Gatti’s death casts a somber mood at The Rock. By GEORGE WILLIS
Kathy Duva said it should have been a “perfect” night. Duva’s company Main Events promoted Saturday night’s boxing card at the Prudential Center in Newark were Tomasz Adamek, a Main Events fighter, successfully defended his IBF cruiserweight championship with a four-round TKO over Bobby Gunn.
“Everything was perfect. The fights were great. The crowd was great. Financially it was a success,” Duva was saying on Sunday. “You usually walk away from a night like that ecstatic. But it felt more like a wake.”
Duva was heading for the Prudential Center Saturday night when she got confirmation Arturo Gatti had been murdered in Brazil. For Duva, it was like losing family as Main Events had served as Gatti’s promoter for most of his career. From the battles with Micky Ward to the sellout crowds at Boardwalk Hall, Main Events was along for every thrill Gatti provided.
The horrible news of his tragic death cast a somber cloud over the Prudential Center, especially for those who knew Gatti. Adamek and Gunn dedicated their fight to the fallen warrior, while trainers, corner men and other officials in boxing’s tight knit fraternity began to quietly mourn.
“Everybody was just kind of consoling each other as we went about our business,” Duva said. “People in the crowd must of wondered why the people in the ring were crying and hugging each other. In a way it was nice we could get together and comfort each other.”
Gatti retired in July 2007 ending a magical run of seven consecutive fights at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City where he would frequently attract sellout crowds who enjoyed his blood and guts style.
“I remember during that run of fights in A.C., just having so much fun,” Duva said. “I couldn’t wait to get there. The same people would always be there. You got to know them. They were just fans. He’s the only fighter I can think of where you could develop relationships with the fans because they were always the same people.”
One memory she had of Gatti was typical of his approach to life: fight hard then play hard. “After the second (Micky) Ward fight we were at the post-fight press conference and I looked at his hand and saw it was swollen two or three times its normal size,” Duva recalled. “I said, ‘Don’t you think we should do something about that?’ He said, ‘No. Tonight we party. It’ll still be broken tomorrow.’ “
Gatti would call the Duvas every Christmas just to say hello. It was a present that will be missed this year.