Will Gatti be remembered and what will he be remembered as?

adspath · Post by **adspath** » 06 Apr 2006, 08:10

Will Arturo Gatti be remembered in the years to come and what will he be remembered as?

Migz · Post by **Migz** » 06 Apr 2006, 08:15

i dont think gatti will be remembered as a great champ but a warrior and a contender and one of the most loved boxers of the era, no matter how many titles he wins he will never be remembered as a great he didnt have the tools to beat top guys from present and the past maybe he beat rueles, ward etc but how can u compare them with class A fighters like Mayweather or ODLH. GOOD BUT NOT GREAT. but remembered for his wars

john2345 · Post by **john2345** » 06 Apr 2006, 09:34

Thanks to ready availablity of DVD and his exposure on TV Gatti will probably be remembered better than many of the great fighters of the 50s and 60s who were marginally below the very top. (say Gypsy Joe Harris, Ralph Tiger Jones, etc etc)

I think Gatti will be remembered as a fighter who produced excitement whenever and wherever he fought. Also as a fighter with tremendous heart and courage who sold our arenas time after time.

What he probably won't be remembered for is a being very capable and smart boxer - which he was and still is. He has a lot more skill than most casual observers realise, because of course what you see and remember are the toe-to-toe battles and the great turnarounds from near defeat (e.g. Ruelas)

Ok, he didn't beat Mayweather or ODLH.... and in that sense maybe he was a bit below the very top class.

I will always have a very personal memory of him - as an inspiration to a close friend of mine to "never to give up, never surrender". My friend - not really a big boxing fan - was very ill, and near death in hospital last year, but at the very lowest point (he told me later) he thought of Gatti (I'd loaned him a copy of the Ward 1 and 2 fights) and said to himself "If he could come through that 9th round then so can I!"

In my opinion, Gatti is a great sportsman, a courageous man, and an inspiration to many. And yes, I'm a fan....

J

rufus payne · Post by **rufus payne** » 06 Apr 2006, 12:20

blood and guts warrior

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 06 Apr 2006, 13:32

Decagon wrote:The white Caveman Lee.

You've got to be kidding, Gatti is miles better than Lee p4p... Lee was really just a fringe contender to was in some good fights Gatti has proved himdelf a world class fighter and has been in a lot of sensationaly fights... most of which he has won... Gatti has also been a top fighter for well over a decade now... no easy thing....

EriqS · Post by **EriqS** » 06 Apr 2006, 19:41

Not an all-time great in terms of skill, Gatti will still probably see the HOF someday due to his overwhelming popularity. If he can win the WBC welterweight title in a couple months that would make him a three division world champ--and that, combined with his huge following and the excitement he brings to the sport will ensure he's remembered for a long time. He's also got a lot of class too.

Expug · Post by **Expug** » 07 Apr 2006, 01:19

Decagon wrote:The white Caveman Lee.

Caveman Lee had limited skills but back many years ago he fought a great fight with a guy by the name of John Locicero. I didnt see the fight but it was supposedly a war. Anyone see this?

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 07 Apr 2006, 09:03

Decagon wrote:Arturo Gatti is a guy who was talented, but because of lackluster effort in the gym and alcoholism, he ended up no more than Caveman Lee.

Crap, Gatti is still going now after about 15 years, Lees career lasted a 3rd of that time... how many big fights did Lee win?... how many world titles?... Gatti has shown far more skills in his fights than lee ever did... they are totally different styles of fighters... have you even seen any of Lee's fights?... or Gattis for that matter?... I doubt it...

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 07 Apr 2006, 09:06

expug wrote:
Decagon wrote:The white Caveman Lee.
Caveman Lee had limited skills but back many years ago he fought a great fight with a guy by the name of John Locicero. I didnt see the fight but it was supposedly a war. Anyone see this?

Lee was an out an out brawler who never had the skills that Gatti has got... I've got several of the CaveMans fights including the Locicero fight and while he was exciting and a big puncher to compare him to Gatti is just a nonsense... look at the world class fighters Gatti has beaten and then try and find as many world class wins on Lee's record!...

adspath · Post by **adspath** » 07 Apr 2006, 11:34

thankyou..Gatti is a great fighter, he also has plenty of talent. he knows the boxing ring and uses it well, look at the way he moves. watch the early rounds against Ward.

Expug · Post by **Expug** » 07 Apr 2006, 14:02

silkov wrote:
expug wrote:
Decagon wrote:The white Caveman Lee.
Caveman Lee had limited skills but back many years ago he fought a great fight with a guy by the name of John Locicero. I didnt see the fight but it was supposedly a war. Anyone see this?
Lee was an out an out brawler who never had the skills that Gatti has got... I've got several of the CaveMans fights including the Locicero fight and while he was exciting and a big puncher to compare him to Gatti is just a nonsense... look at the world class fighters Gatti has beaten and then try and find as many world class wins on Lee's record!...

