Jake Paul has led tributes to Arturo Gatti Jr, the 17-year-old son of boxing legend Arturo Gatti, who has been found dead in Mexico. The YouTuber-turned-boxer described the teenager’s death as ‘very sad’, adding that he was ‘a young man with so much potential’.
Gatti Jr, a promising amateur boxer with dreams of turning professional, was found dead on Tuesday (7 October). His coach Moe Latif and family friend Chuck Zito confirmed the news. Canadian TVA Nouvelles reported that he was in Mexico with his mother, Amanda Rodrigues.
Former WBC light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal also paid tribute, saying both father and son were ‘gone too soon’. Gatti Sr died in Brazil 16 years ago, initially treated as a homicide before being ruled a suicide. He was a two-weight world champion and was posthumously inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2012.
Gatti Jr had been training regularly, including with Mike Tyson, and was preparing to step into the professional ranks. However, there was confusion around a planned fight in mid-2025, with a poster released before he reportedly disappeared from the undercard and deleted promotional materials. In his last social media posts, he paid tribute to his father, vowing to carry forward his legacy.
