Articles of 2009
Arturo Gatti's Death Now Ruled A Suicide
Boxer Arturo Gatti's death has now been ruled a suicide, authorities in Brazil say, and his wife has been released from custody after being accused of murdering the 37-year-old former fighter.
Gatti was found dead in a hotel room on July 11, in a seaside resort during a vacation with his wife Amanda and son Arturo Jr.
Cops arrested the wife, theorizing that she strangled an intoxicated Arturo with a purse strap. That theory was met with initial skepticism in some quarters; some wondered how Gatti, even if weakened with alcohol, was not able to stave off the attack.
A Brazilian judge, according to the AP, ruled that, “The victim….committed suicide by hanging.” The two-time titlist, who retired in 2007 with a 40-9 mark, is the second top caliber boxer to kill himself this summer. Hall of Famer Alexis Arguello took his own life in Nicaragua on July 1st.
The double shock to fight fans shines a light on the difficulty some athletes have after they hang up the gloves. The applause, the revenue, the reason for being–all are removed from the table, and replacing them, or accepting a radically different life can be overwhelming for some.
Gatti fans are left pondering if the ruling of suicide is in some ways more of a tragedy than the determination that he'd been murdered. For someone with children–Gatti leaves behind three-year old Sofia from a previous relationship–to choose to take their own life is perhaps more poignant, more distressing than them being murdered.
-
Featured Articles3 weeks ago
The Hauser Report: Cinematic and Literary Notes
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
Oscar Duarte and Regis Prograis Prevail on an Action-Packed Fight Card in Chicago
-
Book Review3 weeks ago
Mark Kriegel’s New Book About Mike Tyson is a Must-Read
-
Featured Articles1 week ago
The Hauser Report: Debunking Two Myths and Other Notes
-
Featured Articles2 weeks ago
Moses Itauma Continues his Rapid Rise; Steamrolls Dillian Whyte in Riyadh
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
Rahaman Ali (1943-2025)
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
Top Rank Boxing is in Limbo, but that Hasn’t Benched Robert Garcia’s Up-and-Comers
-
Featured Articles3 weeks ago
Kotari and Urakawa – Two Fatalities on the Same Card in Japan: Boxing’s Darkest Day