When GattiGate happened, it was a source of huge amusement to people on the old S/O forum. Sure. We all love Highlight Reel KOs. But this was barely any different than having loaded gloves. There's a big difference between a fair accomplit stoppage, a la Barrera vs Richie Wenton, on one hand, and this sort of sanctioned, no-rules BS where not only does a guy have no chance of winning, he can't even negotiate the fight safely. I didn't understand it.... Somebody allowed a naturally bigger, naturally more powerful guy an advantage that could have resulted in a fatality when he was going to win anyways. Fucking Judge makes no sense either. Yet people acted like Gamache got what was coming to him, cis he was small, boring, home towner etc?? Never got it.
Never understood why this was always swept under the rug. This will always taint Gatti's resume. He was clearly at a huge size advantage and it almost killed Gamache in the process.
Catchweight 141 lbs. The popular Arturo Gatti was very unpopular on this night. He'd gained a mind-blowing 19 lbs since the weigh-in a day prior which resulted in a sizable weight disparity between him and his opponent, Joey Gamache. In video of the weigh-in, Gatti is seen stepping onto a scale that was calibrated at 141 pounds, the contractually dictated fight weight. When a boxer is on weight, the needle will hover between two bars on the scale, but when Gatti steps onto the scale, the needle immediately shoots to the top like a ring-the-bell game. A state Athletic Commission official, Mel Southard, is then seen adjusting the scale as Gatti looks down nervously. The weight is called at 141 pounds, and Gatti's trainer immediately gives him a beverage. Gamache weighs in, without incident, under the 141-pound limit. ALBANY, N.Y. -- The New York State Athletic Commission failed to properly weigh boxer Arturo Gatti before he fought Joey Gamache at Madison Square Garden in 2000, but that didn't cause Gamache's career-ending knockout loss, a judge said. Despite faulty weigh-in, Gamache's claim axed 2000-02-26 : Arturo Gatti 140½ lbs beat Joey Gamache 140 lbs by KO at 0:41 in round 2 of 10 Location: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, USA Referee: Benjy Esteves Jr. Judge: Don Ackerman Judge: Ron McNair Judge: Luis Rivera The weight disparity on the day of the fight was so great that it resulted in a popular outcry against Gatti. This violent knockout landed Gamache in the hospital for a week and ended his care https://www.fightsaga.com/tidbits/i...ng-should-weigh-ins-happen-on-fight-day-video Arturo Gatti KO 2 Joey Gamache February 26, 2000 Location: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, USA Broadcast: HBO Referee: Benjy Esteves Jr. Division: (Well, it depends) Catchweight: 141 lbs Gatti vs Gamache Facts & Stats Arturo Gatti (30-4) vs Joey Gamache (55-3) The popular Arturo Gatti was very unpopular on this night. He'd gained a mind-blowing 19 lbs since the weigh-in a day prior which resulted in a sizable weight disparity between him and his opponent, Joey Gamache. On fight night, HBO recorded Gamache at 145 lbs while Gatti was 160; A welterweight versus a middleweight. The weigh-in, itself, was also controversial as some believe the scales may have been tweaked for Gatti, enabling him to weigh-in a pound or two above the contracted catchweight of 141 lbs Looking much larger and stronger than his foe, Gatti brutally knocked out Gamache in less than two rounds, sending him crashing to the canvas in an unconscious state Not only did Gamache's boxing career come to an abrupt halt, his life would be forever changed Gamache, who almost died in the hospital that night, received permanent brain damage As of 2009 (nine years after the bout) according to NY Daily News, Gamache suffered from intense migraines and depression, had difficulty staying employed and took numerous medications to quell the pain and depression. A mismatch? On paper, this was a solid match-up. Gamache was also a former world champion and entered the bout having won 55 of 58 pro bouts, registering 38 knockouts along the way. He was on a 10-fight win streak and was clearly not a weak opponent. The Controversy Official weigh-ins occur the day before a bout, enabling fighters to rehydrate to their actual weight in the 28-32 hours leading up to the bout. Some fighters, like Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, have the process down to a science. While campaigning at middleweight (160 lb limit), Chavez would usually tip the scales at roughly 159 lbs at the weigh-in only to enter the ring the next day at a blistering 181 lbs. Most of his opponents hovered around 164-167 lbs. Point: Obviously, size factors into the competitiveness of a bout. Size and strength do matter. Gamache was being hit by a naturally bigger, stronger man and that may have been the prime factor in causing this near-tragedy. Counterpoint: Boxing is a brutal sport and serious injury is part of the game. Serious injury and, sadly, ring deaths, occur when fighters enter the ring within only a pound or several ounces apart from each other. Moreover, some heavyweights, like Evander Holyfield, routinely gave up 30-40 lbs in the ring and suffered no apparent, serious ill-effects. As a matter of fact, Holyfield was often very successful against much larger opponents. (Are the circumstances different when a 205 lb fighter faces a 240 lb opponent?)
Same shit happened in Brazil when Freitas destroyed jauregui. Freitas was allowed to scale inside some private tent without the opposing camp watching. Then comes into the ring looking 2 weight classes higher
Thanks for all that. There's two things that catch my attention:- * How Gatti got away with it. * why the response to what Gatti did, at least among casuals, seemed to be more amusing than concerning.
I think in my mind Ross Thompson re-hydrated 24 lbs against Fred Vargas. Vargas still kicked his ass though
