BoxRec

So Gatti stopped Lleija in the fifth round with a left hook, Lleija was dropped earlier in the same round by a jab and was game as expected but Gatti did the job. I expected this outcome, after Lleija's match with Tszyu i was wondering what he had left and the Bojado win pushed him back into the frame a little but i think Bojado's own laziness was possibly as much to blame. Still good job by Gatti who Boxed more for the first few rounds before the stoppage and it pushes him closer to that showdown in the summer with Floyd Mayweather Jnr.

On the undercard it sounds like Jantuah tried to blast away Kassim Ouma who weathered the storm and put in a classy Boxing display to take a unanimous decision...no doubt we will get only highlights of this fight next friday Ouma is now certainly a force to be reckoned with at Light Middleweight though.

I'm not sure what this Gatti win over Leija actually proves. Leija is a tough, skilled and game fighters but is at the end of a long hard career. Gatti is also I feel the naturally bigger man.

However is does of course set up the mouthwatering fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr in the summer. This of course will in part depend on Mayweathers current legal problems being sorted out. I understand that Mayweather failed to show up in courst last week, not a good sign.

I would love to see Leijla have one last go at Lightweight, I still believe he could win a world title there. Unless he's gone old overnight he is still quality.

Apparently Gatti will fight again at last nights venue on June 11 2005.

But will Mayweather Jr be in the opposite corner?????????

Mayweather is a pratt...all the talent in the world and the potential to go on to superstardom and he is busy hitting people in bar fights and acting like a fool. He could really become the established P4P No. 1 and more if he just sorted his life out, at this rate he will end up in jail thinking about what might have been.

Gatti fighting Leija for the WBC title is a farce.

We give Hatton enough stick on this site, Hatton (and Warren) would get slaughtered by us if he fought Leija now, in fact Leija looked a likely opponent for Ricky on several occasions and there was generally a poor view of it on here.

And this was for the WBC title too! Gatti is seriously over-rated guys, I honestly fancy that Hatton would handle him relatively easily.

I don't know if I'd call that overhand right a jab, Steve!! Leija's head nearly did an Exorcist impression. I thought it was over the way he was put flat on his back for nine and three quarter seconds. The left hook to the temple that finished it was good too, but he was really gone after that first knockdown.

Gatti's jab was really nice, reminiscent of Mayweather's performance last weekend. His uppercuts were good too. Mayweather, apparently, was meant to turn up to the fight last night to begin the promotion for a fight in the summer with Arturo, but never turned up. He was due in court also yesterday, again, he didn't turn up. Probably still out on the piss in Miami.

I agree Goz, that Gatti might be a winnable fight for Hatton. Imagine the blood though, if they both got cut.

Goz wrote:Gatti fighting Leija for the WBC title is a farce.

We give Hatton enough stick on this site, Hatton (and Warren) would get slaughtered by us if he fought Leija now, in fact Leija looked a likely opponent for Ricky on several occasions and there was generally a poor view of it on here.

And this was for the WBC title too! Gatti is seriously over-rated guys, I honestly fancy that Hatton would handle him relatively easily.

No, No, No. Disagree with this big style. If Leija had been announced as a Hatton opponent I would have been very happy. He beat Bojado fair and square, he was also giving Tszyu some problems untill injury hampered him - sure I don't think he would have won, but it still showed he was up there.

However, the fact he beat Bojado made him worthy - has Hatton or Witter have a good a win as that on their resume.

Name me 5 non world champions (and I don't count Hatton as a champion) who were more deserving as Leija.

Lovemore N'dou - Has 7 defeat on his resume, everytime he steps up he loses. - so NO

Junior Witter - Good fighter, but hasn't had any significant wins. - so NO

Ricky Hatton - Yes, more worthy.

Demarcus Corely - Its debatable on this one - possibly, but two major defeats in the last year. I would say no, is getting a shot.

Shamba Mitchell - Yes, but I don't think Shamba wanted this one now.

Oktay Urkal - Yes, but retired.

Then you are going to the Michael Stewart level.

Leija is more worthy a challenger than Randall Bailey was to Miguel Cotto, yet there were no complaints there. Just because he is 38 doesn't necessarily mean he is done, infact he put in quite possibly a career best performance last time.

