Arturo Gatti poses during a photo shoot at the World Boxing and Fitness Center in Jersey City, New Jersey on August 9, 2006.Photograph by: Al Bello, Getty ImagesThe man who may have been Quebec’s most exciting boxer was mourned by friends Saturday as a legend, and they said his sudden and suspicious death in Brazil was a true shocker.
Former boxing champion Arturo (Thunder) Gatti, 37, was found dead and bloodied in a room in the posh seaside resort of Porto de Galihnas early Saturday.
Gatti, who is boxer Dave Hilton’s former brother-in-law, had arrived there on Friday on a second honeymoon with his Brazilian wife Amanda Carine Rodrigues, and their 10-month-old son, Arturo Jr.
Gatti retired in 2007 with a career record of 40-9 and 31 knockouts. His epic trilogy of bouts with Micky Ward branded him as one of the most exciting fighters of his generation, boxing observers said.
Brazilian police investigator Edilson Alves told reporters that police were investigating how the former junior welterweight champ died.
Media reports said he was found with wounds to his upper body.
Jeremy Filosa, a close Montreal friend of Gatti, told The Gazette that Brazilian police were questioning Rodrigues Saturday.
Gatti had been expected in Florida for the wedding Saturday of his sister Anna-Maria, Filosa said. Anna-Maria is Dave Hilton’s ex-wife.
The dead boxer’s mother wanted to fly to Brazil but could not because she did not have a passport, Filosa added. The family was scrambling late Saturday to get a member of the family to Brazil.
Gatti, who had recently moved back from the United States to Montreal North and owned two condominium buildings there, was known for his perseverance.
“When he would go down he would come back up,” Filosa, 34, said. “That’s what made him so exciting. That’s why he was called Thunder.”
Filosa, a sports reporter for CKAC radio, said Gatti’s aggressive style made him the most-crowned boxer from Quebec.
Gatti was born in Italy but moved to Montreal with his family as a young boy, Filosa said. His energy in the ring was electrifying to spectators, he added.
“He had no defence. He never fought with his arms up,” Filosa said. “He was too busy giving or taking punches.”
Ian Clyde, a former Canadian Olympic boxing team member who first met Gatti as a teenager, said Gatti was “a crowd-pleaser with a powerful left hook and he just didn’t quit. His style was kind of like Rocky (Balboa) of the Rocky films. ”
Many of his wins were knock-outs, Clyde, 53, noted.
Growing up in Montreal North, Gatti was cool-headed and very popular, his second cousin, Monica Gatti, 32, said.
“I remember people wanted to know me because he was in my family, “ she said. “He was good-looking and all the girls wanted to meet him.”
Filosa said he and three other close friends of Gatti got together yesterday to regroup and talk about Gatti’s death.
“We’re stunned. We were worried about him since he left boxing. He seemed to have a tough time adjusting to life” in retirement.
This spring, Rodrigues called 911 to say that Gatti hit her. He was charged with assault, but failed to appear in court. When he appeared April 17, he was released on bail and was ordered to stay 200 metres from Rodrigues, abstain from alcohol and have no weapons.
Kathy Duva of promoter Main Events said of Gatti: “His entire boxing career, he fought with us. We’ve known him since he was 17. It’s just an unspeakable tragedy. I can’t even find words. It’s a horror.”
Gatti defended his title three times before moving up in weight and getting stopped by Angel Manfredy in 1997. He lost twice more before running off four straight wins, setting up a big payday against Oscar De La Hoya.
Although Gatti was knocked out in the fifth round of a lopsided fight, his almost cult-like following never wavered in its support.
“He just captured the imagination of so many people,” Duva said. “We used to joke it was a crowd like the Grateful Dead’s, it was the same people every time.”
With his straightforward punching and granite-like chin, Gatti captured the junior welterweight title in 1995, when he defeated Tracy Harris Patterson in Atlantic City, N.J. His brawling style and natural charisma made him a fan favorite, and he became one of New Jersey’s adopted sons while fighting some of his most memorable battles on the Boardwalk.
“I never saw a crowd show so much love for someone like the way that the crowds flocked to Arturo’s fights in Atlantic City,” said referee Randy Neumann, who officiated Gatti’s last fight against Alfonso Gomez two years ago.
Sports Ticker contributed to this report
mharrold@thegazette.canwest.com
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