Gatti Stops Patterson With Night Of 1,000 Punches

IBF junior lightweight champion Arturo Gatti scored a unanimous 12-round decision over Tracy Patterson on Saturday.

In a rock-‘em, sock-‘em sequel to the 1995 bout in which Gatti took away Patterson’s title, Gatti dominated throughout with solid, relentless punching as Patterson was forced to play defense.

Judge Robert Exton favored Gatti 118-108, George Hill had it 117-109 and David McCullough scored it 116-110.

In the fight, Gatti was credited with throwing 1,031 punches and Patterson only 354.

“I used my head more compared to the first fight,” Gatti said, referring to that Dec. 15, 1995 battle against Patterson.

“My face feels much better than it did the last time,” even though his left eye was cut and almost closed by the end of the bout.

Gatti, 24, from Jersey City, N.J., is 27-1. Patterson, 32, of New Paltz, N.Y., dropped to 57-5-1. Each weighed the class limit of 130 pounds.

Patterson scored a first-round knockdown but it was called off by referee Rudi Battle because of a low blow. TV replays showed the punch was at about the waistline.