Tracy Harris Patterson BEST PUNCHER Gatti: I was stopped [once in my career] on a very bad cut on my lip [vs. Gregorio Vargas]. I wasn’t hurt in that fight. I just got the bad cut. Overall best puncher, there’s many guys that can bang, but Gatti was the one that packed the biggest punch. He was bigger and I had to be more defensive minded because of the left hook to the body and the head. A lot of people don’t know, in the second fight he caught me with a bodyshot and I fought the majority of that fight with a separated rib. Gabriel Ruelas BEST PUNCHER Gatti: My wife (laughs). Arturo hit hard; when he hit me, [the punches] were heavy. I carried them through the fight, even the jab, it was like a heavy hammer. Micky Ward BEST PUNCHER Gatti: Arturo could really punch. I did fight a lot of guys earlier in my career who could punch, but they never went anywhere. Angel Manfredy BEST PUNCHER Gatti: That was between Gatti and Corrales. I couldn’t make 130 and Corrales was a lot bigger. He was 6-feet tall at 130 pounds. He was a freak. When he caught me with the left hook in the first or second round, I hit the floor real fast. It was more surprising. Gatti was more ‘Wow’, you know you’re rocked. I was in my prime against Gatti. I could take more at that point than later in my career, so I’ve got to give it to Gatti. Other Quotes: Jesse James Leija: Gatti had some great power. He was heavy-handed but I think just me not sparring for four weeks before our fight, it takes it’s toll, you’re not adjusted to it, you haven’t been hit for four weeks so even if you get hit by a guy who can punch a little bit it’s going to hurt you, plus he caught me clean with a good hook. But when guy with power hits you and you haven’t been hit in four weeks it’s going to take it’s toll and Gatti did a great job with it. How would you rate his power?
He had a lot of power and ironically it may have accelerated his downfall. He started as more of a boxer but became more and more of a come-from-behind banger (taking a lot of punishment in the process).
