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Photo © Digital King
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No sooner the big Gatti body punch knockout of Leo "Lion" Dorin and the war drums begin beating,. and the first name popping up is none other than unbeaten and past lightweight dominant Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Personally, I think not, unless the Gatti brain trust is in something of a De La Hoya mindset - as in Hoya-Hopkins and outta Dodge with a bundle of cash.
Arturo, at a now age 32, may well be as brave as he always has been, but the rewards of continued courage under pugilistic fire will only collect accolades, and promised pay days to spray un-coagulated gore over the ringside clientele.
Gatti first got my attention when claiming IBF Super Feather title over Tracy Harris Patterson, an action fight in which Arturo boxed and punched his way to unanimous decision. The year was 1995 and Gatti was age 23.
Somewhere along the line he abandons the boxer-puncher style for the crowd pleasing slam-bam wars, mixed results see KO wins over Wilson Rodriguez, Calvin Grove and Gabe Ruelas. But then 1998 and stopped by Angel Manfredy in eight, follows with consecutive losses to Ivan Robinson ... all the kind of battles that take a later toll on the body.
A year prior to the start of them Ward trilogies it was a De La Hoya loss by knockout in five. We all know about them Ward rumbles, but Micky, Leo and Gamache doesn't spell Mayweather in any manner, shape or form.
Flashback reminder; Manfredy halts an age 26 Gatti, later that same year it's Mayweather stopping Manfredy in two candles.
Unless we're talking swan song with megabucks attached, there's a couple more sensible opponents to test what's left in the trick bag - starting with light punching Paul Spadafora or maybe a DeMarcus Corley - a Ricky Hatton maybe?.
GEL.
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© Copyright / All Rights reserved: Doghouse Boxing 1998-2004
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By George J. Elsasser (July 30, 2004) 
