| Nicknamed the "Bronx Bull" because of his aggressive, charging style, La Motta learned to box while serving time in the Coxsackie Correctional Institute as a teenager. He had his first professional fight on March 3, 1941, winning a 4-round decision over Charley Mackley. La Motta put together an impressive record during the next two years and reached prominence when he won a 10-round decision over Sugar Ray Robinson on February 5, 1943. It was Robinson's first loss as a professional. La Motta and Robinson fought six times, La Motta winning only that one bout, but they were always interesting to fight fans because of the match-up of stand-up slugger versus skilled boxer.
On June 16, 1949, La Motta won the world middleweight championship when Marcel Cerdan of France couldn't come out for the 10th round. A rematch was scheduled for later that year, but Cerdan was killed in an October plane crash en route to begin training in the United States.
La Motta defended his title twice but lost it when Robinson knocked him out in the 13th round on February 14, 1951. Although badly battered, La Motta avoided being knocked down by hanging onto the ropes while he was counted out.
Knocked out in two of his next seven fights, La Motta didn't box in 1953, but came back for three fights in 1954 before retiring. He co-authored an autobiography, Raging Bull, which was adapted as a very successful 1981 movie starring Robert DeNiro, and he also appeared in several stage shows.
La Motta won 83 fights, 30 by knockout, and lost 19, 4 by knockout. He also fought 4 draws. |
USA