By: Sean Crose
Ali-Frazier. Zale-Graziano. Fury-Wilder.
These are considered some of the greatest trilogies in boxing history – and rightfully so. Yet the three fights that went down around twenty years ago between Arturo Gatti and “Irish” Micky Ward still brings chills up the spines of fight fans. These were three absolute wars that occurred in 2002 and 2003 respectively. Ward won the first firght. Gatti won the two rematches. Fight fans won all three. The Ward-Gatti trilogy is still spoken of frequently to this day. In fact, I found myself discussing it with the owner of a local bar and grill just last week (a terrific painting of the two combatants in action hung on the wall).
Ward, who the movie The Fighter was based on, called it a career after the Gatti trilogy, while Gatti himself unfortunately passed in 2009. Although he’s long done with inside the ring action, Ward remains a popular in-demand presence on the fight scene. Hence, the popular Ward will be appearing Friday night in Atlantic City at the Boxing Insider card, which will be going down at the Tropicana. Fans looking for an autograph, or just a few words, with the legendary product of Lowell, MA should have plenty of opportunities.
To see the card live and in person, click on the link below: