More Deserving of a Hall of Fame Nod: Gatti or Johnson?

Arturo Gatti is the consummate "blood and guts" warrior of our era. The guy has been involved in as many wars as any other fighter I can think of. Along they way he managed to become a pretty good fighter as well, with a style that evolved several times. Career highlights: 40 (31) - 9 - 0 Record IBF Super Featherweight Champion WBC Light Welterweight Champion Wins over Jesse James Leija, Gabriel Ruelas, Tracy Harris Patterson Participated in Ring Magazine Fight of the Year 4 times Forgive me if I missed anything. Gatti could brawl and box pretty well. He had a ton of heart, a solid chin and a good left hand which could take his opponents out in an instant. Gatti left everything he had in the ring and was somewhat of an overachiever as a result. He was never in a boring fight. His signature performances against Gabriel Ruelas, Wilson Rodriguez and Micky Ward show what he's all about. _______________________________________________________ Mark Johnson is a fighter who has gotten significantly less press than Arturo Gatti because of his smaller stature and the fans disinterest with the smaller weights. This is unfortunate because Johnson was an excellent fighter. "Too Sharp" was a fitting nickname because his sharp punches were often too much for his opponents. Career highlights: 44 (28) - 5 - 0 (1NC) IBF Flyweight Champion 2 Time Super Flyweight Champion (IBF and WBO) Wins over Vorapin, Fernando Montiel and Jorge Lacierva First black fighter to capture Flyweight and Super Flyweight titles (I believe) Johnson was a pretty complete boxer. Two handed power, good jab, defense, ability to punch in combination, etc. He was pretty much always the smaller man in his fights, but that didn't stop him from accomplishing his goals. After a couple of disputed point deductions cost him his first fight with Rafael Marquez, he was stopped by Marquez in their second bout. In a remarkable comeback, after a year layoff, he came back and defeated a younger, stronger champion in Fernando Montiel. _______________________________________________________ So after all of that, who do you think is more deserving of a spot in the Hall of Fame. Let's say there was only one spot left, who should get in? Discuss.

Comments (20)

I would have to say Gatti.. He was never ina boring fight.. I loved watching hit fight and so did millions of others.. Fuck all the haters, and I can careless of what Dios has to say about it..

17y ago

Scott9945

Nothing changes basic facts. FACT: Mark Johnson was a better fighter than Arturo Gatti. He was on a higher Tier. And anyone who doubts that has absolutely no idea about what they are talking about. It isn't even close. Gatti is no hall of famer.

17y ago

MANGLER

I'm a fan of both fighters but neither is a HOFer. Who's closer? I guess Gatti, just cuz he's more known like anotha poster said.

17y ago

Slotff

Between Montiel, Mijares, Darchinyan, Navarro, Arce, Moreno and Maldonado you have your own little Leonard, Duran, Hagler, Hearns, Benitez, Roldan thing going on. By that I mean, SERIOUS potential for good fights.

17y ago

oldgringo

Gatti is more deserving. Who gives a shit about flyweights? Who cares about Jimmy Wilde, Fidel LaBarba, Pascual Perez, Ricardo Lopez, Pancho Villa and other fine, smaller Hall of Fame boxers like that. Who cares about Carbajal and Gonzalez....not like that first fight was good anyway. Who gives a shit about Miguel Canto. Who gives a fuck about current flyweights like Christian Mijares or Nonito Donaire. For all of his talent, who cares about Ivan Calderon. Was it really necessary to respond to the thread if you were going to say some bullshit like "Who gives a shit about flyweights"? "Gatti is more deserving", would have sufficed.

17y ago

WLAD_OWNS

Dude. Wlad weighs less than the last girl you fucked. ....and how do you even remember that long ago? She was 5,5 around 120-125 lbs....A slut I had a one night stand with 2 weeks ago after a drunkin night at the bar.

