Gotti was a different breed than Galante. Apparently Lilo was the kinda guy who would go out and murder somebody personally if he wanted, regardless of his position at the top of the hierarchy.
He was unusually tough and fearless even in his 60s. He's been rumored to have participated in over 70 murders, most of which I wouldn't be surprised if he'd done them himself.
Of course he'd get his ass handed to him by a 200lbs black man, but that man would have to look over his shoulder the rest of his life as chances are Carmine would personally stick a pair of shears through his ear the day after.
Gotti was apparently good with his fists also but he was never as crazy and fearless, which is why he paid the AB to take him out.
I suspect a lot of these 'tough, fearless' mobsters are not quite as tough and fearless as they are often portrayed, at least not when they are in a one-on-one situation. It's easy to play the tough, fearless role when you have an army of henchman at your beck and call. And a guy like Gotti gets credited with being this prolific, vicious murderer and such, but how many guys did Gotti personally kill -- with his own hands? Barking out orders to underlings and having your henchman do the dirty work is how a lot of these guys build their 'vicious' reputations. A lot of these guys, of course, are evil and sinister and underhanded, but a lot of them are probably not really 'tough' or 'violent' themselves in a physical sense. And when you get a guy like Gotti and stick him in a prison without his army, all of a sudden he becomes mortal.
