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March 1997 when interviewing Floyd Mayweather Jr., Ring Magazine asked him what he was going to do before he got his first world title fight. He replied, beat the likes of Arturo Gatti, Genaro Hernandez and Azumah Nelson. He also added it would take 16 fights for him to become world champ. Mayweather was only off by 1 fight as he beat Gernaro Hernandez October 3rd,1998 by way of TKO in the 8th. The other men he listed in Arturo Gatti and Azumah Nelson were next on his list. The once great Nelson retired before ever facing Floyd Jr. and Thunder Gatti had just lost all three of his fights in 1998. Two of them to un accomplished "Mighty" Ivan Robinson and one two fellow Italian Angel Manfredy. These three losses took the Gatti vs Mayweather fight off the table, labeling Gatti as a journeyman fighter who had nothing left in his career.
Fast foward past the beating taken from Oscar De La Hoya and the first war with Micky Ward, Gatti was on a fast track to nothing. Then came former boxing champion and now trainer Buddy McGirt. Buddy took Gatti and made him back to top form many people would say but look closer into the fights that he had with Buddy McGirt. The two wins of Micky Ward (nothing more then a journeyman brawler, looking to make some extra money) where both wins for Gatti. Gatti then moved on to former Italian champion Gianluca Branco. These two were fighting for a vacated title that had been stripped of Kostya Tyszu. Branco considered a good italian fighter was dismantled by Gatti in a UD. Branco was never really anything more than a euro champ with lack luster ring skills. Say what you want but the WBC wanted a warrior/brawler who exicted the fans to be their new champion. Thats why the set Gatti up with a half ass fighter in Branco. To give Gatti a legacy they set him up with Lenoard Dorin. Another euro fighter. Undefeated with no one under his belt and a draw to Spadafora. People use that draw to claim his greatness but majority of boxing writers believe that The Pittsburg kid was a mafia tool to get back into boxing who had a very padded record. Next on task for Gatti was Jesse James Leija. A good fighter sure whos only big wins came over Azumah Nelson. Jesee out boxed a prospect and bareley held onto a Split Decsion in order to fight Gatti. He was 38 years old and way over due to be knocked out by any fighter at 140. This is what comes in to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. June 25th.
Floyd Mayweather Jr after his title victory over Hernandez went on to fight Angel Manfredy stopping him in 2 rounds. The same man who beat Gatti only a few months earlier. Time and time again Floyd has proved that he is truly great and still gets lack of popularity from the everyday boxing fan.His wins over Diego Corrales, Jose Luis Castillo twice,Carlos Hernandez,Jesus Chavez, Phillip N'Dou,and Chop Chop Corley have all been shown to us but it still remains that only true boxing fans agree how much talent he has and how great he really is. He's been compared to a prime Roy Jones Jr and the most skilled boxer overall since the days of the 80's middleweights and Muhammed Ali. Perfectly said by Emamuel Steward and Roy Jones Jr, "The only person that can beat Floyd is Floyd". With all of his past legal troubles, and the distracton of his dad training Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd has over came a lot. He will truly show the world on June 25th (his first PPV headliner) how great he really is.
People say that Floyd is going to loose because he runs his mouth and is going to take Gatti lightly. Getting paid 3.1 million plus bonuses from the selling of the ppv makes you not only run your mouth to help get the tickets sold out on the first day but also to get people to buy the ppv. Floyd has used Gatti not to be a tough fight but to help him become a superstar to the public. He is going to run through Gatti and move on to bigger paydays and even bigger fights. Hes all buisness when he steps in that ring and will prove it to the world watching.
"I'm going to beat him, I'm going to talk to him while I beat him, I'm going to talk to the reporters and announcers while I beat him, and in between rounds, I want to borrow his cell phone so I can talk to a real live Arturo Gatti fan while I beat him."-Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Come June 25th, this truly is the last day we will see Arturo "Thunder" Gatti.
Fast foward past the beating taken from Oscar De La Hoya and the first war with Micky Ward, Gatti was on a fast track to nothing. Then came former boxing champion and now trainer Buddy McGirt. Buddy took Gatti and made him back to top form many people would say but look closer into the fights that he had with Buddy McGirt. The two wins of Micky Ward (nothing more then a journeyman brawler, looking to make some extra money) where both wins for Gatti. Gatti then moved on to former Italian champion Gianluca Branco. These two were fighting for a vacated title that had been stripped of Kostya Tyszu. Branco considered a good italian fighter was dismantled by Gatti in a UD. Branco was never really anything more than a euro champ with lack luster ring skills. Say what you want but the WBC wanted a warrior/brawler who exicted the fans to be their new champion. Thats why the set Gatti up with a half ass fighter in Branco. To give Gatti a legacy they set him up with Lenoard Dorin. Another euro fighter. Undefeated with no one under his belt and a draw to Spadafora. People use that draw to claim his greatness but majority of boxing writers believe that The Pittsburg kid was a mafia tool to get back into boxing who had a very padded record. Next on task for Gatti was Jesse James Leija. A good fighter sure whos only big wins came over Azumah Nelson. Jesee out boxed a prospect and bareley held onto a Split Decsion in order to fight Gatti. He was 38 years old and way over due to be knocked out by any fighter at 140. This is what comes in to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. June 25th.
Floyd Mayweather Jr after his title victory over Hernandez went on to fight Angel Manfredy stopping him in 2 rounds. The same man who beat Gatti only a few months earlier. Time and time again Floyd has proved that he is truly great and still gets lack of popularity from the everyday boxing fan.His wins over Diego Corrales, Jose Luis Castillo twice,Carlos Hernandez,Jesus Chavez, Phillip N'Dou,and Chop Chop Corley have all been shown to us but it still remains that only true boxing fans agree how much talent he has and how great he really is. He's been compared to a prime Roy Jones Jr and the most skilled boxer overall since the days of the 80's middleweights and Muhammed Ali. Perfectly said by Emamuel Steward and Roy Jones Jr, "The only person that can beat Floyd is Floyd". With all of his past legal troubles, and the distracton of his dad training Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd has over came a lot. He will truly show the world on June 25th (his first PPV headliner) how great he really is.
People say that Floyd is going to loose because he runs his mouth and is going to take Gatti lightly. Getting paid 3.1 million plus bonuses from the selling of the ppv makes you not only run your mouth to help get the tickets sold out on the first day but also to get people to buy the ppv. Floyd has used Gatti not to be a tough fight but to help him become a superstar to the public. He is going to run through Gatti and move on to bigger paydays and even bigger fights. Hes all buisness when he steps in that ring and will prove it to the world watching.
"I'm going to beat him, I'm going to talk to him while I beat him, I'm going to talk to the reporters and announcers while I beat him, and in between rounds, I want to borrow his cell phone so I can talk to a real live Arturo Gatti fan while I beat him."-Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Come June 25th, this truly is the last day we will see Arturo "Thunder" Gatti.
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