Another happened in boxing when Jake LaMotta famously took a dive against Billy Fox in order to obtain his entry to a championship match against Marcel Cerdan, a deal offered by the mobsters who controlled professional boxing. LaMotta had four daughters, including Christi by his second wife Vikki LaMotta and Stephanie by his fourth wife Dimitria. Your email address will not be published. With the excess weight LaMotta was slow, allowing Nardico to set the pace and out slug him. But Cerdans timing seems off. 2 months after that, Cerdan would cause an upset in the boxing world by beating the tough and talented Tony Zale (67-17-2) for the NBA World Middleweight title when Zale's corner threw in the towel after 11 rounds. Butwhats this? The Fight: Cerdan's speed and clever, whirlwind style made Basilio miss in the 2nd round. He testified that he had thrown his bout with Billy Fox so that the mob would arrange a title bout for him.[19]. LaMotta gives up his attempts to counter. Marcel Cerdan, known as the "Casablanca Clouter," turned professional at the age of 18 in 1934 and won his first 46 fights. A left rocks the Clouter, but he responds with one of his own. LaMotta was born on the Lower East Side of New York City on July 10, 1922, to Italian parents, Elizabeth (Merluzzo) and Joseph LaMotta. He was only once sent to the canvas in 106 fights. The book details his life, from childhood until the end of his fame. Either I lose the Fox fight or I dont get a chance for the title. [22] The official score had LaMotta as winner by a knockout in 10 rounds because the bell had already rung to begin that round when Cerdan announced he was quitting. [9] One of LaMotta's cousins on his father's side was Richard LaMotta, who became an entrepreneur and creator of the Chipwich ice cream treat. Another nephew, William Lustig, is a well-known director and producer of horror films and the president of Blue Underground, Inc.[36]. The LaMotta team played in Sterling Oval which was located between 165th and 164th Streets between Clay and Teller Avenue. [21] LaMotta won the first round (in which he knocked Cerdan down), Cerdan the second, and the third was even. Gavilan vs Olson, Cerdan vs Zale, Tiger vs Fullmer, LaMotta vs Dauthuille, Fullmer vs Basilio, Hopkins vs DeLaHoya, LaMotta vs Cerdan, Monzon vs Valdez, Ketchel vs Papke, etc. LaMotta paid the price for not fighting for six months and had weighed in the heaviest of his career -- 173 pounds -- to Nardico's 177 pounds. Highlights of the classic middleweight title bout in which the Bronx Bull Jake LaMotta scores a ten round technical knockout victory over the highly rated . Marcel Cerdan, French boxing legend, KO'd the supposedly unbeatable Tony Zale in 1948 to win the middleweight title, but a dislocated shoulder forced him to surrender it to Jake LaMotta in 1949. I stand by the notion that LaMotta was the best Cerdan ever fought and I dont think it was a coincidence or accident that Cerdan lost to him after struggling against the fighters who were contenders but a notch below LaMotta. There was a crowd of 22,183 at Briggs Stadium. On November 14, 1947, LaMotta was knocked out in the fourth round by Billy Fox. His final record was an impressive 111-4. Patient, taking punches and absorbing pain, he would wait for just the right moment to release his inner bull, delivering pinpoint-accurate blows on his unsuspecting opponent. He covers up, and Cerdan pounds him like a rug. LaMotta later said in his autobiography that the decision was widely criticized by several newspapers and boxing publishers. In his next three fights, LaMotta had rematches with Hayes, Hairston, and Murphy, and defeated all of them by unanimous decision. Jake LaMotta vs. Billy Fox. LaMotta vs. Cerdan. Jake LaMotta vs Marcel Cerdan 16.6.1949 (Highlights) - NBA World Middleweight Championship - YouTube The 1949 World Middleweight title fight between Champion Marcel Cerdan and "The. LaMotta vs. Marcel Cerdan (June 16, 1949) LaMotta became a world champion for the first time on this day. He then ran a streak of 47 wins in a row between that first bout and 4 January 1939, when he lost for the first time, to Harry Craster by a disqualification in five rounds in London. Jake LaMotta vs Marcel Cerdan . (Check). Although fixing the fight was obviously wrong, by coming forward, risking his life, and telling the truth, LaMotta saved the sport of boxing as we know it. He later vacated the Welterweight title and won the France Middleweight title in 1945. The sixth and final fight between LaMotta and Robinson took place at Chicago Stadium. Bernard Hopkins. [Also See: Top 10 Middleweights of All-Time Where do LaMotta and Cerdan rank?]