# Former middleweight champion Jake LaMotta dies at 95

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-middleweight-champion-jake-lamotta-dies-at-95/796814
**Category:** The Game Room
**Created:** [September 20, 2017, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-middleweight-champion-jake-lamotta-dies-at-95/796814 "2017-09-20T15:49:58Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)
#### Post date: [September 20, 2017, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-middleweight-champion-jake-lamotta-dies-at-95/796814/1 "2017-09-20T15:49:58Z")

</div>

The Raging Bull has moved on to the great ring in the sky.

> **['Raging Bull' boxer LaMotta dies at age 95](https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/20765622/jake-lamotta-boxer-was-subject-raging-bull-dies-age-95)**
>
> Former middleweight champion Jake LaMotta, whose story was told in the autobiography and film "Raging Bull," has died at the age of 95.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)
#### Post date: [September 20, 2017, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-middleweight-champion-jake-lamotta-dies-at-95/796814/2 "2017-09-20T21:03:26Z")

</div>

Oh wow.

What must it have been like to live the last half of your life as a living legend?

RIP.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [September 20, 2017, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-middleweight-champion-jake-lamotta-dies-at-95/796814/3 "2017-09-20T21:37:24Z")

</div>

That was some life he led. The movie Raging Bull presents a reasonable look at his life, he really was filled with rage and used that rage in the boxing ring. Unfortunately outside of the ring also. Might be the toughest boxer of all time. I hope he finds some peace now.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [September 20, 2017, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-middleweight-champion-jake-lamotta-dies-at-95/796814/4 "2017-09-20T22:08:18Z")

</div>

> [@TriPolar](#):
>
> That was some life he led. The movie Raging Bull presents a reasonable look at his life, he really was filled with rage and used that rage in the boxing ring. Unfortunately outside of the ring also. Might be the toughest boxer of all time. I hope he finds some peace now.

I read that he wasn’t happy at first with De Niro’s portrayal of him, but came to realize later that it was an accurate portrayal of his younger self. Six wives tells a pretty graphic story of his home life.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [September 20, 2017, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-middleweight-champion-jake-lamotta-dies-at-95/796814/5 "2017-09-20T22:25:18Z")

</div>

I’ve got to say I’m surprised he was still alive. He was already a famous retired boxer when was little. He became a legend with the release and success of Raging Bull.

How do you rate toughest? George Foreman to me was the toughest I had seen. Had the heaviest punch to go with it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2017, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-middleweight-champion-jake-lamotta-dies-at-95/796814/6 "2017-09-25T14:04:13Z")

</div>

When people refer to “toughest” in that context, they mean willingness and ability to take a punch. To take an enormous amount of them, actually.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2017, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-middleweight-champion-jake-lamotta-dies-at-95/796814/7 "2017-09-25T17:20:08Z")

</div>

> [@What\_Exit](#):
>
> I’ve got to say I’m surprised he was still alive. He was already a famous retired boxer when was little. He became a legend with the release and success of Raging Bull.
> 
> How do you rate toughest? George Foreman to me was the toughest I had seen. Had the heaviest punch to go with it.

> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#):
>
> When people refer to “toughest” in that context, they mean willingness and ability to take a punch. To take an enormous amount of them, actually.

Yes, the ability and willingness to take a punch (within a weight class). LaMotta never seemed to care if he got hit, and he got hit a lot.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)
#### Post date: [September 26, 2017, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-middleweight-champion-jake-lamotta-dies-at-95/796814/8 "2017-09-26T13:47:13Z")

</div>

Some boxers fight like they hate everyone. LaMotta fought like he hated himself. Poor bastard - I hope he is at peace now.

Regards,  
Shodan
