By Tom Donelson
I sat down to watch a Gatti’s fight and a boxing match broke out. In an effort to lengthen his career and protect what is left of his face, Gatti is now a boxer. Gatti moved and jabbed the first 13 minute of the fight as he peppered Leija with his straight left. Gatti did not miss and he moved with fluidity, a feat rarely associated with the Thunder.
In the fifth round, Gatti caught Jesse James with a perfect placed right hand and sent Leija down for a count of nine. Leija made one last effort as both men frantically exchanged punches. Gatti looked to end it and the warrior came out in him, as he smelled blood. Leija was hoping for lightening to strike but the only lightening that hit was a Gatti left hook. Leija went down and this time, he stayed down.
Provided if Mayweather stays out of jail as he faces the justice system for the various battery charges hanging over him, Gatti potentially has a big money PPV within reach. Mayweather is one of the best pound for pound and right now, it would be difficult to see any 140-pound fighters that would be favored against Mayweather. Gatti is looking for that one big payday and Mayweather is it. Mayweather looks to nab Gatti title, so he can have some negotiating power with the other fighters in this talent rich division.
Gatti fought a out gunned Leija and this fight shows subtle changes in Gatti style but it is not guarantee that Gatti has the tools to beat Mayweather. He has the power but Mayweather has speed and youth on his side. Gatti is an old 32 and as Roy Jones, Jr. noted after the fight that to beat Mayweather that Gatti would have to, “fight the boxer and when Mayweather fights, box.” Gatti has the power to match Mayweather's power but Mayweather may have too many weapons for Gatti. Gatti is close to that one payday that he deserves. Gatti has given more than his fair share to the sport and now it is pay back time. If Mayweather can avoid jail time.
Kassim Ouma is a magician in the ring. He throws volume of punches and looks like a wind up doll as his hands moves with blazing speed. His punches go up and down- body shots followed by punches to the head and back to the body. The kid can do it all. If there was going to be an upset, Kofi Jantuah had the tools to beat Ouma. Jantuah had the power to slow the slick Ouma but this fight showed that Ouma may be the best junior Middleweight, at least the second best following Winky Wright.
Here is what Ouma did. In the first round, he moved and jabbed but Jantuah bullied the smaller Ouma to the rope and unleashed some fierce body shots. In the second round, Ouma changed strategy and smothered Jantuah power by moving within range of Jantuah’s power! Throughout the fight, Jantuah nailed Ouma with some solid shots that would have stopped any other junior Middleweight. Ouma just smiled and kept throwing punches. Jantuah big shots did little to stop Ouma’s momentum and Ouma fast hand proved the difference. Ouma shot quick punches accurately and rarely got much in return. Jantuah is a good fighter but he never seemed in the fight. From the second round on, Jantuah never was able to gain any traction as Ouma dominated the action from close in and on occasion, from afar.
Ouma can shift from Plan A to Plan B. What makes Ouma a champion is his ability to adopt in the ring. With a strong chin and quick hands, he can match most fighters’ punch for punch. I should say, he throws two punches for every one of his opponents. He can fight inside and he can fight from the outside. There isn’t a style that he can’t figure out and beat. The Ugandan showed that he is a star ready to blossom. I can understand why Mosley and De La Hoya decided to resume their welterweight career. Ouma is too slick and both of these fighters would have problems with this slick southpaw.
Ouma is ready to take control of he junior middleweight division. Only Winky Wright remains and a Wright-Ouma fight will just have to wait until Wright business with Trinidad is completed. As for Gatti, he has a chance for a big payday. In a talent rich junior welterweight division, Gatti is part of the elites. And soon, the elites begin to fight one another. Ricky Hatton faces Kostya Tszyu. Tszyu has already eliminated Sharmba Mitchell from the race to the top of division last fall with a three round shellacking. Gatti faces Mayweather and Miguel Cotto faces DeMarcus Corley next month as he continues his campaign for the top spot. Meanwhile, Vivian Harris is the invisible junior Welterweight but his day is coming as well. The Junior Welterweight division is going to provide boxing fans some great moments and hopefully by the end of the year, we will know who is the best junior welterweight. And Gatti’s fists will be heard from.