Sports Desk
09 October 2025, 12:52 PM IST
Seventeen-year-old Arturo Gatti Jr, son of boxing legend Arturo “Thunder” Gatti, was found dead in Mexico — in circumstances hauntingly similar to his father’s mysterious death 16 years ago.
A file photo of young boxer Arturo Gatti Jr., whose untimely death in Mexico mirrors the mysterious demise of his father, legendary fighter Arturo “Thunder” Gatti, 16 years ago. Photo: X
The boxing world has once again been plunged into shock and sorrow after 17-year-old Arturo Gatti Jr, son of the late boxing legend Arturo “Thunder” Gatti, was found dead earlier this week in Mexico — in circumstances eerily reminiscent of his father’s mysterious death 16 years ago.
According to reports, Gatti Jr. was discovered hanging inside an apartment in Mexico on Monday, October 7, 2025. He lived there with his mother, Amanda Rodrigues.
The news was first made public by actor and former bodyguard Chuck Zito, a close friend of Gatti Sr, who shared the tragic update on social media.
“He was found hanging in the apartment — the same way they found his father,” Zito wrote, underscoring the chilling similarity that has left fans stunned.
The teenager’s longtime coach, Moe Latif, later confirmed the news, posting: “It’s not a rumour or a joke. Arturo is gone. Please respect the family’s privacy.”
Tributes poured in from across the boxing fraternity, remembering the young athlete as a prodigy poised to carry forward his father’s legacy.
“He had the heart, the fire, the name — he was going to be the next superstar,” one fan wrote, as condolences flooded social media.
Despite the public grief, questions loom large. While those close to the family have claimed Gatti Jr died by hanging, Mexican authorities have yet to issue an official cause of death or determine whether foul play was involved. The investigation remains open.
The haunting parallels are impossible to ignore. In 2009, Arturo Gatti Sr, a two-division world champion celebrated for his relentless fighting style and indomitable spirit, was found dead in a hotel room in Porto de Galinhas, Brazil.
His death was first investigated as a homicide, and Rodrigues — his wife at the time — was briefly detained. However, Brazilian authorities later ruled the cause as suicide by hanging.
That ruling has remained shrouded in controversy ever since. Friends, fans, and former associates of Gatti Sr have long contested the official account, insisting that the boxer could never have taken his own life.
Now, with the sudden and similarly unexplained death of his teenage son, those old suspicions have resurfaced — and the tragedy of the Gatti family feels painfully cyclical.
As the investigation unfolds in Mexico, one thing is clear: for boxing fans worldwide, the story of the Gattis has once again turned from glory to grief — a legend’s legacy shadowed by unanswered questions.
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