Jake LaMotta dead: 'Raging Bull' boxing legend dies aged 95

International Business Times ^ | 9/20/2017 | Josh Robbins

[Borges]

Jake LaMotta – the legendary boxer depicted by Robert DeNiro in Raging Bull – has died, aged 95.

A Facebook account, belonging to his daughter Christi, posted a tribute to him yesterday evening (19 September). It read:

"Jake LaMotta July 10, 1922 - September 19, 2017 – Rest in Peace Pop."

Well-wishers have queued up to give their condolences to Christi and sing the praises of one of boxing's all-time greats.

Patti Fazzino wrote: "Dear Christi, I am so sorry to lose your Dad. He is in my heart. Look at it like this, all the North Miami Beach Italian men are with him.

"Believe me that my Dad and Grandma are with him in a better place.My prayers are for you and you family. The is not easy.... Again, I am with you."

A source close to the family reported that LaMotta had been battling pneumonia in recent weeks, but added that the middleweight legend stayed "fighting to the end".

Giacobbe "Jake" LaMotta was a World Middleweight Champion, nicknamed "The Raging Bull" for his rough and ready style.

He liked to fight on the inside and was famous for stalking his opponents, who often had bigger punches, but less grit and determination. He is regarded as having one of the best chins in the history of the sport.

In an era of premium middleweights, LaMotta had some epic encounters. Most notable among these were six hair-raising fights with his great rival Sugar Ray Robinson.

LaMotta famously remarked: "The three toughest fighters I fought were Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Robinson and Sugar Ray Robinson. I fought Sugar so many times I'm surprised I'm not diabetic."

He fought a staggering 106 professional fights, winning 83 of them with 30 by knockout.

His volatile approach to life both in and out the ring inspired a biographical movie starring Robert De Niro, directed by Martin Scorsese.The film is widely regarded as one of the greatest motion pictures ever made.

LaMotta said: "You can't go into the ring and be a nice guy. I would go a month, two months, without having sex. It worked for me because it made me a vicious animal. You can't fight if you have any compassion or anything like that."

[EveningStar]

Wikipedia

BoxRec

IMDb

Article with pictures and videos

[EveningStar]

I still think Scorsese was robbed. :)

[Borges]

It’s a double whammy since he lost out to Rocky in 1976 (over Taxi Driver!) and the fact that a boxing film had won so recently worked against Raging Bull.

[fidelis]

I remember LaMotta saying he wished he had had a chance to fight Muhammad Ali. If Ali would have tried to pull the “rope-a-dope” on him, he said, he would have pounded Ali’s forearms until he broke them.

[fidelis]

May he rest in peace. For someone that engaged in such a rough profession, 95 is a pretty good run.

[Moonman62]

May he rest in peace. For someone that engaged in such a rough profession, 95 is a pretty good run.

...

Especially after hearing about all the problems football players have with concussions and such. Maybe Jake gave concussions rather than receiving them.

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[Rummyfan]

His volatile approach to life both in and out the ring inspired a biographical movie starring Robert De Niro, directed by Martin Scorsese.The film is widely regarded as one of the greatest motion pictures ever made.

One of the greatest? That may be, but it is tough to watch as La Motta was obsessive, paranoid, abusive to his wife, and addicted to the young ladies. It's not so much a warts-and-all biopic, it's an all-warts biopic.

RIP Jake.

[Blackirish]

Dances with Wolves beat Goodfellows for best picture.

[MinuteGal]

LaMotta died with an estate estimated at $185 million. He was one of the highest paid boxers of all time and he invested his earnings wisely....stocks, property, businesses,, etc.

Leni

[CommerceComet]

I remember LaMotta saying he wished he had had a chance to fight Muhammad Ali. If Ali would have tried to pull the “rope-a-dope” on him, he said, he would have pounded Ali’s forearms until he broke them.

I admired Jake LaMotta's fighting skills but that is just dumb. If heavyweight bombers like George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Ron Lyle, Earnie Shavers, and others couldn't pull that off, a relatively light-hitting (a career KO percentage of 28%) Jake LaMotta wasn't going to.

[fieldmarshaldj]

The Raging Bull is gone. RIP.

[fortheDeclaration]

A real fighter, not like the bums today.

[fortheDeclaration]

From what I gathered, he was broke after his fighting career was over.

[GOPsterinMA]

Raging Bull: The greatest American movie ever? If not # 1, it’s either 2-3 IMHO. When I watch it, here are parts of the movie that make me feel like I’m in Hell. Same with The Deer Hunter.

Frank Vincent died last week, he was in Raging Bull.

95. What else can be said?

https://youtu.be/3N4uXfnH2aA

[Borges]

And Lamotta participated fully in its making and admitted it was a very accurate portrait of who he was back then.

[MinuteGal]

Type "Jake LaMotta net worth" into your search engine.

Leni

[central_va]

I would go a month, two months, without having sex. It worked for me because it made me a vicious animal.

I should have been heavy weight champion.

[MinuteGal]

P.S....an additional (later-dated) source says La Matta died leaving a $10 million estate. Whichever figure is correct, he did not die broke. He had property, stocks, residuals from the movie and books, interests in a cosmetic company, restaurants, etc.

It'll be interesting to see the final tally.

Leni