Arturo Gatti’s Bodyguard Speaks Out

The 2009 death of Arturo Gatti is back in the spotlight, as his former bodyguard and close friend, Chuck Zito, has publicly claimed Gatti was murdered and the scene was staged to look like a suicide. 

Zito believes the two-weight world champion was a victim of foul play when he was found dead in a Brazilian hotel room in 2009. Although the police initially apprehended Gatti’s wife, Amanda Rodrigues, she was released with the police declaring it was a sucide. Zito made the claim following the recent news of the death of Gatti’s son, Arturo Gatti Jr. who was found hung in a Mexican apartment at just 17, where he was living with his mother Amanda Rodrigues. 

“I can’t comment on Arturo Gatti because not only was I his bodyguard and walked him into the ring for many of his fights, but he was also a very dear friend of mine, and I’m a little biased toward Arturo. If you love or are a fan of Arturo Gatti, watch Thunder: The Life and Death of Arturo Gatti on Amazon Prime. Arturo was murdered, and they staged it to look like a suicide. Watch and make your own decision,” Zito said 

Outside The Ring

Gatti’s legacy transcends the sport. A two-weight world champion (IBF Junior Lightweight and WBC Super Lightweight), Gatti was defined by his excitement factor. He became the sport’s greatest “action fighter” of his era and a first-ballot inductee into the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) in 2013. The cornerstone of this legacy is his three-fight trilogy with Micky Ward (2002-2003).

Gatti’s appeal was his unpredictability. Even in his defeats—such as his knockout losses to Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr.—he never failed to provide entertainment. He possessed genuine knockout power, and his combination of devastating body shots and hooks made him a threat until the final bell.