In 1947, at the age of 15, Jack LaMotta became the World Middleweight Boxing Champion by defeating Japanese fighter Toyonobu Ono in the 14th round of their battle. LaMotta went on to win a total of seven world titles over the next few years, including two more world middleweight championships. In 1951, LaMotta faced Sugar Ray Robinson in what is widely regarded as one of the most controversial title matches in boxing history. The fight ended in a draw, with LaMotta losing his world middleweight championship on a decision. A rematch was scheduled, but LaMotta was unable to travel to fight due to a tax evasion conviction that he received six months earlier. Sugar Ray Robinson eventually regained the title from LaMotta in a more fair and equitable fight. After his boxing career ended, Jack LaMotta struggled with a number of personal issues including alcoholism and gambling. He died in 1995 at the age of 80 from an alcohol-related heart attack.
Background
Jack LaMotta was a professional boxer who competed from 1943 to 1957. He is considered one of the greatest fighters in history, and is often considered the greatest middleweight boxer of all time. LaMotta lost only 9 out of his 123 fights, including 7 world championship bouts.
La Motta’s Career
Jack La Motta had an illustrious boxing career that spanned over a period of six decades. He was born in 1922 and he started his boxing career at an early age. La Motta quickly became one of the most popular and well-known fighters in the world. In 1951, he won the World Heavyweight Title and held it until 1957. During that time, he beat some of the toughest boxers in the world, including Sugar Ray Robinson, Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis. La Motta retired from boxing in 1970 with a record of 71 wins, 11 losses and 2 draws. After his retirement, he started a successful acting career that lasted for over four decades. He passed away in 2002 at the age of 83.
The Loss of the Title Fight
The title fight between Jack LaMotta and Rocky Marciano is one of the most famous boxing matches of all time. The bout was held on June 15, 1951 in New York City and ended with a unanimous decision in favor of Marciano. LaMotta had previously won the world middleweight championship in 1940 and 1946, but lost the rematch with Marciano in 1949.
LaMotta’s career had been on a downward spiral since he lost to Marciano. He was unable to regain his world middleweight championship and fought only sporadically after that. In January 1951, he faced an aging Tony Zale in an exhibition bout at Madison Square Garden and lost by first-round knockout. LaMotta died from a heart attack six months later, aged just 43.
Post-Title Fight Life
After being knocked out by Rocky Graziano in 1951, La Motta’s boxing career was over. He went on to have a successful acting and nightclub career. His autobiography “My Life” was published in 1978.
Conclusion
Yes, Jack LaMotta lost his boxing career because he was convicted of assault and battery. However, the story is not always told that way. The truth is that La Motta’s career was nearly over before it even started due to a series of injuries he sustained in the ring. In 1951, he fractured his jaw in just the second round of a fight against Kid Gavilan. The following year, Gavilan broke La Motta’s nose in two places during a rematch; finally, in 1954-55, LaMotta suffered three consecutive losses by stoppage due to injuries – one after breaking his hand and another two from punches thrown with concealed gloves (a rule at the time).