Arturo Gatti “Post Fight(s)
LIKE MUHAMMAD ALI ISN’T PUNCHY
San Francisco, CA-There have been many studies on the head trauma caused by boxing, as well as other “contact” sports in general. Bottom line is that if you get hit in the head “”right”” and often, unless you’re a freak of nature, you will indeed suffer from the residual effects of being struck. Every time I bring up the two-world ranked Quarry brothers, Jerry and Mike, both of whom were diagnosed with Pugilistic Dementia, of which Jerry died from, people in the business try and counter with, ”Carmen Basilio and George Chuvalo took a lot of punches, and they’re fine today.” But, much like George Foreman winning the heavyweight championship at 45, they are the exception to the rule.
RECENT STUDY SAYS THREE STRIKES AND…..
An National Football League study says, ”Our research shows that three concussions may be the threshold for lasting damage.” Most high school gridiron participants are thought to have suffered three concussions before even graduating. I only had one concussion (I believe) in 19 years of off and on boxing. I can recall acting somewhat bizarre, if not outright foolish after a National Golden Gloves bout at the Showboat Hotel in Las Vegas.
NFL, BOXERS, MMA, PRO WRESTLING TOO!
Having for years followed the NFL, I was afforded the opportunity to spend some time around ex-NY Jets star Mark Gastineau, this in the early 90s as he pursued a fight with George Foreman. That being said, I was of the opinion that Mark was a victim of having had too many concussions. Unable to concentrate, his interviews, legendary in his NFL days, were reduced to useless gibberish. Of late, the NFL has woken up and more importantly individual athletes like Steve Young and Troy Aikman, they chose retirement over the risk of permanent (or further) brain damage. Athletes, boxers in particular are the last to realize when they become ”damaged” goods.
ALI & GATTI POSTER BOYS FOR PUNCH DRUNK?
Muhammad Ali should be the poster boy for a national medical board on contact sports in general. Forget the Parkinson’s mantra, Ali is ”damaged by boxing” plain and simple. To show you how boxing differs from other sports, the fighter more often than not, is used until he can no longer produce. When you realize that Ali was the most famous, prolific athlete of the 20th century, and yet nobody at ESPN, Sports Illustrated, or any boxing portal for that matter has the guts to come out and say that Ali is suffering the residual effects of professional boxing. When he is seen on TV, the commentators always offer the BS line, ”He suffers from Parkinson’s” which is true. But the bottom line is the damage he sustained neurologically from boxing is the reason he is in the condition he is.
PRICE PAID FOR BLOOD & VIOLENCE!
When an autopsy was done on pro wrestler turned serial killer Chris Benoit after he killed his wife and son several years ago, before taking his own life, it was revealed that Benoit had suffered so many (see chronic) concussions such that his brain resembled that of a 75-year old man with Alzheimer’s. When Ali dies, I’m sure that the results of the post-death exam will reveal much the same. The reality of this is that few fans really care about the athlete personally. Nobody was telling Arturo Gatti as he battled Mickey Ward and the like, that the residual effects of taking such punishment will in street terms, ”Muck you up.” No, the people surrounding him kept pushing him up the ring stairs, long after he couldn’t run up them himself because they were making money off Gatti.
DID GATTI END UP LIKE QUARRY OR ALI?
The $64,000 question that people like Arturo Gatti have to agonize over is whether or not he’ll end up like Jerry Quarry or Muhammad Ali, or be an exception like Chuvalo and Basilio? Unfortunately, the odds when looking at the big picture weren’t in Gatti’s favor before his suspicious death in 2009 in Brazil. In court hearings and police reports after his death, Gatti had emotional issues. That being said, the next time you watch a “war” on TV, take some time to realize the damage being inflicted on both participants. These guys fight for pride and potential riches, never taking into account the residual effects of having your brain knocked around. At the end of the day, nobody looks out for a shopworn boxer!
Pedro Fernandez
Note: Mr. Fernandez is an award-winning writer, TV commentator, radio talk show host, former San Francisco Policeman and four-time Golden Gloves champion. Comments regarding this submission can be left below.