McGirt expects Jesse James to bring it

By Anthony Evans: One of the biggest potential fights on the horizon is a WBC junior welterweight title clash between Arturo Gatti and Floyd Mayweather Junior. Last weekend Mayweather did his part to set up what would be something of a super fight by beating the woefully overmatched Henry Bruseles but Gatti has a much higher final hurdle this Saturday when he faces Jesse James Leija in Atlantic City, NJ.

Gatti, as ever, has been professional in refusing to talk about the Mayweather fight in interviews. The New Jersey based Canadian clearly respects what aged warrior Leija brings into battle with him.

But just how live a challenger Jesse James is at 38 has split boxing opinion; some believe Leija is now a little too faded despite his schooling of Francisco Bojado last time out while others point out how well he did v Kostya Tszyu for six rounds two year ago.

Gatti says is expecting to win but after a fiercely contested fight and trainer Buddie McGirt is also of that opinion.

"No fight is a 'gimmie'," McGirt told SecondsOut Thursday night. "And Jesse James Leija is definitely no gimmie until Gatti has 'got it'. People want to talk about Mayweather but I'll talk Mayweather on Sunday. Then I'll talk all the Mayweather anyone wants me to."

The former world champion turned trainer of champions believes that the 38-year-old Leija could fight desperate. McGirt said: "Leija is bringing everything to this fight. His punch, his strength, his experience, everything he's been doing over the last 10, 15 years he's gonna show in this fight (because he knows it is his last shot). So we've prepared for everything that he could possibly do. "

And part of that preparation means no distractions, no talk Mayweather and plans for of Gatti's first ever pay-per-view appearance.

"In camp we've not even had a discussion about no Mayweather," McGirt said. "Arturo is looking forward to this fight Saturday night; the hardest part is over - the training - we're just relaxing now. But we're thinking about nothing but Leija. That's our focus."

A two-time winner of the SecondsOut Trainer of the Year Award, McGirt has steadily transformed Gatti from an all out slugger to a more refined fighting machine. Gatti's one-punch July 2004 KO of Leonard Dorin was perhaps the best stoppage win of Gatti's 38-6 (29) career. McGirt had Gatti working almost non-stop on body shots, reasoning that the squat Dorin wouldn't be used to taking them and the plan worked perfectly.

Now the trainer says he's got a similarly precise gameplan for Leija: "Like we did with (Leo) Dorin (last time out) who wasn't used to taking body shot I've noticed something with Leija. I won't say what, but you'll see it Saturday when we expose it."