Years from now fans will remember Gatti as a blood and guts warrior. Ultimately fans remember fighters who were involved in wildly entertaining brawls such as Gatti . He will be regarded highly I think. Also Silkov , was the Lee - Locicero fight the war I heard it was ?

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 07 Apr 2006, 15:20

expug wrote:
silkov wrote:
expug wrote:Caveman Lee had limited skills but back many years ago he fought a great fight with a guy by the name of John Locicero. I didnt see the fight but it was supposedly a war. Anyone see this?
Lee was an out an out brawler who never had the skills that Gatti has got... I've got several of the CaveMans fights including the Locicero fight and while he was exciting and a big puncher to compare him to Gatti is just a nonsense... look at the world class fighters Gatti has beaten and then try and find as many world class wins on Lee's record!...
Years from now fans will remember Gatti as a blood and guts warrior. Ultimately fans remember fighters who were involved in wildly entertaining brawls such as Gatti . He will be regarded highly I think. Also Silkov , was the Lee - Locicero fight the war I heard it was ?

Oh yes, it was a great fight... especially the last round which was voted round of the year for that year ('81 or 82 I think) Lee was also in a war with Frank 'the animal' Fletcher... there was another real blood and guts warrior...
anyone here remember Kelvin Seabrooks??....

warrior · Post by **warrior** » 07 Apr 2006, 15:44

gatti one of the most exciting fighers of all time. he was a great fighter* took real great fighter to be him. will be a three time world champ* that says enough. should make the world boxing hall of fame*

EriqS · Post by **EriqS** » 07 Apr 2006, 17:07

silkov wrote:
expug wrote:
silkov wrote: Lee was an out an out brawler who never had the skills that Gatti has got... I've got several of the CaveMans fights including the Locicero fight and while he was exciting and a big puncher to compare him to Gatti is just a nonsense... look at the world class fighters Gatti has beaten and then try and find as many world class wins on Lee's record!...
Years from now fans will remember Gatti as a blood and guts warrior. Ultimately fans remember fighters who were involved in wildly entertaining brawls such as Gatti . He will be regarded highly I think. Also Silkov , was the Lee - Locicero fight the war I heard it was ?
Oh yes, it was a great fight... especially the last round which was voted round of the year for that year ('81 or 82 I think) Lee was also in a war with Frank 'the animal' Fletcher... there was another real blood and guts warrior...
anyone here remember Kelvin Seabrooks??....

I once met Kelvin Seabrooks at a fight card at Ft. Bragg, NC (if you recall Booker T Word's demolition of Anthony Hembrick, it was that card). He was a nice guy. He had a lot of losses before challenging for the IBF bantamweight title, but a lot of those were due to bad management and taking fights on two or three days notice earlier in his career.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 07 Apr 2006, 20:31

EriqS wrote:
silkov wrote:
expug wrote: Years from now fans will remember Gatti as a blood and guts warrior. Ultimately fans remember fighters who were involved in wildly entertaining brawls such as Gatti . He will be regarded highly I think. Also Silkov , was the Lee - Locicero fight the war I heard it was ?
Oh yes, it was a great fight... especially the last round which was voted round of the year for that year ('81 or 82 I think) Lee was also in a war with Frank 'the animal' Fletcher... there was another real blood and guts warrior...
anyone here remember Kelvin Seabrooks??....
I once met Kelvin Seabrooks at a fight card at Ft. Bragg, NC (if you recall Booker T Word's demolition of Anthony Hembrick, it was that card). He was a nice guy. He had a lot of losses before challenging for the IBF bantamweight title, but a lot of those were due to bad management and taking fights on two or three days notice earlier in his career.

Yeh, if you look at his record he was thrown in with dangerous fighters from the start, including featherweights when he was really a Bantam... he eventually picked up the IBF bantam title and made some great defences before losing it to Orlando Canizales, who was a pretty outstanding boxer... Seabrooks was in some of the best fights I've ever seen, a really gutsy guy, ...reminded me a bit of a small Saad Muhammad.... his fight with Theirry Jacobs was just awesome.... its a shame not many people mention Seabrooks these days...

Expug · Post by **Expug** » 07 Apr 2006, 20:35

A fighters record doesnt always tell the whole story. I remember Seabrooks , it was great when he won a championship.

generic screen name · Post by **generic screen name** » 07 Apr 2006, 22:06

He put on alot of great fights, but his resume says it for itself, everytime he fought the upper echelon of fighters he was destroyed, (eg. Oscar de la Hoya, Floyd Mayweather)

adspath · Post by **adspath** » 08 Apr 2006, 08:09

it's hard to say he will be remembered as a great world champion but somehow i think he will be remembered better than many world champions of his time because of the excitement he has brought to the ring so many times