Gatti will forever be known by his trilogy of fights with Micky Ward earlier this decade which were three of the best bouts the sport will ever produce. Gatti broke his hand in the rubber match in the 4th round and still won a unanimous decision.
He was in the Ring Magazine Fight of the Year an astounding 4 times and was a two-time champion. It's too bad that boxing has been in decline the last 15 years because people like Gatti don't come along very often. The few folks that still follow boxing with a passion all knew Gatti and would never miss one of his fights. No one could put on a show quite like the man they called "Thunder" as evidenced by the persistent packed houses on the boardwalk in Atlantic City. Win or lose, Gatti gave you his entire heart and soul, and gave you your money's worth.
With the humiliating display of Brock Lesnar post-fight last night, it should make sports fans appreciate a man like Gatti more. Instead of flipping off the crowd and cursing out his opponent (which should really help MMA become mainstream), Gatti always treated the sport with respect and was loved by all boxing fans. It's a shame that he's gone, and a shame that boxing's decline coincided with his amazing career.
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