“Pretty Boy” Will Get The Win,
But Not The Fans This Weekend:

By Terence "One Punch" Dooley


Floyd Mayweather Junior will put his perfect (33 - 0 [22]) ledger on the line this weekend but there will be a lot more than his “o” at stake in Atlantic City as after years of bleating about the way he is being snubbed by the fans little Floyd will be presented with an opportunity to showcase his talent in front of millions of fans the world over. Unfortunately the fans in question all belong to Arturo “Thunder” Gatti (39 - 6 - 0 [30])! So whilst this fight will present Floyd with a showcase for his undoubtedly sublime skills it is unlikely that he will expand his fairly limited fan base no matter how dazzlingly he performs this weekend, this is a shame as I personally feel that Floyd is going to put on a superb performance in the ring but it will be pre - empted, and ruined, by his negative performance out of the ring during the build - up to this fight. Floyd has generally trash talked throughout his career but this technique has reached its peak, or nadir if you will, during this promotion; James Toney has shown that there is some scope for trash talking outside the ring but he does it with an air of childishness that is strangely inoffensive and one suspects he has some respect for his fellow fighters, certainly he would respect a man like Gatti. The pre- fight problem is not solely that Mayweather has talked ill of Gatti but that public opinion has been brewing against Floyd for years now, maybe Floyd made a mistake in claiming that a lucrative HBO contract is akin to a “Slaves” contract as this is irksome to the man on the street who has to decide if he wants to spend his hard -earned PPV dollars on watching a character like Floyd. Irrespective of the whys and wherefores the fact is that if Floyd would have shown Gatti some props then put in the expected boxing master class the man on the street would be more likely to watch Floyd in future, in reality the winner of the pre - fight ballyhoo is undoubtedly the charismatic Gatti who one feels win, lose or draw will still pack in the fans when he fights next. Note to Floyd from a boxing fan: Stop Telling Us Why We Should Love You and Make Us Love You. Respecting a warrior like Arturo would be a fine start.

As for the fight itself as much as I’d love to see Gatti win, preferably by KO, the fact is that so far in his career Gatti has proven to be short of elite - fighter status whilst Floyd is destined for everything in boxing aside from a committed fan base. We can wax lyrical about the changes in Gatti’s style, we can claim Buddy McGirt is a phenomenal trainer (he is by the way) and we can point to Gatti’s huge warrior heart but the simple fact remains that Floyd is a better boxer and when Gatti faces this level of boxer he invariably loses badly. Personally, despite my disdain for his antics, I feel that Floyd is far superior in terms of boxing skill than say Oscar De La Hoya and Oscar put on a clinic to make Gatti’s corner rescue their man in the fifth round of their fight. Arturo has improved since then but his improvements have come against fighters on a lower level than the likes of Oscar and especially Floyd. This is encapsulated by the trilogy Gatti shared with Micky Ward which although thrilling in terms of visceral entertainment was not right up there in terms of the fighter’s status going into it. I love Ward but both he and Gatti are not world - class HOF material, sorry but they just don’t cut it for me at that level although if Barry McGuigan can be put in with the legends… Gatti at least could certainly change this with a win over Floyd.

The fact is that both Ward and Gatti were reborn through the three thrilling fights they shared but no - one was under the illusion that these men were fighting for the supremacy of their division, this was not on the level of say Barrera - Morales. Both Gatti and Ward are terrific guys who will give you 111% every time they get in the ring with Gatti in particular having the added advantage of a decent lower - level boxing brain. However Gatti can give 111% plus versus Floyd but Floyd will be just too much for Arturo even if Mayweather only gives 80%. If Arturo tries to box as he did versus Ward the second time around then he will be absolutely hammered by Floyd from a distance, in a boxing match between the two Floyd won’t just win he’ll win with ease. What is needed from Gatti is a mixture of boxing and brawling, he needs to pin Floyd against the ropes and be prepared to miss a lot, get hit a lot and possibly busted up in the hope of blasting his way through the Mayweather defense. If Gatti breaches this defense I think he can hurt Floyd or at least cause Floyd to return fire with fire, this would give Gatti the opportunity to step back and, unbelievably, counter the counter - puncher. If Arturo can force his blood and guts will on Floyd then he at least as a chance, if he tries to box it clever then I would really fear for Arturo in this fight as Floyd is so much a better boxer than Arturo. Buddy McGirt will have had that considerable boxing brain of his working overtime but the only winning strategy for Arturo must be one that utilizes his strength juxtaposed with Floyd’s relative inexperience of this intensity at this weight. There can be no other way for Arturo to win this one but then again boxing often makes fools of us.

I see Arturo starting strongly from the get - go by really going for Floyd, what is more I see Arturo having some early success with Floyd being troubled by Arturo’s deceptively fast hands, we could even see Floyd down or hurt between rounds 1 - 3 and if this is the case Gatti will have to go like the clappers to try and close the show. However I feel that it will be little more than a brave effort from a remarkable man, Floyd will pick apart Gatti little by little with his crisp, quick punches until Arturo is out on his feet at which point Floyd may go for it himself to bring about the finish of the fight around the sixth round. I have a sneaking suspicion though that Floyd still does not get it fanwise and may decide to punish Gatti over a longer period in a misguided attempt to “Put on a Show". If this is the case I look to a bloodied Gatti being taken out in the eighth round by either Floyd or Buddy McGirt and in defeat getting the lion’s share of fan love.

However this fight pans out I’d be willing to bet my life that come the interview with both men Floyd will once again be chastising the fans for not getting with the program whilst Gatti will be thanking them for their support and insisting he gave it his best shot…there lies the difference between a top - level fighter with few fans and a top - level man with fans galore.



Questions Or Comments? Please Contact Terence "One Punch" Dooley