MAY 18, 2002. 18 YRS LATER

I was newly engaged to my current wife and we were living in crappy apartment in south St Louis. We were in our mid 20's then and I had completely stopped boxing at that point but still watched all of the fights. I remember thinking that I was getting my hopes up for this fight and that it would likely end early because one of them would get cut just like Leja vs Ward did. Thank god I was wrong because that night turned into one of the best fights ever as we all know and I easily killed a 12 pack plus some fine Bourbon that night screaming my head off at the TV while my future wife stayed in the other room wondering what the hell she was getting herself into with this guy.

Nearly 20 years later we are still together with a ten year old daughter and a house of our own. I now have a finished basement that I watch fights in and while my wife still hates boxing, my daughter will watch the fights with me though and even goes to the gym with me to train just like I did with my dad when I was kid.

I will never forgot that fight. Both guys achieved something special that night together. Sucks that Arturo is no longer with us but I hope Mickey is around for a while and with good health.

 

Honestly, I thought it was going to be a softer touch for Arturo Gatti, who was an HBO darling.

Much like Frank Fletcher of an era before (golden oldie reference for @The Morlocks ), every Gatti fight was an entertaining slugfest no matter who they matched him against — apart from being surgically destroyed by De la Hoya (a bridge too far) and his criminal matchup with Joey Gamache (where Gatti likely never made weight).

Ward was a ‘world-class club fighter’ who was 2-2 in his last four and looked far more like an appetizer to help the continuing rehabilitation of Gatti as a draw for the network.

And then it happened. I watched in fascination, as we all did, as these two men who seemed born to fight each other had an epic opening chapter. Honestly the three fights are like one long fight on a loop, Round 9 and a couple of others serving as peaks in a series with no valleys.

Tip of the cap to the late god of Thunder and to Irish Micky.

 

I only got to see it delayed and knew the result, unfortunately so no great personal memory from me, I'm afraid.

I'd already heard a lot about round 9 so when I saw it my expectations were pretty high but it surpassed them. That is one of the great rounds by any measure.

 

Was in Canada at the time and watched it live in a bar at Penticton BC. The half full bar went bat**** crazy watching it. Still one of the best fights I’ve ever seen and I think it will forever be.

It was a privilege to watch these two men go to war and I’m always like “WTF?” when people sniff at it and say they’d prefer to watch a Locche, Mayweather or Rigondeaux tap and dodge fest.

 

Was 7yrs into my Leo career, I remember it was one of the 1st fights of the post 2000 era that was truly memorable. It demonstrates the bravery and skills of two fighters comparable in ability and truly wanted to win, AND gave the audience and fans watching it world wide something to cheer about.
A truly great night for the sport of boxing, and they went at it 2 more times after this fight. A high note for the sport in the early 2000's.

 

I think its kind of overrated. When Gatti boxed he made it easy. I delt like he only settled down to trade for the fans. I felt like the whole series was like this. Ward was pretty ordinary. Gatti was too but less so.

 

I was a casual at this point. I used to have a fight club after school because my dad bought me gloves and me and my friends used to box eachother every day. I dont think any of us used a jab once - those were good days. My dad called me into the living room one night because his boss had taped the fight on vhs and lent it to him and he always tried to share boxing matches with me. I was amazed at the pace they fought. Every now and then I rewatch that fight. It brings back great memories.

 

I had been looking forward to the fight but I was also wrapped up in the NBA playoffs at that time. The Sacramento Kings were the best team in all of basketball and they were in the mist of an epic series with the Lakers. They had overcome bad luck in the series, flagrant bias from the officials. They were up 3-2 going into Game 6. It was that same Saturday.
I watched those boys take it to the Lakers (who were being exposed) for 3 quarters. Suddenly when the 4 quarter starts it was like somebody flipped a switch, made a call? Every foul was against Sacramento. The Lakers would bring the ball over halfcourt and whistle would blow. Kings entire frontline is fouled out they lose the game by 3 pts or something.
I hate to be blaming officials because I have always accepted there's gonna be calls against u just play through it. I'm sorry that was a fix. Ralph Nadar even chimed in.
Anyway point is..I was mad. Like unhealthy mad. The kinda mad that make your neighbors close the garage real fast..
Later that day I watched the fight and man it made me forget the city of Sacramento just got ripped off of an NBA title. I think Frank Cappuccino. He was the perfect ref for that fignt. Gatti was inhuman in toughness.
It was so good it made casual sports fans try to talk about it to me.

 

I remember watching after it happened and around the 3rd or 4th I remember thinking are they gonna slow down??? Is someone gonna break? ..they just started in and never stopped ..a true italiano vs Irish war to go with the other classics

 

I was home remember telling my wife HBO fights tonight. We always got take out or she makes me something I really like and we have a late dinner those night.
I didnt think much of the fight on paper but I remember going off a few times while my wife who was then not the fan she turned into would either share in my amazement or ask " what happened " lol as she'd be pre occupied. Great entertainment. The level of toughness I havent seen since the days of Matt Franklin aka (Saad) for those of you who get offended for the wrong reasons.
One of the top 10 entertaining fights to watch.

 

No Im not being a devils advocate. I know its not the popular opinion but its how I feel. I feel the same way about Holmes-Norton. People act like these were non stop wars but in reality one guy was in control most of the time and the fights were punctuated by action not defined by sustained action.