LEGENDARY JAKE LAMOTTA IS 95 YEARS OF AGE TODAY!

BY VICTOR COTA

The rough and tough Bronx, neighbourhood of New York, was the birthplace of the rugged Giacobbe “Jake” LaMotta, on July 10, 1922.

Nineteen years later, Jake made his professional debut in boxing and from the very beginning, he showed there were great things to come.

Jake was the first man to defeat Sugar Ray Robinson and paradoxically it was against this same opponent with whom he lost the middleweight world crown, that he had conquered on June 16, 1949 by defeating another immortal, Algerian Marcel Cerdan.

Jake LaMotta was one of the most popular and beloved boxers of 40s and 50s and even his life arrived to Hollywood through   “Ragging Bull” played by Robert De Niro, who won the Oscar for Best Actor in 1981, for portraying him.

Jake LaMotta concluded his passage through the rings on April 14, 1954, having established a record of 83 victories; 30 of them by knockout, 19 losses and 4 draws.

Jake is the oldest former world champion alive today, and still going strong!

Happy Birthday Champ!