8CN on the Set of Wahlberg's "The Fighter"

In a sad coincidence, I found myself in a room with thousands of people celebrating the life of Micky Ward last week while the boxing community was mourning the loss of his greatest opponent, Arturo Gatti.

Thousands showed up this past week to the Tsongas Arena in Lowell, MA to be extras in the filming of the movie The Fighter starring Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, a film based on the life of Ward.

Wahlberg was there looking more like Ward than I could have imagined. His hair cut short like Micky’s with his natural pale Irish-American skin and a chiseled physique. The white shorts and yellow boxing gloves brought back memories.

Bale, playing the part of Ward’s brother Dick Eklund, looked thin and frail. There was hardly any resemblance to his muscular frame he displayed in Batman and American Psycho. His body language and Boston accent was spot on though and his dedication showed why he’s one of the best male actors on Hollywood today.

I was told by a crew member that earlier in the week it was set up to look like a Las Vegas casino arena. However, on this day the crowd was told to wear suits and dresses as if they were attending a cocktail party. This was the filming of Ward’s 2000 fight against Shea Neary for the WBU light welterweight title. Seemingly, that belts significance will be hyperbolized in the movie.

Over and over Wahlberg and his opponent go through the motions of the fight and the crowd erupts and boo’s during different takes at the outcome of the fight. After one of the scenes where Wahlberg is celebrating the victory in the middle of the ring, the real Micky Ward arrived in the ring with his real championship belt to a rousing ovation from the entire arena.

Wahlberg and his opponent film the scene countless times. The choreography was spot on the acting live was impeccable. There’s even look alike's of Jim Lampley, Larry Merchant, and George Foreman calling the action from ringside.

The movie appears to be a fitting tribute to one of boxing’s true great warriors and I’m looking forward to seeing it when it hits theatres.

The following night I find myself at the Twin River casino in Lincoln, Rhode Island for a live fight card. During the show there was a 10 bell salute to another one of boxing's true great warriors: Arturo “Thunder” Gatti as well as another fallen friend in former world champ Alexis Arguello.

During the aftermath of their trilogy, Ward and Gatti became close friends and Ward even trained Gatti for his final fight. Their names will be linked together forever for the wars they waged on each other and the class and sportsmanship they displayed throughout.

It was just sad that I had to be a part of two opposing types of tributes to each men in such a short period of time.