Jake LaMotta, the former middleweight world champion boxer whose life was depicted in the film Raging Bull, has died at the age of 95.
His fiancee, Denise Baker, said LaMotta died on Tuesday at a Miami-area hospital following complications caused by pneumonia.
LaMotta fought Sugar Ray Robinson six times between 1942 and 1945, handing Robinson his first defeat in 1943. He lost the middleweight title to him in what became known as the St Valentine’s Day Massacre.
RIP Jake LaMotta. You will be missed by a great number of fans and loved ones. God bless the family.
— Roy Jones Jr. (@RealRoyJonesJr) September 20, 2017
In his previous fight, LaMotta saved the championship in movie-script fashion against Laurent Dauthuille. Trailing badly, LaMotta knocked out the challenger with 13 seconds left.
LaMotta admitted he threw a fight against Billy Fox in 1947, in testimony before a US Senate committee. He said he was promised a shot at the title for doing so.
Damn! The Raging Bull has passed.
Jake LaMotta is gone at 95 yrs old.
The Bronx Bull!!! pic.twitter.com/KaU82b9fdl— MichaelRapaport (@MichaelRapaport) September 20, 2017
On June 16 1949, he became middleweight champion when Marcel Cerdan could not continue after the 10th round.
Martin Scorsese’s 1980 film Raging Bull was based on LaMotta’s memoir of the same name.
Actor Robert De Niro won an Academy Award for his portrayal of the fighter.
