Police accuse wife in death of boxing champ Gatti

By TALES AZZONI, Associated Press Writer

SAO PAULO AP)—Brazilian authorities detained the wife of former boxing champion Arturo Gatti and formally accused her Sunday of killing him at a posh seaside tourist resort in Brazil.

Police said 23-year-old Amanda Rodrigues was taken into custody after contradictions in her interrogation and presented a formal accusation against her. Prosecutors will later decide whether she will be charged.

Rodrigues, who denies any involvement in her husband’s death, was the first to find the slain boxer’s body early Saturday inside the vacation apartment they were renting at the Porto de Galinhas resort in northeastern Brazil, police said.

The former junior welterweight champion was apparently strangled with the strap of a purse, which was found at the scene with blood stains, said Milena Saraiva, a spokeswoman for the Pernambuco state civil police. She told The Associated Press that the Canadian also sustained a head injury.

Police said Rodrigues, a Brazilian, could not explain how she spent nearly 10 hours inside the residence without noticing that Gatti was already dead.

Rodrigues told police she had a fight with Gatti after dinner Friday night and he pushed her to the ground during the altercation, causing her to sustain minor injuries to her elbow and chin. She told authorities Gatti was drunk and that a third party likely committed the crime after he went to the apartment by himself.

Witnesses had reported to police that the couple fought and that Gatti was drunk.

Authorities were told the couple was extremely jealous of each other and that Gatti constantly complained about her clothing when she traveled to Brazil, Saraiva said.

Acelino “Popo” Freitas, a four-time world champion Brazilian boxer, told Globo TV’s Web site on Saturday that he was a close friend of Gatti and his wife and that he “knew they were having some sort of problem and were about to separate.”

They had planned to spend one month in Brazil on vacation.

The couple’s 1-year-old son, who was unhurt, was handed to Rodrigues’ sister, Saraiva said.

The 37-year-old Gatti, whose epic trilogy with Micky Ward branded him one of the most exciting fighters of his generation, retired in 2007 with a career record of 40-9 and 31 knockouts.

Known for his straightforward punching and granite-like chin, Gatti captured the super featherweight title in 1995, when he defeated Tracy Harris Patterson in Atlantic City, N.J. He won the junior welterweight title in 2004.

Police detain wife of former boxing champion Gatti

By TALES AZZONI, Associated Press Writer

SAO PAULO (AP)—The wife of former boxing champion Arturo Gatti was detained as a suspect by Brazilian authorities Sunday following his death at a posh seaside resort.

Police said 23-year-old Amanda Rodrigues was taken into custody after contradictions in her interrogation. Gatti’s body was found early Saturday in a hotel room at the Porto de Galinhas resort in northeastern Brazil.

The former junior welterweight champion was apparently strangled with the strap of a purse, which was found at the scene with blood stains, said Milena Saraiva, a spokeswoman for the Pernambuco state civil police. She told The Associated Press that the Canadian also had a head injury.

The investigation was not complete, but Saraiva said authorities were preparing to present a formal accusation against Rodrigues, who denied being involved in her husband’s death.

Police said Rodrigues, a Brazilian, could not explain how she spent nearly 10 hours in the room without noticing that Gatti was already dead.

Police were investigating witness reports that the couple fought and Gatti was drunk when he returned to his room Friday night, Saraiva said, adding that police were told the pair were extremely jealous of each other and that he constantly complained of her clothing when she traveled to Brazil.

Acelino “Popo” Freitas, a four-time world champion Brazilian boxer, told Globo TV’s Web site on Saturday that he was a close friend of Gatti and his wife and that he “knew they were having some sort of problem and were about to separate.”

The couple’s 1-year-old son, who was unhurt, was with Rodrigues’ sister, Saraiva said.

The 37-year-old Gatti, whose epic trilogy with Micky Ward branded him one of the most exciting fighters of his generation, retired in 2007 with a career record of 40-9 and 31 knockouts.

Known for his straightforward punching and granite-like chin, Gatti captured the junior welterweight title in 1995, when he defeated Tracy Harris Patterson in Atlantic City.

STEVENS ANNIHILATES WILCZEWSKI

Star Boxing's Curtis "Showtime" Stevens (21-2, 15) showed why he is one of the most feared super middleweights in the world, with a sensational third round TKO over previously unbeaten Piotr Wilczewski (22-1, 7KO).

CURTIS "SHOWTIME" STEVENS W/ PROMOTER JOE DEGUARDIA

Stevens came out in the first round firing, eventually dropping Wilczewski hard with a right uppercut. Luckily for Wilczewski the end of the round was near and he was able to survive.

In the third a huge left uppercut from Stevens dropped Wilczewski hard again. He was able to get to his feet but was visibly still hurt. Stevens seized the opportunity and jumped all over Wilczewski. With Wilczewski being helplessly beaten against the ropes, the referee called a halt to the contest at 1:47 of the third round.

It was a huge win for Stevens as he showed why he is a serious contender in the super middleweight division.
Photo by Star Boxing Photographer Marty Rosengarten

Adamek beats Gunn to defend cruiserweight title

NEWARK, N.J. (AP)—Tomasz Adamek successfully defended his International Boxing Federation cruiserweight world championship Saturday night with a fourth-round technical knockout of Bobby Gunn.

Adamek, a Polish native who now lives in Jersey City, N.J., dominated the fight from the outset and improved his career record to 38-1 with 26 knockouts. Gunn, who hails from Hackensack, N.J., fell to 18-4-1.

Adamek stunned Gunn with a powerful overhand right in the fourth round, buckling the challenger’s knees, but he signaled to Adamek that he was not seriously hurt by shaking his head. Adamek appeared shocked that Gunn didn’t go down, especially after ending the round with a flurry of 17 unanswered punches.

After the bell, referee Earl Brown went to Gunn’s corner and stopped the fight, giving Adamek the victory.

“The doctor looked at the cut (over Gunn’s left eye) and recommended that I should stop it,” Brown said. “I was ready to give him a little longer.”

Gunn believed Brown should have.

“I didn’t even see the blood,” Gunn said. “I couldn’t believe he was stopping it. Honest to God, I wasn’t hurt. I could have gone on.”

Adamek, who was clearly ahead on all three cards, didn’t question Brown’s actions.

“It wasn’t my decision,” Adamek said. “I always believe in going into the ring healthy and leaving healthy. That should work for both of us. Obviously, the fans wanted to see more.”

Adamek used his left jab with ease in the first round, then scored at will in a clearly one-sided second round, hurting the challenger several times with an assortment of powerful right hands.

“My jab is my No. 1 weapon,” Adamek said. “Other than my straight right, I use the jab a lot.”

Although Gunn was the New Jersey native, it was clearly a pro-Adamek crowd, with several of the 7,000 or so fans waving the Polish national flag and chanting “Polska, Polska,” with every Adamek punch. Adamek fought for the third straight time at the Prudential Center and has become a crowd favorite in each of those bouts, all three victories.

Adamek used his left jab with ease in the first round, then scored at will in a clearly one-sided second round, hurting the challenger several times with an assortment of powerful right hands.

The shorter Gunn tried to counter with a left hook that scored a few times, but never really hurt the champion. Adamek displayed a host of combinations in the third round to take firm control of the bout.

“He tried something and it didn’t work,” Adamek said. “I realized what was going on. I’m an experienced fighter and it was a puzzle that was easy to solve. He got hit with a lot of hard shots.”