Is Micky Ward’s Win Over Arturo Gatti or J.D. Drew’s ’07 ALCS Grand Slam a Bigger Boston Sports Moment?

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Aug 16, 2011

Is Micky Ward's Win Over Arturo Gatti or J.D. Drew's '07 ALCS Grand Slam a Bigger Boston Sports Moment? Micky Ward’s win over Arturo Gatti squares off against J.D. Drew’s grand slam during the 2007 ALCS in the first round of Boston’s Greatest Sports Moment tournament.

Is Micky Ward's Win Over Arturo Gatti or J.D. Drew's '07 ALCS Grand Slam a Bigger Boston Sports Moment?7. Micky Ward beats Arturo GattiSome boxers have talent. Others have heart. Micky Ward and Arturo Gatti had both. And both were on display on May 18, 2002, at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn., as Ward and Gatti kicked off their legendary trilogy of fights. Ward — whose classic story of an underdog boxer from Lowell, Mass., was the inspiration for Mark Wahlberg’s 2010 film The Fighter — exchanged punishment with Gatti for 10 vicious rounds. Ward knocked down Gatti with a left hook in the ninth round (called “The Round of the Century” by Emanuel Stewart) and eventually was declared the winner by majority decision. Ring Magazine dubbed the bout “The Fight of the Year,” and many sweet science experts consider Ward-Gatti I to be among the greatest fights of all time.

Is Micky Ward's Win Over Arturo Gatti or J.D. Drew's '07 ALCS Grand Slam a Bigger Boston Sports Moment?10. J.D. Drew’s 2007 ALCS grand slamThe hit has been called the $70 million grand slam. J.D. Drew joined the Red Sox as a free agent at the start of 2007 after signing a five-year, $70 million contract, and in many fans’ eyes, he paid back his contract in full on Oct. 20, 2007. After the Cleveland Indians took a 3-1 lead in the American League Championship Series, the Red Sox battled back to force Game 6. In the first inning, infield singles by Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis and a walk by David Ortiz loaded the bases for Drew with two outs. Drew blasted a grand slam to center field off Indians pitcher Fausto Carmona in front of the Fenway faithful, putting the Red Sox on course to come back from the brink of elimination in the ALCS for the second time in four years en route to another World Series title.

« 3. Havlicek steals ball vs. 14. Brady’s TD record | 2. Roberts’ steals vs. 15. ‘Building is vibrating’ »

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