Hall of Fame Professional Boxer. Born Giacobbe LaMotta, he was a middleweight boxing champion whose autobiography became the 1980 hit movie "Raging Bull". He grew up in a Bronx slum and turned to boxing while in jail. His first professional bout was in 1941, and two years later on November 5, 1943, he gained national recognition by handing Sugar Ray Robinson his first defeat. They would go on to have six famous bouts, all of which he would lose. After a seven-month suspension for deliberately losing a fight against Billy Fox in 1947, he came back to contend for the middleweight title. On June 16, 1949, he defeated Marcel Cerdan in Detroit for the world middleweight championship. He would go on to defend the title two times the following year, against Tiberio Mitri and Laurent Dauthuille, before losing on February 14, 1951 to Robinson in their last fight. He would go on to retire from the ring in 1954 with 83 wins (30 by knockout), 19 losses, and 4 draws. His autobiography "Raging Bull", which was written in 1970, was later made into a movie, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro as LaMotta, in 1980. He also acted in a number of films, including the 1961 film "The Hustler" and toured as a stand-up comedian. In 1990 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. He passed away from complications of pneumonia.
Hall of Fame Professional Boxer. Born Giacobbe LaMotta, he was a middleweight boxing champion whose autobiography became the 1980 hit movie "Raging Bull". He grew up in a Bronx slum and turned to boxing while in jail. His first professional bout was in 1941, and two years later on November 5, 1943, he gained national recognition by handing Sugar Ray Robinson his first defeat. They would go on to have six famous bouts, all of which he would lose. After a seven-month suspension for deliberately losing a fight against Billy Fox in 1947, he came back to contend for the middleweight title. On June 16, 1949, he defeated Marcel Cerdan in Detroit for the world middleweight championship. He would go on to defend the title two times the following year, against Tiberio Mitri and Laurent Dauthuille, before losing on February 14, 1951 to Robinson in their last fight. He would go on to retire from the ring in 1954 with 83 wins (30 by knockout), 19 losses, and 4 draws. His autobiography "Raging Bull", which was written in 1970, was later made into a movie, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro as LaMotta, in 1980. He also acted in a number of films, including the 1961 film "The Hustler" and toured as a stand-up comedian. In 1990 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. He passed away from complications of pneumonia.
Bio by: Mr. Badger Hawkeye
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