Tragedy befell boxing again. Arturo Gatti Jr., the teenage son of Canadian martial arts legend Arturo “Thunder” Gatti, has died at the age of just 17. He was found hanged in an apartment in Mexico where he was staying with his mother, Amanda Rodrigues.
For those who loved the name Gatti, this is a blow straight to an aged wound. Sixteen years ago sports lost Arturo Sr. under a cloud of unanswered questions. Now the son he left behind – the boy cradled in his arms on that fateful trip to Brazil – was gone before he could even begin his own life.
The news came to airy when Gatti’s longtime friend and former bodyguard, Chuck Zito, posted on Instagram:
“It is with a hefty heart that I must say this… I AM SACRED to 17-year-old ARTURO GATTI JR., who was found hanging in an apartment in Mexico yesterday. The same way his father was found dead in an apartment in Brazil 16 years ago.”
The family has not yet released an official statement. Mexican authorities have not confirmed further details preliminary reports.
A kid who wanted to fight for his father’s name
Arturo Jr. he grew up in gyms. He has been boxing since he was six years aged, learning the craft the strenuous way – sparring, working in the bag, early mornings. Those close to him say he wanted to honor his father’s name and maybe even go further.
Coach Mo Latif, who has overseen him for years, was reportedly heading to Mexico this week to train with him. Friends say he studied his father’s wars under Micky Ward and interacted with legends such as Mike Tyson. He wasn’t just a kid playing boxing; he was grave.
That dream – to one day step into the ring with the word “Gatti” embroidered on his trunks – ended before it began.
There is still no peace in the Gatti case
The death of Arturo Sr. in 2009 still rankles many in boxing. He was found dead in a Brazilian apartment, bruised and with a ligature mark around his neck. His death was ruled a suicide after authorities released Rodrigues, who was initially arrested.
But friends never accepted it. Pat Lynch, Gatti’s longtime manager, hired investigators and forensic experts who believed the great fighter may have been knocked out and strangled. The Quebec coroner later called the Brazilian investigation so poorly handled that no one could say for sure what happened. The official records refer to “violent death by neck compression”, but the truth seems lost.
Now the boy who had experienced this mystery as an infant was also gone.
Pain behind the gloves
Those who followed Arturo Sr. know what he gave to boxing – blood, stamina and every ounce of heart a fighter could have. Fans still talk about the Micky Ward wars like they happened yesterday.
This loss is deeper because Gatti Jr. he tried to forge his own path, bearing a name burdened with glory and sadness. For the Gatti family and those in the boxing community who knew the kid, it’s just another funeral where there should have been a fight.
Funeral details have not been announced yet. For now, all anyone can do is send their condolences to the family who have given so much to this sport.
Amy Kaplan has been a boxing fan since she was 10, which means she’s spent most of her life explaining to people that, yes, she actually prefers fight nights to dinner. Now he writes for Boxing News 24 and covers everything from world title fights to prospects eyeing a payday. He combines piercing analysis with sarcasm, calling out boxing politics and cutting through the noise of press releases to bring fans the stories that really matter.
The final decision may come after the Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao rematch drama ends.
Earlier this year, it was announced that Mayweather and Pacquiao were set to fight professionally more than 10 years after their first meeting, with the event streaming live on Netflix and taking place on September 19 at The Sphere in Las Vegas.
In recent weeks the duel was in doubt, after Mayweather stated that the fight would instead be an exhibition, while Pacquiao continues to insist that it must be a fully sanctioned fight.
Since it is currently unknown whether this will actually come to fruition, this has probably given the clearest signal that this will no longer happen.
Conversation with FightHypepromoter Eddie Hearn said he thinks Netflix can now focus on the WBC welterweight title fight between Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn, essentially replacing the Mayweather-Pacquiao event.
“It’s all a mess. I’m surprised Netflix got into this whole circus… Netflix is modern to boxing, but they need to be a little more solid in the routine because you can’t actually call the fight and it just falls by the wayside and it just doesn’t look great.”
“NO [I don’t believe it will happen]not now. Netflix is only going to do so many fights and the Benn-Garcia fight is now said to be on September 12 or whenever that happens, so obviously this is the fight to replace Mayweather-Pacquiao.
“If it happened Mayweather-Pacquiao, they are committed to that fight, but if it doesn’t happen they will want another fight and from the sound of it it will be Garcia vs. Benn.”
The world title fight between Garcia and Benn has been widely discussed this month, and if Hearn is right, it could spell the end of any hopes of Mayweather and Pacquiao fighting again.
“I think my size and youth should be a gigantic advantage. It gives me an even better chance to win,” Nakatani told The Ring.
Inoue’s reluctance to make the jump to 126 pounds at featherweight may be the most truthful admission of his physical limitations.
Inoue has fought fighters who hydrated to be hefty, but Nakatani is elevated. At 5’7″ or 5’8″, he has the skeletal leverage of a natural featherweight or super featherweight.
Most of Inoue’s opponents end up with confined time as they have to rush to hit him. Nakatani can theoretically sit outside and throw a punch without putting his chin in the red zone.
The numbers support this belief on paper. Nakatani will enter with a three-inch height advantage, a slight reach advantage and a five-year age difference. He also has natural size from climbing three weight classes, which he plans to exploit for the full distance rather than chasing an early finish.
“This fight will 100% be a war and I think I will win by decision once I overcome everything Inoue throws at me,” Nakatani said.
In his December victory over Sebastian Hernandez, Nakatani was forced into a fierce fight in which both men landed heavily, taking 273 punches in a back-and-forth fight that went the distance. He showed toughness, but also suggested he could get hit when exchanges open up.
It’s not that Inoue is afraid of fighting a bigger opponent, but more that he is a perfectionist who knows that when you lose your physical advantage, you have to rely completely on your endurance. Nakatani is the first fighter in a long time who can actually make Inoue look petite in the ring.
Mexican boxing legend Erik Morales, who is the same age as Floyd Mayweather, presented his version of the 49-year-old’s expected rematch with Manny Pacquiao.
The two pound-for-pound icons will face off in a professional competition on September 19, headlining the Netflix event at The Sphere in Las Vegas.
However, their second meeting seemed to be in jeopardy after Mayweather stated last month that it would be an exhibition match.
Pacquiao and his team have since stated that it will be a fully sanctioned fight, but we are still waiting for an official announcement.
Their first meeting took place in 2015 and earned Mayweather a unanimous decision victory in an event that quickly became known as the most lucrative boxing event of all time.
But now the 47-year-old hopes to break Mayweather’s 50-0 record after ending his nearly four-year hiatus from professional boxing last July.
But while the Filipino drew with Mario Barrios, the then-WBC welterweight champion, many suggested he and Mayweather shouldn’t be entering the ring at this stage of their lives.
One of them is Morales, who fought Pacquiao three times, winning the first meeting but losing the next two. He told Fight Hub TV that the rematch would be won by the Hall of Famer who turned down the fight the least.
“We’re not at the age to get into fights. But hey, it’ll be intriguing. Whoever arrives the least injured and a little faster, [will win]”
Erik Morales Predicts Mayweather vs Pacquiao 2‼️‼️
“We’re not at the age to get into fights… This will be intriguing. Whoever wins must come to fight less hurt and a little faster!” – Erik Morales
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