17y ago

Run8964

Whatever....I just don't like watching men fight that weigh less than the last girl I fucked. So you don't like watching Marquez/Vasquez? Because unless you only fuck anorexic bitches.........I could see how that analogy works. Never pay again for live sex! | Hot girls doing naughty stuff for free! | Chat for free!

17y ago

Run8964

And some seriously entertaining fights: I was going to add, lol. I mean the lower weights have all you want. There are guys with pure boxing skill (Mijares), Brawlers and crowd pleasers like Arce and Darchinyan, and boxer puncher technicians like Noniare. Never pay again for live sex! | Hot girls doing naughty stuff for free! | Chat for free!

17y ago

WLAD_OWNS

So.........Gatti is like a giant or what? lol he's 5'7. Also there's no way I can take anything you're typing seriously when you're clearly establishing that you're biased towards the upper weights. Namely your fascination with White fighters and more specifically the Pavlik's, Calzaghe's, Kesslers, Klitschkos of this World. That's fine. But when you let that specific bias affect your vote.........it taints the poll and anyone who would be trying to make a conscious decision based on learning from general majority.........would have a hard time not being negatively influenced by that. Whatever....I just don't like watching men fight that weigh less than the last girl I fucked.

17y ago

Run8964

Well they should create a seperate section on the forum for the midget fighters...I cant take those little fucks seriously. So.........Gatti is like a giant or what? lol he's 5'7. Also there's no way I can take anything you're typing seriously when you're clearly establishing that you're biased towards the upper weights. Namely your fascination with White fighters and more specifically the Pavlik's, Calzaghe's, Kesslers, Klitschkos of this World. That's fine. But when you let that specific bias affect your vote.........it taints the poll and anyone who would be trying to make a conscious decision based on learning from general majority.........would have a hard time not being negatively influenced by that. Never pay again for live sex! | Hot girls doing naughty stuff for free! | Chat for free!

17y ago

Slotff

Well they should create a seperate section on the forum for the midget fighters...I cant take those little fucks seriously. Then you are missing out on some of the greatest fighters today.

17y ago

WLAD_OWNS

This is a fucking boxing forum. lol. Well they should create a seperate section on the forum for the midget fighters...I cant take those little fucks seriously.

17y ago

Run8964

Who gives a shit about flyweights? This is a fucking boxing forum. lol. Never pay again for live sex! | Hot girls doing naughty stuff for free! | Chat for free!

17y ago

WLAD_OWNS

Gatti is more deserving. Who gives a shit about flyweights?

17y ago

Run8964

Nothing changes basic facts. FACT: Mark Johnson was a better fighter than Arturo Gatti. He was on a higher Tier. Never pay again for live sex! | Hot girls doing naughty stuff for free! | Chat for free!

17y ago

Slotff

But those things are not measures of greatness or achievement. That is the equivalent of putting Lenny Dykstra in the Baseball HoF. I don't know shit all about baseball, so I can't comment here :P. But again, I was stating my reasons as to why Gatti deserves a place over Johnson. I never said he deserves to be in the HOF, but I think that he accomplished more than Johnson. Johnson lost most of the big ones (apart from Montiel), and Gatti did too, but still, Gatti was more known to the public and was a sensational fighter to watch. To Johnson's credit, didn't he hold the IBF title forever?

17y ago

Silencers

I think Johnson was the better fighter but Gatti was by far the more popular, not sure if either will be inducted.

17y ago

Del_Coqui

I dont see neither one making HOF, if they do, then those guys should check their standards.

17y ago

actionjackson

Gatti by far. Ultimate blood and guts WARIOR.

17y ago

Slotff

Mickey Ward was in 3 FOTYs....are you putting him in the Hall also? No I am not, you are ignoring many things there that Gatti did that Ward did not. Besides, I never said that Gatti was HOF worthy, simply that he did more than Mark Johnson. EDIT: Didn't he win that second title against Branco?

17y ago