Police Detain Wife In Boxer's Death

(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.

[TheMasses0009]

One .... two .....three ......



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Ummmmmm ..... GET UP!!!!!!!!!!

[coronalu]

You all must live in lala land thinking that a person that would be considered lighter in weight and size and not as strong as another can knock another person out. Are you all nuts? He had a HEAD WOUND! Do you get it, he got hit on his head, you can be sitting on a chair and someone,someone small can come from behind you with a bat and bop you big time, trust me, you and really, anyone of us, we are going to be knocked out cold and brother, when you are out, you are out, she could have cut off the family jewels if she wanted to, but no, she chose to strangle him. RIP, Arturo, it was great watching you live in the ring, what a heart, not to many like you have graced the boxing ring.

[stickdog3]

For once I agree with the majority of the posters. Theres no way she could have strangled him by herself. However, late last nite I saw where they're saying he was drunk, when the two had a fight, earlier that evening. If thats the case, than she coulda hit him hard enough in the head to render him unconsious, than strangle him. But, still, it takes a lot of strentgh to strangle someone, its not like you see in movies or on tv takes them 5 or 10 seconds. In real life it would take up to 10 minutes of sustained pulling at maximum strength. Anyways, its sad, and I hate to see him go out like that, his friends were saying he objected to the way she dressed when they travelled to Brazil, men are always conscious of stuff like that, some want admit it, but they are sensitive about this. Thats why when you meet these people always pay attention, don't just fall for the appearance, listen at them, look at their behavior, and, actions, do they throw tantrums, do they cut you off constantly in mid sentence, do they pay you attention, are they constantly shifting around, do they have that sassiness about them, do they talk back, or over you? When you're out with them do they constantly try and get you to go run get things, are they constantly looking at and conversing with other men longer than usual? These things sound trivial maybe, but, trust me, they can loom large in your life in the long term. In other words pay attention when you meet these women out here in this World. The physical appearance is only one component, her mind and brain, and her ways are the primary components. Pay attention.

[TheMasses0009]

I feel like I've just been schooled .................

[califmike]

Let's see - drunk - head injury - doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out. Brute strength to stangle a knocked out drunk - I don't think so. And neither does the police.

[babooph]

Ain't love grand?

[12345-908903]

Agree with other posters. She would have had to be extremely strong to have successfully strangled him. More likely that she would have needed assistance.

[John_Merritt]

If anybody is stupid enough to think she acted alone, they are lacking in knowledge and sense. The man was a brute. That is not to say she was not involved, but there was someone bigger and stronger than Gatti, that took him out. I THINK!

She could have knocked him senseless with a solid object and than strangled him with her purse strap, but it takes a lot of hand and forearm strength to strangle someone.

[beaumuff]

what was his wife, the heavy weight champ?

[excoachken]

Gatti never thought she would counter punch.