Who was Amanda Rodrigues? Arturo Gatti Jr’s mother was arrested for boxing legend Arturo Gatti’s suspicious death

The recent death of 17-year-old Arturo Gatti Jr. in Mexico has reopened one of boxing's most tragic and controversial incidents, the unanswered question of the death of his father, Arturo "Thunder" Gatti, in 2009, and any possible involvement from his mother, Amanda Rodrigues, who had been both accused and cleared of her father's murder.

Amanda Rodrigues, originally from Brazil, gained notoriety when she was dating Arturo Gatti. At that time, Gatti was a two-division world champion boxer whose ferocious fighting style and classic trilogy against Micky Ward made him one of boxing's most adored fighters prior to his sudden and suspicious death in July of 2009.

At the time, Gatti and Rodrigues were on vacation in Porto de Galinhas, a luxury resort town in northeastern Brazil. According to reports from Brazilian police, Gatti was found dead in the couple's rented apartment, with the initial findings suggesting he had been strangled with the strap of a handbag.

🚨 Você viu isso? 😱🔥 Arturo Gatti Jr Morte, Amanda Rodrigues Arturo Gatti, Arturo Gatti Causa da Morte, Amanda Rodrigues Gatti e Arturo Gatti Record estão viralizando nas redes 📱💥 — o caso voltou a explodir no Twitter e ninguém consegue parar de falarhttps://t.co/LJqporM5Fc pic.twitter.com/kvEKnP05HN

— Jakob Godfrey (@Bucks_jakob) October 9, 2025

Rodrigues, who was 23 at the time, told police that the couple had had an argument the previous night after dinner and that Gatti had, allegedly while intoxicated, pushed Rodrigues to the ground.

Rodrigues was first taken into custody after authorities had discovered discrepancies between her statements and the evidence that was found at the scene.

They also learned that witnesses described the couple's relationship as "volatile, jealous and argumentative." However, in a matter of a few weeks, the Brazilian police changed direction in the case and changed the cause of Gatti's death from homicide to a hanging suicide. Rodrigues was released from custody after spending almost a full three weeks in jail.

The outrage among the Gatti family and Arturo Gatti Jr.’s recent death

Gatti's family and friends were outraged by the decision, and many would not accept that the fighter had died by suicide. They said he had unexplained injuries, blood evidence, and they described his autopsy as incomplete.

Fabrizio, Gatti's brother, and family friend Jeremy Filosa said Gatti had just updated his will to leave his entire estate, including a life insurance policy with a cash value of approximately $1 million, to Rodrigues just three weeks before his death. Allegedly, this excluded his mother, brothers and sisters, and even his 1-year-old son, Arturo Jr.

Following skepticism about the Brazilian investigation, Gatti’s family ordered a second necropsy in Montreal, performed by famed American pathologist Dr. Michael Baden.

According to CBS News, Baden later said that the initial autopsy was partial and had failed to include important injuries Gatti had suffered, implying they could have resulted from foul play. But despite new investigations, there was never any proof that Brazilian authorities were wrong when they called his death a suicide.

Reports suggest Arturo Gatti Jr. was in Mexico with his mother, Amanda Rodrigues, according to TVA Nouvelles. A neighbor discovered the teenager h*****g in the apartment. The exact circumstances remain under investigation. No official cause of death has been announced. https://t.co/fbl7jwcntX

— 112 Fighting Sports (@112FIGHTNSPORTS) October 8, 2025

Rodrigues has consistently proclaimed her own innocence and has denied having anything to do with Gatti’s murder. Gradually, she faded from public view, raising their son, Arturo Gatti Jr., who not long ago also followed in his father’s footsteps as a young boxer.

Unfortunately, history appears to have repeated itself, as in October 2025, it was announced that Arturo Gatti Jr. had been found dead in his Mexico apartment, which he shared with Rodrigues.

He was found hanging, eerily reminiscent of his father’s death 16 years earlier, according to early reports. The death remains under investigation by authorities, and no official cause of death has been released. Questions regarding both deaths linger, as the world grieves the loss of another member of the Gatti family.