to fight. People love to come see me fight. They know they are not going to be upset. It’s all well worth it. I’m an entertainer in the ring and that’s why I am popular.
I don’t know if it gives me an advantage, but it’s nice to have the crowd behind you. When you come out of the dressing room and the crowd is rooting for you, it’s good. Once we get in the ring, that’s it.
It’s a very competitive fight, but I don’t know how tough it’s going to be. I’m ready for anything. He brings a lot of speed and I will neutralize that. Not problem.
Buddy McGirt…
He seems like a better boxer, but does he need to turn this into a brawl?
McGirt: No. Everyone think it’s going to turn into a brawl, but I don’t see it that way. The bottom line is we will do what we train to do, then in the middle rounds when we get Floyd in the deep waters we will see if he can swim.
Why do you feel he doesn’t have to turn it into a brawl?
McGirt: We don’t need to turn it into a brawl. We know he can fight. When you take Floyd’s speed and you nullify it, what do you have? What else does he have besides his speed that is so great? Thank you. You can’t answer it. We know Arturo can make it a dog fight if he has to. We know Arturo can box if he has to. When it comes down to putting your nuts on the line, Arturo can do that too.
Floyd’s never been there. We’ve been down this road. The question is,,,what happens when you nullify his speed? What does he do? That’s the question he’s got to ask himself. We know what Arturo can do. If we say, ‘Arturo, now look. You need to go in there and turn this into a brawl.’ He could do it without hesitation. In the blink of an eye. If I say it’s all or nothing in this round, he can do it. Can Floyd do it?
What does Arturo bring to the table the the other guys don’t?
McGirt: They don’t bring a plan. I think the weight killed Corrales. The weight was too much for him for being as tall as he is. I don’t know how he does it. I think he had the wrong plan with Floyd. We have a totally different strategy.
To me, he is a phenomenal defensive fighter…
McGirt: Yes, because he tucks his chin. But he can’t protect that spot right behind the ear. He can’t protect that. I told him at the press conference he can protect his chin all he wants, but he can’t protect behind the ear.
Did what Floyd said have any effect on Arturo?
McGirt: It’s going to make him work harder. As far as his mindset in the ring, it is not going to offset that. It’s just going to make him work harder. It’s not going to work.
If not this fight, what was Arturo’s toughest fight?
McGirt: Floyd has his speed, yes. But if you take away his speed, what do you have?
But a lot of guys have tried that…
McGirt: They tried the wrong way. There is a solution to every problem. If there weren’t a solution, there wouldn’t be a problem. No one ever came up with the right solution. I’ve been in my laboratory for a long time.
What will Floyd have to do to take Arturo out of his game?
McGirt: He’s trying by talking but it’s not going to work.
He’s the one that puts the asses in the seats. No matter where he goes, he fills up the arena. Floyd Mayweather needs him. In boxing it’a all about how many asses you put in the seats and how many buys you get. Arturo Gatti has the name. Arturo Gatti is the draw. It’s not like he needs Mayweather. He wanted Mayweather.
In order to be the best, you have to fight the best. So who do they think is the best? They think Floyd is.
I do have one request. I request that Larry Hazzard be the referee. He’s the commissioner. I think that Larry should be the referee because Larry Hazzard is fair, he knows both fighters and most of all he knows boxing.
Take your time. Get your mind and body right. This is nothing new for him.