This was the start, the daybreak of the legend that was to change into Arturo “Thunder” Gatti. It was on at the present time that the world found a boxer who would go on to epitomize the very idea of “warrior,” change into one among boxing’s hottest, blood-and-guts gladiators, in addition to one among its tragic tales.
However earlier than all of the glory, earlier than the superb come-from-behind wins and the agonizing losses, earlier than the well-known trilogy with Micky Ward and the large cash showdowns with Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr., there was his first probability to win a world title on the age of 23. It came about at New York’s fabled Madison Sq. Backyard and it was there Arturo first proved he was one thing particular.
Going into this match the main focus of the boxing media and HBO was as a lot or extra on Gatti’s opponent, the defending champion, Tracy Harris Patterson, and the story of how he had been guided to boxing success by a former heavyweight champion. Tracy was the adopted son of Floyd Patterson, two-time heavyweight champ and former opponent of Archie Moore, Sonny Liston and Muhammad Ali. A lonely baby, he had gone from hanging round Floyd’s health club to being adopted by Patterson, and to then changing into a profitable boxer and a champion. It was a heart-warming story, made for TV.
This was Patterson’s first protection of his second world title and HBO noticed a possible new star within the making, although in reality he and his well-known father have been at present not on talking phrases. Fortunately, they might reconcile years later. Gatti vs Patterson was the principle undercard attraction for Oscar De La Hoya’s bout with an overmatched Jesse James Leija and it fully upstaged a disappointing principal occasion. The subsequent day, boxing followers have been speaking about Gatti, not De La Hoya.
Patterson would later say that he knew nothing about Arturo Gatti besides that he had a giant left hook and favored to slug it out; his misjudgment of his challenger’s boxing talent could be a key issue within the struggle. Patterson waited for probabilities to counter the supposed reckless brawler, however as a substitute of wading in, Gatti boxed neatly. Arturo managed the motion with a stiff left jab earlier than scoring a flash knockdown with an uppercut within the second spherical. Gatti continued to dictate the phrases in spherical three till a tough left hook appeared to wake Patterson up. He responded with a hook of his personal after which a pointy proper hand and the 2 traded heavy photographs to the bell.
The combatants boxed on even phrases in spherical 4, Gatti conserving the struggle in the midst of the ring, however now the challenger’s left eye was swelling up, although he continued to maintain Patterson on the tip of his left hand. The champion labored to land his proper over Gatti’s jab and he had some success in spherical 5, however Arturo answered in spherical six as he started working the left hook and responding to each proper hand Patterson landed with fast flurries. A pair of onerous hooks had Patterson backing up simply earlier than the bell.
Spherical seven noticed a fast-paced jabbing contest in the midst of the ring till Patterson landed his finest punch of the struggle to date, a proper hand counter flush on Gatti’s jaw. However the younger challenger didn’t waver and didn’t hesitate to return proper again along with his personal counterpunches. Each males landed heavy photographs to physique and head within the the rest of the spherical, with Patterson getting the higher of it, however in spherical eight Arturo asserted himself once more, boxing superbly behind that sharp jab and touchdown some good blows to the physique.
At this level, the champion needed to know he was behind, that he wanted one thing dramatic to shift the momentum. Most at ringside had Gatti forward by 5 or 6 factors and it appeared Patterson’s title was slipping away. However at first of spherical 9 it was the challenger who got here out aggressively, throwing 93 punches and having his strongest spherical of the struggle because the early going. However though Patterson was now hopelessly behind on factors, he took the struggle to Gatti within the tenth as an already entertaining match grew to become an exhilarating motion battle. Within the last thirty seconds of the spherical, the group got here to its ft because the fighters traded toe-to-toe.
Gatti listened to his nook and obtained again up on his toes in spherical 11, utilizing the ring and pumping his jab, till the champion buckled his legs with a proper hand close to the tip of the body. Briefly, Arturo appeared in bother, however he regrouped and landed a giant proper of his personal earlier than working the jab once more.
Now it was official: Patterson wanted a knockout to win and his nook advised him so, however Gatti, even after eleven hard-fought rounds, nonetheless had loads of bounce in his younger legs. Midway by the ultimate spherical, Patterson harm the challenger with a determined proper hand and attacked, on the lookout for a miracle and having his finest spherical of the complete struggle. However Gatti confirmed the center and braveness that may change into his trademark as he dug in and turned again the champion’s last cost.
The announcement of the choice was a formality; whereas the match was aggressive, it was clear Gatti had performed greater than sufficient to take the win. Wanting again, the irony of the bout isn’t misplaced on anybody who paid consideration to “Thunder’s” profession within the years that adopted. Whereas he’s finest recognized for being a reckless brawler who absorbed a great deal of punishment in violent slugfests with Ivan Robinson, Micky Ward and others, the actual fact is he secured this important victory and his first world title by boxing with self-discipline, listening to his nook, and utilizing his ring smarts. Clearly, this stays one among Gatti’s most interesting ring performances.
It was greater than twenty years in the past however now it looks like a lifetime. Arturo Gatti is gone however we recall on this date, not simply his braveness and toughness, but additionally his expertise.
— Robert Portis
