I've read that Gatti might have missed weight and the commission didn't care. Anyone remember that weigh in? Was he on and off the scale quickly as I've read or was there anything suspicious about it?
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. http://www.espn.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=5068755 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?) ------ Solution 1: Weigh-ins should take place the morning of the bout, thereby greatly limiting a fighter's ability to rehydrate. (Keep in mind, some would argue this would be even more dangerous because a fighter may enter the ring already dehydrated from having to cut weight for the weigh-in) Solution 2: Perhaps there should be a rehydration limit? For example, a middleweight (160 lb limit) shouldn't be allowed to rehydrate more than 10 pounds (170 lbs). Solution 3: This is much ado about nothing. Keep things as they are. Solution 4: Share your thoughts. https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/...gatti-left-damaged-depressed-article-1.430079
The Solution 1 thing is what I always mentioned. Prior day weigh-in wasn't implemented for boxer's safety, it was implemented to reduce the chance of a boxer fighting too far below his actual weight, to come in over the limit. Losing money for the promoters and networks, disappointing audiences. You might argue that it's more dangerous for the boxer dehydrating close to death also entering the ring unfit to fight, but there are 3 big counterpoints for that as well. 1. Prior day weigh-in doesn't reduce that much at all, as boxers nowadays dehydrate towards a even lower weightclass. 2. The boxer was taking that risk himself, with the current method the risk is moved towards the opponent instead. 3. Shouldn't there examination of the boxer a couple hours prior to the fight, if he's actually fit to fight at all?
one FC the MMA org in asia actually do a hydration test when they weigh in and have abolished huge cuts and you weigh in the same day as well “We use an instrument to test the specific gravity of their urine, which tests how much solutes are in their urine,” he continued. “Obviously, the more [solutes] you have, the more dehydrated you are.” Fighters are tested multiple times for both weight and hydration during fight week. Failure to achieve adequate levels of hydration — or weight — will also result in additional, event-day testing. seems like the way forward to me,, you wont get the weight bullies in each division and surly to god this would reduce to amount of serious brain trauma some fighters are on the receiving end of imagine canelos face if they implemented this haha (not so much these days but during his 154 reign lol)
I think # 3 would lead to alot of fight cancellations last minute from guys straining and stressing their bodies trying to make same day weight. It would definitely lead to people fighting in more appropriate weight classes though. This fight is burned in my memory forever though, how Gamache's eyes rolled back and how his head snapped and he fell..............****
