TEWKSBURY, Mass., May 14 -- Based on what is commonly known about Arturo Gatti, there is a distinct possibility that he will be several pounds over the junior welterweight limit of 140 pounds when he steps into the ring on Saturday to face Micky Ward. But that's all right with Ward.

"As long as he makes weight on Friday, that's all I care," said Ward, who will face Gatti in a 10-round non-title bout Saturday Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn. "If you do that, you might be strong for two or three rounds, but it won't help you after that."

The 36-year-old Ward has fought his entire career at or around 140 pounds since he turned pro in 1985. "I've never had to kill myself to make weight," he said.

On Tuesday, Ward (37-11, 27 KOs) met with the Boston media at the World Gym in Tewksbury, just outside of his hometown of Lowell, Mass. He leaves for Mohegan Sun on Thursday.

Though Gatti has fought much of his career at 130 and 135 pounds, he does weigh as much as 170 between fights and would have to be considered the physically bigger man. To prepare for Gatti's size and power, Ward's training regimen included more strength training than it has in the past.

"I've done it in the past, but I've gotten away from it," said Ward, who also did many training runs up a rather steep hill in Lowell. "It's just something I do for myself, to be stronger. I'm not going to say I'm in the best shape of my life because that's bad luck. As long as I give it 100 percent, that's all I ask."

At this point in his career, Ward also needs to keep winning. Gatti (34-5, 28 KOs) is coming off an impressive fourth-round TKO victory over Terronn Millett, in which he showed improved boxing skills.

Ward hopes to turn the fight into the kind of brawl that makes this matchup as attractive as it is to many fight fans, but at the same time, he wants to be in a position where he will not have to taste Gatti's power.

"We have a couple of different game plans," said Ward, who is trained by his brother Dick Eklund. "I don't want to be on the end of his punches. If I could get him into his old style that would be to my advantage."

In Ward's last two defeats to Antonio Diaz and Jesse James Leija, he fell behind on the scorecards early. Against Diaz, he rallied in the later rounds, but couldn't make up the deficit and lost a 10-round decision.

Against Leija, a cut above Leija's eyes forced the fight to be stopped in the fifth round. Referee Laurence Cole ruled it was caused by a head butt (though HBO's replays indicated the more likely cause was a left hook from Ward). Leija was ahead on points and won the technical decision. This time, Ward hopes to get out to a faster start than usual.

"I can't put myself behind the eight-ball again," he said. Ward challenged Vince Phillips for the International Boxing Federation junior welterweight title in 1997 and was stopped on cuts in the third round.

In 2000, he won the World Boxing Union title when he stopped Shea Neary in the eighth round, but had to surrender the belt when he lost to Diaz in a non-title contest. There is no title at stake on Saturday, but Ward believes this fight is much bigger than either of those bouts.

"This is do or die," he said.