Floyd's win over Gatti meant what exactly?
I'm sorry. I had to ask this. You know why you know who. Beating Gatti (RIP) was Floyd's launch pad to exposure and nothing more. Prior to that he toiled hard in obscurity. Floyd was suppose to beat Gatti even if he had one hand, a severe flu and rheumatoid arthritis. Any B level fighter was suppose to beat Gatti. For Floyd, he provided a fight against a limited but high profile fighter. Haters will say that is typical Floyd, but I give him a pass on this one. He was still testing the waters at 140 and attempting to establish his presence. But there was nothing great about this feat.
I remember watching the fight at a PACKED hooters in Paramus, NJ. My brother, BF and I were the ONLY ones cheering for Mayweather at the ring entrance. We receiving sneering looks every time Floyd pounded him. Real fans of boxing know that this was an expected outcome.
I disagree Blogbaba2. I think Floyd had a MUCH greater chance of silencing critics if he had stayed around and taken on any 2 of the top welterweights at the time he decided to go into hiding. Remember, at the time Cotto was still undefeated, people had been demanding he fight Margarito for 2 years, Mosley was calling him out, Paul Williams couldn't get a fight, and even Cintron had questioned his behavior as a champ. If he signs to fight Pacquiao (which he has put into doubt with his recent comments) and beats him, many...and I mean many - especially the haters - will say that Pacquiao was too small or already exposed by Marquez's counterpunching.
Funny that Norman Bates brings up the "Paper Champion" remark when it was Floyd who first stated that Gatti was a Paper Champ and a club fighter. It wasn't until Floyd beat Gatti (and I mean immediately after) that he started heaping accolades on Gatti, referring to him as "Thunder" Gatti and stating that he is a warrior and a great champ. Truth is though, that win, lose or draw, Gatti was a punching bag. This was true throughout his whole career. He gave the fans great fights. But Micky Ward was a C level fighter himself, and he had 3 grueling bouts with Gatti and even pulled off 1 win.
Again - Gatti epitomizes warrior and put his all into boxing. But defeating him does not necessarily mean you're a great fighter.
Posted by Ring King
It meant that Gatti is a warrior in the ring and does his best when he fights other warriors (Ward, Robinson, Patterson). He was never good and chasing down opponents... that's not what he was known for.
Posted by Sean G
I knew it but many in boxing didn't. If you read on boxing sites and in the Ring at the time...it was adangerous fight for Floyd. the biggest, stronger Gatti was suppose to fold Floyd in half with one punch...I knew better , you knew better...but many did not. He was already great...this was his coming out party beyond us die hards. This made him a PPV star.
Posted by Blogbaba2
Nothing, Floyd's win over Gatti man nothing, it was just a fight. It was a lopsided victory for Floyd and a payday for both of them. When Floyd beats Pacquiao, that will mean much more, and it will silence any critics Floyd may still have.
Posted by MICLO915
Gatti was a handpicked opponent and HBO conned the public into believing he had a shot, and everyone went with it because it would have been a great story if he could pull it off. you cant blame Mayweather for taking this fight, but this was only the first of many PPV fights against opponents that were hand picked (Zab Judah, Carlos Baldomir,) or low risk, high reward (De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton).
Posted by Normen Bates
Its easy for people to degrade an opponent after he has already been beaten. That really seams to be a reoccurring trend when people mention Floyd Mayweather opponents. This guy was to old,that guy was past his prime,that guy was overrated. However coming into the Gatti fight nobody knew how Floyd would preform. Gatti was an established name and Floyd had beat some good fighters Castillo and Corralas but he hadn't had that Marquee name opponent to make him a Super-Star yet.
Before Losing to Floyd Mayweather Arturo Gatti was on a five fight winning streak in which he picked up the 140 WBC title and had defended it twice. He switched trainers and started working with Buddy Mc Girt who had him Jabbing and trying new techniques. Then all of a sudden when Floyd Mayweather beats him he's a "Paper Champion".
The Truth is Gatti was a two time World Champion and a Good Fighter people talk about Gatti like he was some bum with a scrap belt and he wasn't. Granted he was no Oscar Dela Hoya he was still a Tough guy anytime anyplace and would have giving a lot of fighters tough fights.
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