Arturo Gatti Jr. is ready to make his mark on the sport after gaining a USA Boxing license to start his career officially.
The ‘Thunder’ will return in the form of ‘Simba’, a Gatti clone who is the image of his father when he was a young boxer.
Gatti Jr. looks more like his dad daily as he hones his boxing skills in preparation for his eagerly anticipated high-profile debut.
After mixing with some of the biggest names for advice, the 16-year-old remains a potential future star. He has boxing coursing through his veins.
The teenager has gone through years of gym work and is already showing signs of raw talent. There’s no denying his striking resemblance to Arturo Sr.
Interest in Gatti Jr. is spiking due to Instagram video clips, sessions with Mike Tyson and Popo Freitas, and a gift from Ryan Garcia.
However, there’s one constant presence on his social media, and that’s his father.
Between his training posts and family life, Arturo Jr. consistently pays tribute to his former world champion father, pointing to a lifelong love affair bearing the gloves in his name.
WBN has kept an eye on Junior throughout his life in the public eye. His trademark ‘dead ringer’ looks evoke memories of Gatti Sr., the smiling assassin.
Arturo Sr. was one of the most likable people in the entire sport. His untimely death took him from us far too soon, when Gatti died suddenly.
The events have never really made any sense, and losing Gatti certainly made boxing a less happy place.
Three epic wars with Micky Ward secured his place in the Hall of Fame. Despite the Gatti-Ward trilogy, Gatti was also a cult figure with fans before then. Gatti Sr. was a fan-friendly fighter made for TV, giving every ounce of everything he ever had to his supporters.
Gatti Jr. promises to give fans another chapter of the family story. He’s already building a highlight reel repertoire of his own.
Gaining a following on his accounts, Jr. puts up throwback videos, photos with his dad, and up-to-date flashes of brilliance from his development.
If he has half the heart his dad possessed, the kid has almost won the battle to be a professional boxer in the coming years. He’s already competed in a few junior contests and rubbed shoulders with cornermen like Russ Anber. The sport is clearly in his blood.
Basing himself in Montreal, Gatti will have an exciting career worth watching for any fan of lightning-fast pugilism.
Glimpses of the ‘Thunder’ we all miss are there for all to see in Arturo Gatti Jr.
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Read all articles and exclusive interviews by Phil Jay and learn more about the author. Phil has been an experienced boxing writer and World Boxing News Editor since 2010.