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MAYWEATHER'S TALK PROVIDES THE LIGHTNING AT NEW YORK PRESS CONFERENCE

By Danny Serratelli

"Thunder & Lighting" Strikes on June 25 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City

Arturo Gatti Defends his WBC Crown Against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the Year's Most Anticipated Showdown Live on Pay-Per-View

Arturo Gatti was absent from the press conference at the Copacabana, but Floyd Mayweather Jr. did enough talking for both of them. After they announced that Arturo was sick and would not be in attendance Floyd made sure that everyone was entertained. Floyd's uncle/trainer Roger started it up when he said whoopin him would be easy, but Arturo would be getting the “Ultimate Deluxe Package.” “The Black Mamba” went on to say, “I know he’s gonna come back with that Sylvester Stallone stuff, but then he’ll really get his ass whooped.”

Floyd was up next, and he said that he would dog Gatti, he said it was personal and while he respected Gatti as a man, he has no respect for him as a fighter. He said there is no real loser because both guys are making millions, but that the fight will be easy, and that basically he was getting free money. Floyd explained that Gatti was too flat footed, doesn’t move his head enough and that he bleeds too much to stand a chance. Floyd repeated how he has never lost and that there were six ways to beat Arturo and he was going to give him his seventh loss. He said there was no way the fight would go six rounds.

It took a while, but Buddy McGirt and Kathy Duva had their chance to answer back. Buddy said that he told Arturo to stay home because he was sick, and that he had the plan to beat Floyd. He continued that the fight wouldn’t come down to who was faster, but when the later rounds come it would be when “nuts and guts” would win the fight. Buddy said everyone knows Arturo had the nuts and guts to win, but no one knows if Mayweather did. However, he quickly pointed out that the reason no one knows if Mayweather did was because he has never been seriously tested, because he is usually dominant. Floyd reminded Buddy that he has never lost and that Gatti had 6 L’s on his record. Buddy answered by asking Floyd if he lost as an amateur and Floyd said no one ever beat him, and Buddy answered that Floyd had lost or else he would have won a gold medal.

Kathy Duva called out Uncle Roger, and said that Gatti, the Main Events fighter, would again be successful against the Mayweathers just as her fighters had been in the past. She said Gatti would either win a decision like Pernell Whitaker did against Roger, or would just knock him out early, like Rocky Lockridge did in the first round of their February 26, 1984 WBA championship bout. She said she wanted to offer a woman’s perspective since Roger had polled the audience’s women earlier.

A second press conference was announced for tomorrow at Gallagher’s Steak House, Gatti is expected to attend. It was announced that today was the Lightening press conference and tomorrow would be the Thunder presser. Tickets will start at $100 with ringside tickets going for $1000. The pay-per-view telecast has a suggested retail price of $44.95 and will be distributed by HBO pay-per-view.