Former boxing star Arturo Gatti is considering a comeback more than a year after his retirement.
“He hasn’t said he will fight and will make a comeback,” promoter Yvon Michel said Wednesday. “He’s training, but not in a boxing gym.
“He hasn’t made up his mind completely. If he ever decided to go that route, we’d be thrilled to work with him.”
Gatti (40-9), the former IBF super-featherweight and WBC light welterweight champion, is considering a comeback against Montreal welterweight Antonin Decarie (19-0), the Canadian and North American Boxing Organization champion, perhaps in early 2009.
The 36-year-old Montreal native is believed to covet a Canadian title, which he never held while spending his entire professional career in New Jersey.
Gatti, who turned pro in the United States in 1991, moved back to Montreal after his retirement. His girlfriend recently gave birth to a son, Arturo Jr., their third child.
He last fought on July 14, 2007, a seventh-round loss to Alfonzo Gomez.
In his career, Gatti battled many of the best in the lower and middle weight classes, including Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Oscar de la Hoya. His three fights with Mickey Ward are considered classics. Five times his often bloody brawls were voted fight of the year.
The 25-year-old Decarie, who is ranked as the No. 7 contender by the WBO, is to make a first defence of his NABO title against American Hector Munoz (18-1-1) on Oct. 4 at the Montreal Casino.
Michel said that if Gatti returns, he wants it to be “a telling fight, and Decarie would be a telling fight.”
As much as I like to see the enterning “Thunder” back in the ring I don’t think it’s a great idea what do you think?
i would just like to see gatti and kostya tszyu go at it
Arturo Gatti is one of the most greatest fighter who ever step on the ring. The way he fights excites the boxing fans…he can throw punches and also can take punches. He is the true guts warrior ever, and he deserved to be in a hall of fame list.
Very soon I will be writing an article about Gatti, its going to suprise every one. I have been talking to his ex wife.
When I saw Gatti fight Alphonso Gomez, who I thought was almost a tomato can, he looked terrible. Sure his footwork was there, but his timing was the worse I had seen from him. It saddens me to see Gatti like that because he is my all-time favorite fighter and my idol. Please, for us diehard fans and the sport, most importantly for yourself…don’t fight again. Gatti has nothing to prove to anybody or himself. He’s a Lamotta, a Graziano, a Marciano, a Basilio. I’m an Italain-American and love to box and wacth boxing, my love for the sport and the history runs deep. However, there comes a time to hang it up and Arturo Gatti’s time was in 2007 when he lost to Gomez.
I was not surprised to see my all-time favorite fighter Arturo Gatti fight Alphonso Gomez after his fight with Carlos Baldomir. When Gatti fought Baldomir, I thought he was in amazing shape and I could still see he had some desent agility and punching power. I almost cried when he was knocked out because I really believed he was going to win. Afterwards I came to a conclussion. Arturo Gatti cannot fight in the welterweight division. This is too big for him. Gatti fought several fights in the 125 and 130 ( which was by far his best…he was a world champ and unstopable at 130), 135, and 140 division. Everytime he fought 147 he was outsized, with the exception of Thomas Daamgard. It started with De Lahoya.
I’ve read this the other day and I’m with you 100%: “As much as I like to see the entertaining “Thunder” back in the ring I don’t think it’s a great idea “.
Gatti is one of my favorite fighters ever, a throw back to the golden era of boxing, but he has taken to much punishment already and on top of that he can’t make weight anymore, I just don’t want to see him get beat up like in the last few fight, although that is what his boxing carrier was all about, but now he wont be able to bounce back and it can be dangerous.
But if he decides to come back I’ll be watching for sure.
Comments are closed.