GATTI LITERAL THUNDER IN QUICK BLITZ OF DORIN

Arturo Gatti has been hailed as one of boxing’s pure warriors since he turned pro13 years ago but rarely has he been as destructive as the second round knockout he laid on Leonard Dorin defending his WBC super lightweight crown Saturday in Atlantic City.

It was the kind of explosion a near-sellout of 12,000 in Boardwalk Hall expected from the 32-year-old Gatti but not such a punishing left hook to the rib cage so early when the previously unbeaten Dorin was counted out at 2:55 by referee Randy Neumann.

The finisher, known in the trade as a “liver shot”, was a classic that raked Dorin’s exposed torso when the latter had his gloves up to partially block Gatti’s left-right. It was like a delayed-reaction as the WBC’s No.1 contender let his right knee touch the canvas and the other leg followed. Now crouched in a ball. it was clear that Dorin could not rise as Neumann began his “ten” count.

In the prefight hype on strategy, both fighters said neither cared whether his opponent chose to box or slug it out. However, from the first bell, it was Gatti controlling the action, coming in at 5’7” for a three-inch height advantage, plus seven inches with his 70-inch reach.

And the super plus for Gatti, who moved to Jersey City, N.J.in1991 after being raised in Montreal, was joining forces five fights ago in 2002 with former champion James “Buddy” McGirt, who has emerged as one of the game’s top trainer.

McGirt was the big factor in convincing Gatti there
are more years in his career by boxing more and fighting in slugfests with his face much less.

Dorin, 34, who was born in Romania and ironically, settled in Montreal, seemingly held his own with the swifter champion in the first round but it was clear it was going to be long night avoiding Gatti’s jab in what was his 18th fight in Atlantic City.

For weeks fight buffs on the eastern seaboard were speculating on whether Dorin, with his 22-0-1,8 KOs resume, might have the kind of skills to impersonate the slick Micky Ward in that epic trilogy with Gatti. Even though ringsiders got the message in the first round, much earlier this ambitious champ shot down the idea, declaring “this guy doesn’t have Micky”s chin nor his class.”

Modest as he is, Ward, sitting ringside, would agree Agatti said it right.
Unless you were watching HBO’s telecast between rounds, you wouldn’t know the scenario would change.

Gatti, certain to raise his ledger to 38-6, 29 KOs, moved around Dorin with the jab like he invented it. Though considered in Romania as its most popular athlete since gymnast Nadia Comaneci, Dorin, the Olympic gold medalist at the 1976 Montreal Games, simply couldn’t cope with Gatti’s offense.

When gutsy Dorin did land a light combination, he paid a big price as Gatti moved, turned in either direction and landed jabs, hooks, and uppercuts and was now moving more to the body with hooks on both sides.

“When I came back to my corner after the first round, my trainer (Buddy McGirt) told me to use my speed and work with my jab. Since I had the height and reach edge, Buddy said ‘forget the head, and go to the body”. He said “some people in with short people don’t go to the body, but I want you to go downstairs like we worked in camp at Vero Beach. That’s what I did, using the jab to set up the hook and Dorin was wide open.”

Perhaps Dorin didn’t realize he was a open target when he still had those gloves protecting his face. The TV tape showed you how deep that “liver shot” hook damaged Dorin. I don’t know how well the average boxing fan really understands the impact of that punch. I’ve seen it in some prelims, semi-windups, main events and world title bouts.

The recipient is rarely knocked out, it’s very painful and his legs are useless.

Dorin, who is trained by Stephan Larouche, Abe Pervin and Andre Kulesza, is a better fighter than that effort against Gatti might indicate.

Perhaps Dorin’s bigger disappointment came when he fought IBF lightweight king Paul Spadafora on May 17, 2003 in Pittsburgh, Pa., the latter’s home town. Most ringsiders agreed that Dorin out-hustled and did enough offensively to merit the decision. Three judges called it a controversial draw. One tab for Dorin read 115-113 while another score was 115-114 for Spadafora and on a third ballot it was a 114-114.

Dorin, earning $500,000, told HBO’s Larry Merchant “this was the first fight in my life that I had a body shot that sent me like that. I have always got up and what happened was Gatti was able to control the fight and had lots of energy. That’s why boxing is such a good game when one shot can do it.”

Ringside Dr. Kenneth Remsen told the Associated Press that Gatti’s punch took Dorin’s breath away and caused his stomach to spasm and possibly he might have suffered a fractured rib.

Gatti, who earned $1.75 million for the brief night in the ring and has had 13 one-round knockouts in his career, indicated he will be looking at the top guns in the 140-pound division for his second defense of the WBC belt he won from Gianluca Branco on a decision last Jan.24 in A.C.

“I’ll fight anybody out there who is at the top. Tell Floyd Mayweather,Jr., I hope he wants me as bad as I want him. Spadafora is a possibility and there are some others that have to be in the mix. Getting out of here early with no broken bones is great. If possible, I’d like to fight all my fights in Atlantic City. Great fans,” Gatti reflected.

LEIJA OFF THE FLOOR FOR SLICK UPSET OF BOJADO

Jesse James Leija, rebounding quick from a second round knockdown, showed promising Francisco “Panchito” Bojado some things he still has to learn en route to a 10-round split decision upset in Main Events Promotions semi-final Saturday at Boardwalk Hall.

It was an all-around impressive effort by the 37-yea-old Leija who has now won five of his last six starts and had to take the final round that Bojado needed to salvage the victory.

Leija, a former WBC super featherweight champion from San Antonio, Tx. kept backing up Bojado in the 10th round with assorted combinations and it was enough to catch the eye of two judges. George Hill and John Stewart both tabbed Leija winning 96-94 while Luis R ivera saw it 95-94 for Bojado.

Bojado, a 21-year-old phenom from Guadalajara, Mx. based in East Los Angeles, is the WBC Continental Americas welterweight crown but it was not at stake along with the IBA junior welter which he includes of his 15-2, 11 KOs credentials.

Bojado. at 17 the youngest member of Mexico’s 2000 Olympic team competing in Australia, built an early reputation as a vicious body puncher after turning pro on Jan.13, 2001,to start a run of nine straight victories

The first snag came Feb.16, 2002 when Juan Carlos Rubio scored a 10 round upset. It cost Bojado the two titles he now holds, having won them back when he beat Rubio in 12 rounds last Nov.22 in Houston.

Leija, trained by the veteran Ronnie Shields, exchanged with an anxious opponent who was16 years his junior and Bojado brought the house to the edge of the seats when he caught the tough Texan with a left hook on the jaw late in the second round.

Leija rolled over on his side and had no trouble beating referee Earl Morgan’s count.

Leija didn’t let Bojado pressure any advantage in the third round and scored well inside before the bell. Leija gave his more heralded adversary bad angles moving behind three and four-punch volleys. Leija’s handiwork that kept Bojado backing up and nullifying his vaunted offense got the popular underdog back in the chase, having won rounds five and sixth.

Leija’s combinations to the head and body made it anybody’s decision going into the 10th round. There were several junctures when the Lone Star State’s hero strongly controlled the now slow-footed Bojado who as of late was fielding more than he was throwing.

“Nojado is a tough kid. and he hits very hard the first five rounds he caught me once and I went down, but
when I got up, I did my thing. When it got to the eighth or ninth rounds, I thought to my fight, “Man, I got this fight.”

(Jack Welsh is a syndicated columnist headquartered in Las Vegas and a contributor to Ringsports.com and other national sports publications.)