Former middleweight world champion Jake LaMotta died Tuesday at the age of 95.
LaMotta, who was the subject of the 1980 movie “Raging Bull,” had 106 professional fights — none more famous than his six against Sugar Ray Robinson.
TMZ first reported his death, his wife, Denise Baker, telling the site LaMotta died in a nursing home from complications of pneumonia.
“Working for the champ for almost 20 years was an honor,” LaMotta’s agent, Nick Cordasco, told Omnisport in an email. “Jake was funny and very sweet. Heaven now has a BULL.”
LaMotta, a Bronx native, earned the nickname “Raging Bull” and the film bearing that name was nominated for eight Academy Awards. Robert DeNiro won the best actor Oscar for his portrayal of LaMotta.
After being rejected for military service during World War II for a mastoid operation on one of his ears, LaMotta, 19 at the time, turned to professional boxing.
He was unbeaten in his first 15 fights and went on to win 83 bouts, 30 by knockout. His first boxing rivalry was Cleveland native Jimmy Reeves. LaMotta won a controversial decision over Reeves in October 1941, but Reeves won a rematch a month later. A third fight in March 1943 ended with LaMotta knocking out Reeves in the sixth round.
LaMotta’s first fight against Robinson was on Oct. 10, 1942, and Robinson won a 10-round unanimous decision. LaMotta’s only victory over Robinson was Feb. 5, 1943 — with LaMotta fighting five times between the Robinson bouts.
LaMotta and Robinson met again three weeks later with Robinson scoring another unanimous decision. While LaMotta famously knocked Robinson to the canvas multiple times during their fights, LaMotta maintained that Robinson never knocked him down despite losing five of the six matches.
When LaMotta met Billy Fox on No. 14, 1947, LaMotta was knocked out in the fourth round and the New York State Athletic Commission withheld the purse believing the fight was fixed.
LaMotta won the world middleweight title in 1949 with a win over Marcel Cerdan. After two more title defenses, LaMotta and Robinson met again on Feb. 14, 1951. Dubbed the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, Robinson bloodied LaMotta with a brutal beating, but LaMotta refused to go down. The fight was stopped in the 13th round.
After his retirement in 1954, LaMotta tried his hand as an actor and stand-up comic. He appeared in 15 films and also owned bars and night clubs. He was convicted in 1958 of helping men meet an underage girl and served time on a chain gang.
LaMotta was married seven times and outlived his two sons. He also had four daughters.
Ranked as one of 10 best middleweights of all time by Ring Magazine, LaMotta was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.
