Vol. 4, No. 7, July 2007
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Gatti Goes Another Round
Atlantic City’s favorite boxer returns to Boardwalk Hall
The hits have taken a toll on the boxer’s 35-year-old body. Few fans expect Gatti to display the vintage skills marking his career peak, but fewer will care. They just want to see the maestro in action.
Gatti’s opponent, Alfonso Gomez, is a step down from recent world-champion rivals like Baldomir and Floyd Mayweather. Gomez is known only for fighting in the Contender series, which he lost. The Mexican fighter has never gone past eight rounds and is considered a moderate puncher, at best.
Boardwalk Hall will likely sell out for the ninth consecutive Gatti bout. This is his unprecedented 23rd Atlantic City appearance. Seventeen have resulted in victories. His bouts have established gate- receipt records for non-heavyweight title bouts. Twice he vaulted Boardwalk Hall to Billboard Magazine’s distinction as the top venue in the world.
Gatti single-handedly legitimized HBO’s fledgling Boxing After Dark series in 1996. He rebounded from a knockdown and a rapidly closing eye to knock out Wilson Rodriguez. The network has since rewarded him with million-dollar paydays.
Gatti’s whirlwind style has produced memorable bouts. Dubbed “The Human Highlight Reel,” he engaged in four Ring magazine’s “Fights of the Year.” He has overcome cuts, knockdowns and the brink of disaster to prevail. He dropped and finished Gabriel Ruelas with a left hook after absorbing 17 straight punches. He also broke his hand on Micky Ward’s hip in the fourth round of their decisive third battle, yet triumphed. He boxed the rest of the way to win a battle many fighters would have quit in.
What astounds the gaming world is Gatti’s popularity in career twilight. His reflexes, naturally, have slowed. The wars have caught up to him. Yet he’s back on stage. It hardly matters that he lost three straight fights in 1998 or that Mayweather and Baldomir took the best out of him. His 40-8 record, world titles in three divisions and a career dating back to 1991 seem like footnotes now. Gatti will draw crowds until he stops fighting. Fans no longer come to see which title he might win. They come because they sense the end of something special. Atlantic City, Gatti and boxing have enjoyed an unprecedented gravy train.
“Art is a fighter who comes along once a generation, if that,” Gatti’s promoter Kathy Duva says. “Whenever he has decided to fight, we’ve been able to say, several months in advance, ‘Gatti is fighting before a Boardwalk Hall sellout against somebody.’ We don’t even need to know who the opponent is. Nobody wants to see this come to an end.”
The end seemed inevitable last July, when he was pummeled by Carlos Baldomir. The boxing world witnessed what they thought was a tragic end to a champion’s career. But Gatti has always displayed resiliency and grace. After losing to Mayweather, for example, he stayed in the ring and embraced him in the middle of a post-fight interview. Then he gave the best fighter in the world his credit, saying, “He was just too damn fast for me.”
When the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board mandated a brain scan because it was concerned he took too many punches, Gatti complied. And his manager thanked the body that would normally be scorned for the administrative mandate. Gatti displayed similar grace after losing to Baldomir. He has risen above boxing's trash-talking, pre-fight hype. Underneath the modest, almost shy persona, lies a businessman. Gatti invested wisely, buying an 84-unit complex in Montreal. For him, the future is assured.
Lifeguards: An Area Tradition
The lifeguard racing schedule hits high gear in late July, with championships drawing crews from 15 beaches. Teams from Brigantine to Cape May Point are represented in one of the most unique area spectacles.
Lifeguard racing dates back to 1924 in this area. Atlantic City was the first municipality in the country to open a rescue-unit Beach Patrol in the United States and coined the “Beach Patrol” term in 1891.
The unit also has a unique tie with government. Current Atlantic City Mayor Robert Levy and New Jersey Assemblyman Jim Whelan captained the ACBP.
Atlantic City hosts the first competition of all 15 teams on July 20. Ventnor, which captured the South Jersey championships last year, earned the right to host this year’s August 10 version (see chart for event schedule).
Lifeguard races draw thousands of spectators for events that test the strength, skill and leadership abilities of crews battling the Atlantic Ocean.
Most events include a doubles and singles row and a swim race. Some involve rescue boards, others include a two-mile run. Crews navigate boats to a buoy and then return. Doubles races and the swims last about 15 minutes, while the singles showdowns run about five minutes. Teams gain points for their placement in each category.
Women’s events have grown in recent years as well. Both Longport and Ocean City hold female races in July.
Navigating the ocean is the most significant task. Crews guide their boats over and through the waves, battle high winds and try to remain on course. The races inspire fierce rivalries. Participants must first win competitions within their patrol to represent it at the various championships. The process keeps lifeguards striving to improve in their readiness to save lives.
“The races inspire high morale with the lifeguards, who take their rescue responsibilities very seriously,” says Lou Cirelli, president of the South Jersey Lifeguard Chiefs Association. “It’s also a great way for the public to enjoy a free night out in the open. You can’t beat it.”
