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HBO SPORTS TO COMMEMORATE THE CAREER OF ARTURO GATTI WITH SPECIAL REPLAY OF ONE OF BOXING’S ALL-TIME GREAT TRILOGIES

ARTURO GATTI VS. MICKY WARD I, II & III JULY 17 AND JULY 18

After televising 21 of Arturo Gatti’s riveting portfolio of professional prizefights from 1995 to 2007, HBO Sports will commemorate the career of former two-time world champion Arturo Gatti, with a special presentation of his classic trilogy when ARTURO GATTI VS. MICKY WARD I, II & III is seen FRIDAY, JULY 17 (9:00 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO2 and Saturday, July 18 (10:15 a.m. ET/PT) on the main HBO service.  The three fights will air consecutively on both days.

HBO On Demand availability: July 20 – Aug. 16.

Arturo Gatti, 37, was found dead Saturday in Brazil.

Regarded by boxing historians as one of the great trilogies in boxing history, the three-fight series between the two junior welterweights featured no belts or championships on the line, but included 30 total rounds of non-stop action, remarkable displays of will and fortitude and unparalleled sportsmanship.  The series began on May 18, 2002 in Uncasville, Conn. as an HBO “Boxing After Dark®” presentation with Ward staging a surprising upset victory in an all-out battle.  USA Today praised the fight, saying “the ninth round is one of the greatest action-filled [moments] in history.”  The two met again on Nov. 23, 2002 in Atlantic City on HBO’s “World Championship Boxing” and Gatti bounced back with a unanimous decision victory.  The epic series concluded with another brilliant effort by both fighters on HBO on June 7, 2003 in Atlantic City, with Gatti scoring a unanimous decision victory.

A Montreal native, Gatti (40-9, 31 KOs) fought out of Jersey City, NJ and was one of boxing’s brightest stars during his exciting career.  Ward, now 43, long known for his dogged determination and ring workmanship, hails from Lowell, MA and retired as an active fighter after the three showdowns with Gatti.  Ward later trained his former opponent in the closing chapter of Gatti’s professional career.