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Vinny’s Views: Remembering Jake “The Raging Bull” LaMotta (1922 – 2017)

By Vinny “Glory Days” Lucci

A moment of silence as the ring bell chimes ten. Jake LaMotta has left the building as the world mourns the passing of one of its most colorful legends. Born Giacobbe LaMotta on July 10, 1922 to Italian immigrant parents and in short order learned to audition his tough charm on the mean streets of the Bronx as a child honing his fisticuffs abilities. He turned professional at 19 years of age against one Charley Mackley in New York City.

Jake won a four round decision and the wheels of a 106 bout career was sent in motion. He was scrappy, raw, tough and fearless. It didn’t take Jake long to earn his moniker in the ring of “Raging Bull” to which he used to pen his life story in 1970. Ten years later Robert Deniro won an Oscar portraying the iconic hard living boxer wherein director Martin Scorsese captured the gritty backstory to perfection illuminating Jake as a tortured soul on the border of martyrdom. The movie took best movie of the yearr honors as well as best of decade ten years later.

Standing 5’8” with a short wingspan of 67” LaMotta was an underrated boxer who would brawl his way inside the pocket and refuse to leave the gate on either side. When he couldn’t roll with a punch he had inhuman ability to simply absorb it. Not heavy handed he was a relentless force of nature who would wear his opponents down with sheer volume and his granite chin made him a contender to avoid once he cracked the rankings.

While compiling a record of 83-19-4, 30 KO’s he will be best remembered for waging war with the immortal Sugar Ray Robinson six times, winning the first bout in 1943 by decision and handing Robinson the first defeat on his ledger. Ray would win the remaining five bouts of the frenzied rivalry which culminated in the last meeting being known as the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre in 1951. Sugar stopped Jake in the 13th round of a very bloody affair and lifted his nemesis’s middleweight belt. Years later Jake would brag he fought Sugar so many times he got Diabetes.

LaMotta had won his only title from another legend Marcel Cerdan in 1949. In the first round, Jake in his over zealousness at finally getting his title shot flipped the champion over his shoulder the first time they clinched. It was not immediately known when he regained his feet that he dislocated his shoulder. The gallant French icon fought on until having to surrender his one armed defense on his stool just after the bell sounded for round ten.

Back in the glory days of brutal fifteen rounders, rematches and trilogies were expected and this one had mass appeal. Unfortunately after the contract was signed Marcel perished in a plane crash headed for the states to begin training.

These storied fights came on the heels of corruption unveiled by New York State Athletic Commission in 1947 where it was suspected the “fix” was in and purses withheld in a match against Billy Fox who won by fourth round stoppage when referee could no longer allow bout to continue with Jake obviously keeping both leather mitts in mothballs. Years later Jake testified before an FBI committee and admitted then and in his autobiography that he was forced to throw the bout in order to gain favor with the Mafia whose underworld ties back in the day controlled much of the sport. Lamotta’s “dive” was supposed to earn the book makers huge dividends when they bet on him to lose but Jake was a fighter, not an actor and no one believed his inept performance. He would wait two years and nine fights before getting his shot.

Jake made two successful title defenses against Tiberio Mitri and Laurent Dauthuille in 1950. The later defense would go down as fight of the year with the Bull salvaging the win with a brutal stoppage with thirteen seconds left on the clock. Between winning the title and making defenses he had four non-title bouts going 3-1.

After losing his undisputed belt and surrendering his lifelong dream to be champion Jake rose to light heavyweight where he had short lived run and called it quits after losing his final bout, a ten round decision to Billy Kilgore in 1954. He tasted the canvas only once in his entire career against Danny Nardico at 175.

His resume is littered with forgotten greats and many a tough bastard from the era who dared set foot in the ring with him. Matches with “Ironman” Tony Zale and good friend Rocky Graziano failed to materialize but Jake tackled the best of the rest. He got to enjoy his legacy more than sixty years after retiring.

Sadly Giacobbe passed in a Florida hospice due to complications from pneumonia on September 19th. His storied career and barn blazing lifestyle will live on etched in our memories for as long as pundits discuss boxing. Boxing writer and historian Bert Sugar once told me over drinks at Jimmy’s Corner in New York City that Jake was one of his favorite topics when sipping scotch among friends. When I inquired why, his retort through tears of laughter was, “Are you fucking kidding me?”

Good night Jake, you’ll be missed.

Stay tuned…

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