If you only look at Arturo Gatti's skill level in terms of basic elements like defense and other fundamentals, or the number of world titles he won (for the record, two), or the quality of opposition in his biggest wins, maybe you would say he does not deserve to be inducted, and you would have a reasonable argument but if you look at HOW Gatti fought (as the ultimate blood & guts warrior of his era), and consider how many epic ring wars and "Fight of the Year" quality fights he was involved in, well then maybe you would say yes, and you too would have a reasonable argument. I would contend that Arturo Gatti CLEARLY belongs in the International Boxing Hall of Fame, and I believe that his premature death actually increases the likelihood of his induction, which is not to say that if he were alive today he would not deserve it. There is just something about dying young and what that does to any athlete's legacy. It tends to enhance it, particularly when that death is as mysterious and tragic as was Gatti's at the age of 37. As a side note, it's truly a shame that FIGHTS themselves, and by proxy the participants, can't be inducted to the IBHOF because the Arturo Gatti-Micky Ward trilogy really deserves a special place in boxing history, as do both of the fighters involved. Gatti and Ward were involved in a combined five Ring Magazine Fights of the Year, two of which were against eachother. If Gatti is someday inducted into the IBHOF, it would not at all be surprising to see his friend & rival Micky Ward accepting the honor on his behalf.
Some will argue that Arturo Gatti was not a "great" fighter by strict definition, and that he was in fact very average in his skills. The International Boxing Hall of Fame is reserved for boxing's very best they will argue, and I agree with this but I also believe that Gatti did display greatness in the ring, just not the typical kind we are used to seeing such as fighters winning so many world titles, or defending those titles so many times, or perhaps most importantly defeating other "great" fighters. Arturo Gatti's greatness must be measured and recognized in a totally different way. Think about it this way: "Great" fighters engage in consistently great fights, and it's not always about how much pure talent you have, or how technically skilled you are, or even how many alphabet titles you won. Sometimes it's just about what happens in that ring when the gloves fly, and how much a fighter is willing to give of himself, and very few ever gave more of themselves in a boxing ring than Arturo "Thunder" Gatti. Check out his fights against Wilson Rodriguez, Gabriel Ruelas, Ivan Robinson, and Micky Ward if there is any doubt about this. Gatti's "boxing skills", limited though they may have been, were more than simply the sum of his talents and easily recognizable accomplishments such as titles, and wins.
Then there will be those who say that Arturo Gatti never beat a great fighter and that the two best fighters he ever fought, Oscar De La Hoya & Floyd Mayweather, beat him easily. That may be partly true but despite never beating a truly great fighter, Gatti really did beat some very outstanding fighters during his career. Arturo Gatti defeated Tracy Harris Patterson (twice), Calvin Grove, Gabriel Ruelas, Terron Millett, Micky Ward (twice), Gianluca Branco, Leonard Dorin, Thomas Damgaard (all of whom were undefeated until they ran into Gatti), and Jesse James Leija. And even though Mayweather made beating Gatti look easy, something he does to most everyone he fights, go ask Oscar De La Hoya how "easy" it really was to beat Gatti. It wasn't, despite how it may have looked. By rising from a crushing knockdown in the first round to continue fighting against a fighter he was so clearly overmatched and outgunned by, Arturo showed more in defeat against Oscar than most fighters show in victory. That was the essence of Arturo Gatti and his never say die approach to the sport of boxing.
Only a select few in boxing history can really be compared to Arturo Gatti in terms of that do-or-die approach: Rocky Graziano, Matthew Saad Muhammad, and Bobby Chacon - all three are in the IBHOF by the way.
Gatti was also incredibly famous and very popular for a lighter weight fighter who fought during the era of superstars like Tyson & Holyfield. With his thrilling throwback style, Gatti single-handedly put Atlantic City back on the map as a hub for big time boxing at a time when boxing in Atlantic City desperately needed it. That had to do with HOW Gatti fought, not who he beat, or who beat him. Win or lose, Gatti's fighting style was one of a kind, and people who love boxing took notice of it. The big question is, will the International Boxing Hall of Fame take notice of it and induct the man known as "The Human Highlight Reel" - the feeling here is that they will, and that when they do, it will be justified based on merit, and not based on sympathy or diminished standards, as some might claim when and if it happens.
Yet despite all of this, some will still argue that Gatti simply did not have enough "skill" or "ability" to be considered for a place among boxing's immortals. Frankly, that is a very shortsighted, myopic way of looking at it, and it does not do justice to what Arturo Gatti truly contributed to the sport and accomplished in the ring. More than just fundamentals; the category of boxing "skills & abilities" also include intangibles like the ability to take a punch, the ability to rise from knockdowns, the ability to fight though pain & injury, and the ability to win fights when normal men would have long ago packed it in. Arturo Gatti was anything but a normal man. All of the above are skills that Gatti possessed in epic quantities. His fighting heart was truly legendary and some would say in a class all by itself. Isn't that what we expect from "great" fighters?
Yes, of course Arturo "Thunder" Gatti belongs in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
He was the real life ROCKY and there may never be another fighter like him.
Rest in Peace Arturo, thanks for the memories and please know that your many fans hope to one day soon see you immortalized in Canastota.
