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In March of 2001, Arturo "Thunder" Gatti was thoroughly smashed by Oscar De La Hoya. Following that one-sided massacre, most boxing experts wrote of Gatti forever as a competitive entity, relegated to the role of entertaining club fighter.
After a 10 month lay-off following the De La Hoya debacle, Gatti reemerged with new trainer James "Buddy" McGirt and looked rejuvenated as he employed a more technical style in dismantling Terron Millett in 4 rounds.
Following a sensational trilogy with Micky Ward, he picked up the vacated WBC 140 Lb. title against Gianluca Branco and successfully defended it twice against limited opposition.
But this past June, he faced off against undefeated 2 division titlist Floyd Mayweather Jr., and after 6 rounds of one-sided action, Buddy McGirt threw in the towel. That fight left many wondering if Gatti was ever really rejuvenated, or if he was simply expertly matched.
Fernando Vargas was once considered boxing's next great prodigy. Out of the 1996 Olympics, he won his first title in 1998 after forcing Yory Boy Campas to quit on his stool following the 7th round. He successfully defended the 154 Lb. title 5 times before signing to face Puerto Rico's Felix Trinidad in December of 2000 in a unification bout.
After being floored twice in the opening round, "El Feroz" showed his guts and determination in surviving the early storm, dropping "Tito" in the 4th, and controlling the fight for several rounds until "Tito's" power overwhelmed Vargas in the 12th round.
After picking up a vacant title belt, he signed for another unification megafight, this one against American idol and bitter rival Oscar De La Hoya. After remaining competitive for most of the fight, De La Hoya's superior technique and durability was simply too much for Vargas as he was stopped in the 11th round.
After months of inactivity due to a back injury and positive steroids test, Vargas came back against Raymond Joval, and employed a more technical and calculating boxing style, attempting to be more defensive and not leave himself open as much as he had in the past.
But after seeing the failed experiment that Gatti attempted, is Vargas heading down the same path? Have the 2 brutal losses to Trinidad and De La Hoya taken too great a toll on Vargas? Is Vargas simply one step up in competition from being exposed as finished?
After a 10 month lay-off following the De La Hoya debacle, Gatti reemerged with new trainer James "Buddy" McGirt and looked rejuvenated as he employed a more technical style in dismantling Terron Millett in 4 rounds.
Following a sensational trilogy with Micky Ward, he picked up the vacated WBC 140 Lb. title against Gianluca Branco and successfully defended it twice against limited opposition.
But this past June, he faced off against undefeated 2 division titlist Floyd Mayweather Jr., and after 6 rounds of one-sided action, Buddy McGirt threw in the towel. That fight left many wondering if Gatti was ever really rejuvenated, or if he was simply expertly matched.
Fernando Vargas was once considered boxing's next great prodigy. Out of the 1996 Olympics, he won his first title in 1998 after forcing Yory Boy Campas to quit on his stool following the 7th round. He successfully defended the 154 Lb. title 5 times before signing to face Puerto Rico's Felix Trinidad in December of 2000 in a unification bout.
After being floored twice in the opening round, "El Feroz" showed his guts and determination in surviving the early storm, dropping "Tito" in the 4th, and controlling the fight for several rounds until "Tito's" power overwhelmed Vargas in the 12th round.
After picking up a vacant title belt, he signed for another unification megafight, this one against American idol and bitter rival Oscar De La Hoya. After remaining competitive for most of the fight, De La Hoya's superior technique and durability was simply too much for Vargas as he was stopped in the 11th round.
After months of inactivity due to a back injury and positive steroids test, Vargas came back against Raymond Joval, and employed a more technical and calculating boxing style, attempting to be more defensive and not leave himself open as much as he had in the past.
But after seeing the failed experiment that Gatti attempted, is Vargas heading down the same path? Have the 2 brutal losses to Trinidad and De La Hoya taken too great a toll on Vargas? Is Vargas simply one step up in competition from being exposed as finished?
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