Bennie made a thread year after the Bojado win saying Gatti should give Leija a shot, most people said it was good opponent - now because Gatti wins impressively its "Oh, this match was a farce".

Fair enough Stu, good post. I still think most would have slated Leija as a Hatton opponent.

Also I'm not saying Leija was a bad opponent retrospectively, I did make a similar post when the fight was announced a couple of months back.

I just feel it was the kind of defence we would normally have a pop at Hatton for, aging vetran type of fighter, on the way down, wainng ambition etc....

Fair enough Stu, good post. I still think most would have slated Leija as a Hatton opponent.

Also I'm not saying Leija was a bad opponent retrospectively, I did make a similar post when the fight was announced a couple of months back.

I just feel it was the kind of defence we would normally have a pop at Hatton for, aging vetran type of fighter, on the way down, wainng ambition etc....

Goz wrote:.

I just feel it was the kind of defence we would normally have a pop at Hatton for, aging vetran type of fighter, on the way down, wainng ambition etc....

Quite possible if it wasn't for the Bojado win. You could still argue that Bojado was/is overated, but was the maner of the win that showed Leija had ambition, skill and still something to offer. He could have quite quit in that one and just taken the money.

Sorry if I went OTT with my post, it just seems now fashionable to criticise good fighter who I think compared to others ARE fighting well and fighting good opponents and because they win well against lower top ten opposition it means they are somehow protected and won't stand a chance against the bigger names.

Gatti and Johnny Tapia (a few years ago) are probably the two who have recieved the most unjust criticism in my opinion.

When Gatti beat Ward, the critics scorn and say Ward was never a top ten fighter, in my opinion he clearly was - whilst he would lose in the big ones the manner and closeness of his defeats meant he was a top ten. Oktay Urkal and Lovemore N'dou never won a big one, where they never top ten?

Dorrin was an undefeated Lightweight champion who should have had the verdict vs Sparaforda - when Gatti anhilated him - "oh, an aging Lightweight - never stood a chance".

Now its the same with Leija.

Johnny Tapia also recieves this criticism - people now jump on Danny Romero's post Tapia career, yes I can see the point. However, before the Tapia fight he was in many peoples P4P lists and was wiping the floor with ex champions and top tenners. He was a huge favourite to win, I can't remember any article going for Tapia. When he loses, its "Oh, Romero is an overated one dimensional fighter, take his punch and he's beaten". Perhaps, the fact that Tapia schooled him might have been the reason for his down fall (Naseem Hamed anyone?).

In my opinion, Johnny Tapia championship career resembles Oscar De La Hoya - often goes for the easy champion to win the belt but always eventually goes for the big boys. Yet, I've heard him being called protected.

Not saying you say this Goz, just other folks - it does frustrate me. Some fighters are worthy of criticism, but I don't think Gatti and Tapia are.

stujones wrote:I would love to see Leijla have one last go at Lightweight, I still believe he could win a world title there. Unless he's gone old overnight he is still quality.

I think seven world title shots is more than enough Stu.
I really don't want to see him dragged out anymore.

I'd make Gatti favourite over Hatton. Too much top level experience and all round ability. I don't like the assumption that Ricky has somehow overtaken Arturo without actually beating anyone.

MightyWarrior wrote:

stujones wrote:I would love to see Leijla have one last go at Lightweight, I still believe he could win a world title there. Unless he's gone old overnight he is still quality.

I think seven world title shots is more than enough Stu.
I really don't want to see him dragged out anymore.

I think Leija vs Castillo would be a quality match - Castillo wouldn't have that strength advantage like he had over Casamayor.

I would have also liked to have seen Leija vs Julio (not Juan) Diaz. Juan Diaz is blomming impressive and I think could rival Cotto in the P4P stakes in a few years time.

Sugar Shane Mosley destroyed Leija about 8-9 years ago (96 or 97) and they were saying James was finished then, sdo now he must have been nothing more than a decent loser.

You only had to watch Leija's winning performance against Bojado to know that he was far from finished.

Manos de Oro wrote:I don't know if I'd call that overhand right a jab, Steve!!

It said a jab on Secondsout or Boxing Central can't remember which so i was misinformed I haven't seen the fight myself so i was making the topic up blind 8)