The boxing world has been left reeling as headlines have emerged about Arturo Gatti Jr., the 17-year-old son of the late champion, who was found dead in Mexico. He lived with his mother, Amanda Rodrigues. The news stunned the sport as the World Boxing Association released a statement that said, “The WBA and the boxing world mourn the passing of Arturo Gatti Jr. His journey was just beginning, yet his spirit will live on — now reunited with his legendary father among the stars.”

However, amidst the tragedy, questions have now arisen about the woman who raised him. Amanda Rodrigues’s life has been public and painful. She was at the center of the controversy after Arturo Sr. died in Brazil in 2009. She was detained, then released, and later won control of what remained of Arturo Sr.’s estate in a Quebec court. Through all this, she raised Junior, and now, with the loss of her son, questions persist.

Amanda Rodrigues’ Background and Her Relationship With Arturo Gatti Sr.

Amanda Rodrigues was 23 when Arturo Sr. died in July 2009. She married the champion in August 2007. Their son, Junior, arrived in 2008. After the death, Amanda wrote a long letter defending herself. She opened with, “I have been waiting for all the questions to be answered and all the accusations made against me to be corrected. I always knew that the truth would come out, as to my innocence. I believe in justice, especially the justice of God.”

As per reports, police in Brazil initially treated the case as a homicide. Rodrigues was detained for nearly three weeks, but she was never charged. Later, Brazilian authorities ruled the death a suicide. Still, doubts remained. An independent examination by Dr. Michael Baden, hired by Arturo Sr.’s manager, later concluded Gatti didn’t hang himself.

Throughout it all, Amanda Rodrigues always denied wrongdoing. She insisted the truth would surface. The Quebec Superior Court eventually awarded her what remained of Arturo’s estate in December 2011.

In her letter, she had revealed, “It has been very hard to wake up every day, knowing that my husband is no longer here with me. It comes down to the point that nobody knows my pain, unless you go through the same nightmare that I did.” After that storm, Amanda Rodrigues had to raise a child alone. How did she manage?

Raising Arturo Gatti Jr. After His Father’s Passing

After the dust settled, Amanda Rodrigues focused on her son. In her letter, she had said, “I am sure he will miss his father forever, but around great people that love him for the right reasons he will be fine. He has unconditional affection, love and care around my family and I. It has been an unexplainable pain for both Junior and I.”

Arturo Gatti Jr. grew up with boxing in his veins, and soon, training videos of the teenager began circulating online showing off sharp punches, quick footwork, and a determination that mirrored his father’s. He even trained under the watchful eye of Mike Tyson in one viral clip.

Rodrigues and her son lived for several years in Montreal before moving to Mexico, where Junior continued training. He had his eyes on the Olympics, the first step toward a pro career. At the time of writing, no further details about his tragic passing have come to light.

Where Is Amanda Rodrigues Now?

Today, Amanda Rodrigues grieves in silence. Reports from The Ring confirm that she continues to reside in Mexico, where her son’s life ended too soon. She has chosen not to speak publicly yet, a contrast to the media frenzy that followed her in 2009.

Still, her name remains intertwined with one of boxing’s most tragic sagas. Arturo Sr.’s death was one of the sport’s most polarizing mysteries. His brother Joe Gatti and daughter Sofia (from a previous relationship) remain his other surviving family members. Both were mentioned in past estate disputes and memorial tributes that kept the family’s story alive in headlines.

Sixteen years later, that same family has been struck again. Arturo Gatti Sr.’s former bodyguard, Chuck Zito, added his voice to the outpouring of tributes for the family as he wrote on social media, “It’s with a heavy heart that I have to say,…R.I.P. to 17-year-old Arturo Gatti Jr.”

From Brazil to Mexico, from championship rings to courtroom hearings, Amanda Rodrigues has lived under a storm that never fully passed. She once said, “We know that the truth would come out because our God is faithful.” As she mourns her only son, perhaps that faith, the same one that once held her together, will help her navigate this heartbreaking tragedy.