Looking Back - 20 years ago this month: Arturo Gatti vs. Micky Ward 1

A who’s-who list of opponents on their collective resumes, an unbelievable, and tragic, post-fight script for one of the fighters and 3 fights of intimate warfare that locked in a trilogy of fights as one of boxing’s very best.

Like Marvin Hagler - Tommy Hearns Round 1

Like John Locicero - William Lee Round 5

Like Jose Luis Castillo - Diego Corrales Round 10

Like Gatti - Ward 1, Round 9.....scratch that! Like Gatti-Ward, Fights 1-3, Rounds 1-30!   

It is hard to believe it has been 20 years!

On May 18, 2002, Micky Ward (38-13, 27 KO’s) and Arturo Gatti (40-9, 31 KO’s) would engage in what would be one of the greatest fights in boxing history. They would follow it up two more times, fighting in November of the same year, and June of 2003, to complete the trilogy.

While both fighters sported impressive resumes, with numerous champions and contenders, it was these three fights that created an epic trilogy and cemented these two warriors as fan favourites. Already looked at in boxing as the toughest of the tough, these battles elevated their reputations to almost mythical proportions.

Ward, a Lowell, Massachusetts native had faced Frankie Warren, Harold Brazier, Charles Murray, Vince Philips, Zab Judah, Antonio Diaz and Jesse James Leija, before stepping into the ring with Gatti.

Gatti, a Canada-raised, Italy-born, New Jersey resident, was a massively popular TV staple, who had built his reputation having won a world title, along with facing Tracy Harris Patterson, Calvin Grove, Angel Manfredy, Ivan Robinson and Oscar De La Hoya, among others, before facing off against Ward.

This, the first of the three fights, generally considered the best of the trilogy, was held at the Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, Connecticut. This was Micky Ward country, as he hailed from Massachusetts, just a couple hours up the freeway. The next two would be held in Gatti’s home away from home, Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ. In reality, with both fighters being east coast boxers, they each had a considerable following in both locales.

While all three fights would see tremendous back and forth action throughout, it was the first fight, named the “Fight of the Year” by Ring Magazine, that featured almost unfathomable amounts of punishment being doled out by both fighters. While Gatti was implored to box more by trainer Buddy McGirt, it was the thunderous head and body shots to Ward that were doing the damage. Ward, who himself possessed Gatti-esque toughness, landed lots of strong stuff upstairs but it was the work on the ground floor that was taking the toll on Gatti.

The fight was close going into the later rounds and the 8th set the table for the main course in the 9th that would feature a round that rivals any 3-minutes in the sport; truly one of boxing’s best.

After pouring on the punishment to Gatti in the 8th round, Ward came out and dropped him early in the 9th round with a body shot that put him on his knees, barely rising at 9 to beat the count. The onslaught that followed would have late, great trainer, (and on this night HBO ring commentator), Emanuel Steward screaming from ringside. Gatti somehow stayed on his feet, absorbing an incredible amount of punishment from Ward. When the bell rang, both fighters staggered back to their corner as the crowd went crazy. Indeed, one of boxing’s truly great rounds. As Steward proclaimed at the bell ending round 9, “This should be the round of the century”. Gatti would make it through the final round but lose a close decision to Ward in one of the greatest fights in the history of the division, and the sport.

Fights 2 and 3 featured much of the same, give and take, carnage from both fighters. But, Gatti, an outstanding boxer as an amateur, went into a disciplined stick and move style that made it harder for Ward to engage inside, something that he was able to goad Gatti into doing in the first encounter. While the 2nd and 3rd bouts in the trilogy were still great fights, with Gatti taking a decision in both, they didn’t quite capture the drama of the 1st bout - a tough, if not impossible, act to follow.

There was talk of a 4th bout but Ward stuck to his decision to walk away after the 3rd fight and retired from boxing.

Gatti would continue for 4 more years, winning a world title, but going 4-3 over his last 7, before finally retiring for good in 2007.

Despite a list of multiple world champions and contenders on both their resumes, it was these 3 fights against each other that became the high watermark for their career.

Arturo Gatti, sadly, died under suspicious circumstances just 2 years after he retired, in Brazil. His wife was initially considered a suspect but was later released from custody and the case remains unsolved to this day. Micky Ward, by this time a close friend of Gatti’s, was a pall bearer at his funeral.

Ward, who still calls Lowell, Massachusetts home, is enjoying retirement and handling his several business interests.

Recommended Reading

While there was huge media coverage for all three of the bouts, and biographies of Ward and Gatti after their careers were over, I must recommend one great book on the trilogy: Intimate Warfare - The True Story of the Arturo Gatti and Micky Ward Boxing Trilogy, by Dennis Taylor and John Raspanti.

So much of the story around the 3 bouts, that was kicked off by the incredible first fight, is the drama before and after the fights. Gatti and Ward becoming respectful and cordial participants, eventually leading into a strong friendship, culminating with Ward training Gatti and later being a pall bearer at his funeral. There is so much emotion and drama around the storylines outside the ring in the trilogy. This book captures the emotional passion of the fighters, their families, and the fights, as it solidifies its rightful place in the annals of boxing as one of its truly great (multiple) matchups between two storied fighters. While there are books on the lives of both Gatti and Ward, this is the go-to read for a detailed and passionate account of one of the sports truly classic trilogies.   

HBO knew they had a good fight on their hands when the fight was proposed; how could you not with Gatti and Ward involved? In the early 2000’s, both fighters had seen success on different levels and were probably wondering what, if anything, was next in their careers? Did they have another run in them? They both had a lot of mileage on them and were probably just looking to pad the retirement account a little before it was over when the fight was proposed. The fight, despite no title on the line, would garner much interest based on the huge respect, industry-wide, both fighters had earned.

Little did they know, the first fight, 20 years ago this month, would kick off one of boxing’s truly great trilogies.

Thank you, Micky. Thank you, Arturo (gone but not forgotten - Rest in Peace).