Posted: 25 Mar 2007, 08:44
The thing about Gatti is he just does the wrong things in the ring and at his age hes getting worse rather than better. Throwing the wrong shots, leaving his face there easy to tag, slow shots, trying to be a slick boxer against Mayweather.stujones wrote:I think Gatti is fading for sure, but I do think Silkov etc might be writing him off vs all world class fighters maybe a little soon.
Up untill 3 fights ago no-one was calling Gatti shot. He then loses to Floyd Mayweather, gets anhilated but then so would a lot of fighters. He then does okay (not great but okay) beating up reliable Thomas Dammgaard. He then loses a brave effort vs Baldomir, in a fight in which I think (even if I am alone) he showed at times he had the the beating of him.
However, even if you think Baldomir will beat him 10 times out of 10 - the fact is Gatti is in a bit of a quandry as far as his career is concerned. He says he cannot make 10 stone, but he is a very small 10 stone 7. He'd probably be best suited for a 10 stone 3/10 stone 4 weight class. He was significantly out sized vs Baldomir, and would be vs the likes of Margarito etc. However, that doesn't mean he still will not be competitive against smaller guys without the skills of Mayweather - and RICKY falls into that category.
For me, Hatton vs Gatti was an exciting pick em fight back in 2005 - not really that much to suggest anything else in 2007 - although admittedly the pendulum is swinging Hatton's way with each month.
I do think Gatti probably needs an win before the match could be seriously considered - but if say Gatti beats Ndou at Welter - then why not Hatton vs Gatti at 147 after Castillo.
Talk of Gatti been shot I think is exagerated because he had all these faults throughout his career and Manfredy and Robinson exposed these faults. His weight advantage from 130-140 let him get away with these faults against many but at 147 he would never get away with this stuff. And he has got some very good wins on his CV pre-Mayweather
I think Baldomir is a very underated fighter so a loss against him where Gatti picked up the early rounds isn't too bad. Would a prime Gatti have beaten that Baldomir anyway? Quite probably not - tight defense, iron jaw, fast compact coutners and been bigger just gives the balance to Baldomir every time.
NOW where Gatti has deteriated is McGirt has tried to make him jab and move and be slick. GATTI is NOT NOT NOT a boxer. Against Ward who cant box himself a good strategy, against Mayweather a horrible strategy. Gattis just not a confident fighter or a natural thinking fighter and the fact he asked Hatton the day of the fight 'how do you think I should approach the fight' shows his ring brain isn't very good.
All these beatings must be giving Gatti brain damage and with his defense I do cringe when I think of him been in with a top dog because he'll get hurt again. Thats why most are calling him shot, his neurons must be aging fast.
If Gatti is going to continue boxing and contemplate fighting the likes of R Hatton/Cotto/ he first needs to beat a top10 name such as Ndou, Corrales (crossroads fight), Kotelnik, Clottey,
Frankly speaking I think all those names beat him and stop him, he'll fight Hattons brother probably win and should try to make a fight with Corrales, which will at least be some what of a superfight war he has a punchers chance in.