Jake LaMotto Fought During the Same Time as Sugar Ray RobinsonThis is a story of a great middleweight Boxer from the 1940's era. Giacobbe La Motta born 10th July 1921 in Bronx New York USA known in the boxing world as Jake LaMotto nicknamed the Bronx Bull and Raging Bull who had a professional boxing record of 110 fights winning 83, losing 19 and 4 draws. He was recognised as a fighter who had the best chin in boxing over the last 75 years. His life story was portrayed by actor Robert De Niro in the 1980 film a called Raging Bull directed by Martin Scorsese and adapted by by Paul Schrader and Mardik Martin from the memoir Raging Bull: My Story is a book written by Jake LaMotto himself. Jake LaMotto fought during the same time as Sugar Ray Robinson whom he fought on six occasions. He is remember as the first boxer to damage Robinson's unbeaten record of 41 professional fights without loss. Jake LaMotto began boxing at very early age when his father set him to fight other kids in the neighbourhood for the entertaining adults. Jake LaMotto Had Clever Ways of Rolling With PunchesEven then he was a crowd puller and this encouraged the adult spectators throw money at Jake after each fight. Monies that were usually of pennies, nickels and dimes that helped pay the rent at home. LaMotto continued his fight entertainment against other kids until he was sent to a reformed school, but soon after spending some time in reformed school, Jake LaMotta decided to become a professional fighter. LaMotto became a pro-boxer in 1941 at the age 19. Jake LaMotto was an extremely clever boxer boxer who knew how to implement the nuances of the fight game with accuracy of precision. Jake LaMotto had a clever way of rolling with punches from his opponents and was able to absorb punches with minute problems, this enables him to minimise any damage the punches would cause. He had a special way of making fighters whom he fought, thinks that he was a spent force during a fight by playing possum in the ring, lulling opponents into a false sense of confidence. "The Bronx Bull." Jake LaMotto Contested a Six Fight Series With Ray RobinsonGod help the fighter who fell for his play acting for this allowed LaMotto unleash his own ferocious aggressive style of attack that usually left most of his oponenent in a helpless state. Above all, Jake LaMotto was blessed with a tremendous determination to win. For his style of aggressiveness boxing fans nicknamed him the "The Bronx Bull." Jake LaMotto contested a six fight series with the great Sugar Ray Robinson which undoubtedly defines the boxing career of the man. Their rivalry began in 1942, when Sugar Ray Robinson won the first fight by a ten round decision. In their next fight Jake LaMotta reverse the decision when he knocked Sugar Ray Robinson down in the first and almost knocked him out. LaMotta top mark of their rivalry came in the eighth round of their second fight when he knocked Robinson through the rope, but Robinson survived using his classic style to stop LaMotta to bully him. Jake LaMotto Pressure From The Mod Was Forced to Take a Dive Under Robinson would win the next two fights they fought. After their two fights encounter LaMotto was kept busy fighting loads of other top ranked contenders beating world class fighters ranging from welterweight to light heavyweight. Among his victims were Fritzie Zivic, George Kochan, Tommy Bell, Bert Lytell, Jose Basora, Bob Satterfield, Holman Williams and Tony Janiro. His only set back that caused him frustration was the that boxing was controlled by mobs and he was devoid of getting a world title fight. In desperation to satisfy the underworld mobs boxing controllers he had to agree to take a dive against a fighter called Billy Fox in exchange for a title fight. Jake LaMotta lucky chance came on June 16, 1949 when a world title challenged was set up against France's world champion Marcel Cerdan. LaMotto won the title in the 10th round by TKO. The two were scheduled to meet in a rematch but the plane carrying Cerdan back to the United States crashed killing everyone on board. LaMotto Defend His World Middleweight Title Against Sugar Ray RobinsonIn 1950, LaMotta successfully defended the crown against Tiberio Mitri and Laurent Dauthuille. Trailing on the scorecards, LaMotta staged a miraculous 15th round knockout of Dauthuille to retain his belt. Then in 1951, Sugar Ray Robinson placed a challenge for LaMotta's world middleweight boxing crown. The first seven rounds of the fight was pure aggression as Robinson tried to outbox the raging LaMotta. Like a skilled Matador in a bull ring, Sugar Ray Robinson tried to spike the Raging Bull with a combinations of rapid punches but the Raging Bull is made of true grit, he was able to match Sugar Ray Robinson with his own barrage of combinations shots in the early rounds of the fight. The eighth round saw Sugar Ray gaining the upper hand, but in the tenth and the eleventh rounds. LaMotta made gallant efforts as he moved forward and threw his own set of punches back at Sugar Ray Robinson. |
The Spirits of Jake LaMotta The thirteenth round saw Sugar Robinson pressuring LaMotto with rapid combination of blows after blows on a defenceless LaMotta before the referee stepped in to stopped the fight. Jake LaMotta's unyielding spirit kept the Raging Bull on his feet. At the end of fight, LaMotta supposedly to have said, "Ya didn't put me down, Ray." "Ya didn't put me down." It was a thrilling encounter. The fight that would haunt Jake LaMotta for the rest of his life was the fight he lost to Billy Fox. In 1953, Jake LaMotta confessed to the FBI about the fix during an investigation of the underground mob's control of boxing and this would forever leave an indelible tainted on the spirited Jake LaMotta boxing career. | |
