Gatti vs. Ward

Mr. Grumpy sent me a tape of the fight between Arturo Gatti vs. Micky Ward. Holy crap. I’m not someone who’s into boxing, but this fight was in-friggin-credible. I mean – the punishment both of these guys took was amazing. And on top of that, they surmounted it and continued fighting. Ah. I’m not doing it justice. Both men were strong fighters, and Ward was just a big tank of a man. Ward kept taking hits and hits and hits, and then flurried right back. I guess the thing that stays with me is watching these two men, each taking an incredible amount of hurt and hitting and punishment, and then literally watching them reach inside themselves… and finding the strength and will to continue on. But it’s more than that. It’s amazing enough that they can will themselves to stand; what is fantastic is to see them do more than passively persevere – you’re watching them fight back.

It’s the small bit of philosophy that’s tucked away inside this boxing match. The whole thing felt really American, and I mean that in the best possible, positive way. I’m using cliches and easy phrases; you need to see this fight.

One line that I remember is Gatti’s coach, in between rounds, saying "You can rest all day tomorrow." That stayed with me.

Check out the article above for a better summary of the fight. The two are slated to meet again in November, and I’m going to make it a point to find a friend with cable. The first fight was amazing to watch; I can only guess at what will happen next time.