Gatti is not a HOF fighter for me.I'd gladly see him awarded posthumously with a special award but on ability and resume? Not for me. I'm all for Colin Hart though.Great boxing scribe and Virgil Hill is a very worthy inclusion for me given that he was one of the most dominant LHW's of the modern age.
What a load of ****. If it's not about accomplishments, let's get Frank Bruno in. Popular, made for exciting fights, put the sport on top in the UK. Entry into the HoF SHOULD be about who you've beaten. At least McGuigan has one top tier win. Gatti has nothing of any actual merit, except for holding a belt in a horribly watered down era. And I like Gatti, but it's a disservice to other, better fighters. If Gatti is in, why isn't Hamed? Your reasoning is, without being too rude to you, a load of **** and cum.
It's all too easy to get emotional when it comes to Gatti,but this isn't a good precedent to set. If excitement is an important criteria then some of the greatest boxers of all time have no place in the HOF.
Ivan Robinson was a breathtakingly exciting fighter, who unlike Gatti did not sometimes resort to 'boxing' in his big fights. Ward was far too crude to ever dabble in the skills Gatti showed. Ward/Neary was a classic, that Gatti could not compete with, because he would simply outboxed Shea in a one sided thrashing. So although Gatti was better than Ward and arguably better than Robinson, he was not as exciting as either.
On both counts Prince Naseem whoops him. Can't believe Mills Lane didn't get in before Joe Cortez. Disgraceful.
Not in the States, and that is what matters. Gatti's name helps sell the weekend, so that the likes of Yuh and Hill can get their kudos. It is a business decision.
Yet on the General,oibigdickhead feels the need to get abusive because he disagrees with a perfectly valid opinion.:think As I said there,if fame and bringing attention to the sport is acceptable criteria,I'll enjoy Margarito's first ballot induction.:happy
Pretty sure in the late 90's Nas was on giant billboards in New York selling Adidas, making appearances on Jay Leno and selling out MSG and the MGM, he was also the Featherweight Champ in thrilling fights and a global star. Gatti is more popular though and I agree completely with your second point.
calzaghe's last fight was 08. :think if u wanna be picky is hill even worthy. :huh lost the big fights in his career. despite being a very good fighter. in the marquee fights he lost.
Naseem was huge, I agree, but without wanting to get too crude; since September 11th 2001, a boxer who openly talks of his Muslim faith will not be the big name that sells tickets for a Hall of Fame in New York. It is wrong, Naseem's faith should have no relevance to whether he belongs in a Boxing Hall of Fame. But it means he will only get in, in the near future, underneath a fighter who can sell more tickets. Which does limit his chances of getting in.