'Raging Bull' Jake LaMotta Passes At 95!

He may have been one of the last of the first group of living legends in boxing.  Jake LaMotta, best known as "The Raging Bull," passed away on September 19th at the age of 95.

Mr. LaMotta (83-19-4, 30 KO's) was a legendary middleweight who was known for his no-nonsense style of boxing.  He is perhaps best known for his six-fight series with fellow legend Sugar Ray Robinson ("I fought Sugar Ray so much, I got diabetes").  Robinson won the first bout at Madison Square Garden in New York City on  contest on October 2, 1942 by 10-round unanimous decision.  However, Mr. LaMotta would give Robinson his first defeat on February 5, 1943 scoring a 10-round unanimous decision in Detroit, MI.

Twenty-one days later in the same Olympia Stadium in Detroit, the two would fight again with Robinson the victor by 10-round unanimous decision.

In June of 1949, Mr. LaMotta won the world middleweight title with a 10th round TKO over Marcel Cerdan in Detroit.  Cerdan hurt his shoulder in the first round and had to retire in the 10th.  Cerdan, who was from France, was on his way back to the United States for the rematch but he died in a plane crash.

Mr. LaMotta would defend the title twice before facing Robinson for the fourth time on February 14, 1951 in Detroit  Robinson won the title by 13th round TKO in what would be known as the "St. Valentine's Day Massacre."  Mr. LaMotta would take a beating in that contest but he never went down.

Throughout his career, Mr. LaMotta was involved with issues in and out of the sport.  In 1960, he admitted to throwing a 1947 fight because the mob would arrange a title bout for him.  In 1955, he would open a nightclub in Miami Beach, FL.  Two years later, he would serve six months in prison for promoting prostitution after a 14-year-old who was arrested said she plied her trade at LaMotta's club.

In 1970, Mr. LaMotta would write his autobiography, "Raging Bull: My Story."  In 1980, the book was made into the legendary movie "Raging Bull" starring Robert DeNiro.  The movie was nominated for eight Academy Awards and DeNiro won for Best Actor.

Mr. LaMotta was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1986 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. The Ring named him the fifth greatest middleweight of all time in 2004.

For many years, Mr. LaMotta was a fixture at the Fight Night Fight For Children event in Washington, DC.  I met him at the event in 1995 and I made the mistake of not leading off my interview by calling him "The Raging Bull."  He did not take kindly to my oversight.  Once the interview started, however, it went well.  He was a true character, one of the last we will ever see.  We send our condolences.