. Nardico, described in newspaper reports as "the fighting marine", landed some big left hooks in the fourth as the fight became a brawl. In his most recent fight, LaMotta TKO'd former WWII naval boxer Joey DeJohn (60-3-2) in 8 rounds. 2018 Islamic Center of Cleveland. Fought Marcel Cerdan for the World Middleweight Championship in Detroit on June 16, 1949. But LaMotta did not go down. Jake LaMotta vs. Marcel Cerdan II: What might have been, Benitez withdraws from Shobox fight against Pedraza with injury, Marco Huck vs. Firat Arslan preview & prediction, Jose Ramirez vs Josh Taylor Big Fight Preview & Predictions, EXCLUSIVE: Isaac Chamberlain Setbacks & Comebacks. LaMotta has pretty much napped since the fight began. LaMotta handed Robinson the first loss in his Hall of Fame career on Feb. 5, 1943, winning by . But Cerdans timing seems off. After the Zale fight Marcel returned to Europe where he had a couple of non title fights stopping Dick Turpin and Lucien Krawczyk. Cheating-Wikipedia The round ends with LaMotta puzzling over just what was going wrong, knowing only that he shouldnt have taken the tempting bait his opponent had so cleverly dangled before him. He doesnt care about the pain. Something about glory being fleeting. LaMotta won the world title on June 16, 1949 in Detroit, Michigan, defeating Frenchman Marcel Cerdan. [5] Afterward he fought undefeated in amateur bouts, turning professional at age 19 in 1941. And, once more, the champ unleashes a barrage. La Motta, Jake with Carter, Joseph and Savage, Peter (1970). LaMotta got up and was beaten against a corner by Nardico until the bell rang. Robinson himself said no one taught him more about boxing than Zivic did in their two bouts. Cerdan fought practically one-handed for 8 rounds. Please use the links below for donations: I agree Cerdan was a natural WW for most of his career. Didn't Zale just come off a win against Graziano a few months before his loss to Cerdan? He was on his way back to the United States to train for the rematch. Made his career beating up welterweights. The first five rounds were close, though Reeves was struggling in the fourth. After a count of nine, Nardico pounded LaMotta furiously in a corner for a minute, with the the Bronx Bull holding on to the top rope for support and then staggered back to his corner at the end of the round. LAMOTTA VS. MARCEL CERDAN, JUNE 16, 1949. title prompted Robinson to move up a class for the sixth match between the men. It was the first time LaMotta had been sent to the canvas in 102 fights. Zale vs Cerdan. [27], After retiring from the ring, LaMotta owned and managed a bar at 1120 Collins Ave in Miami Beach. Cerdan apparently dislocated his arm early in the bout, but it was still a good one, with . Some connect, sure, but most are picked off. Cerdan was interred in the Cimetire du Sud, Perpignan, Pyrnes- Orientales, France. He doesnt care about the pain. He made little use of his left hand and took a bad beating before retiring in his corner after the tenth round. autobiography cinema Jake LaMotta LaMotta vs Robinson Marcel Cerdan Martin Scorcese Raging Bull Robert DeNiro Robinson vs LaMotta The Bronx Bull. Heres hoping Canelo vs Golovkin is so thrilling and remarkable that it finds itself in contention with these all-time great battles. But sheer guts can only take one so far, and the Clouter couldnt come out for the 10th. A rematch was scheduled, but Cerdan was killed when the plane flying him from Casablanca to the States crashed in the Azores on October 28, 1949. The production focused on LaMotta's boxing career, and was criticized by The New York Times as poorly executed and a "bizarre debacle". LaMotta won the World Middleweight title on June 16, 1949, in Detroit, Michigan, defeating Frenchman Marcel Cerdan. LaMotta surprises Cerdan in the eighth, taking on the role of aggressor. He is a member, along with LaMotta and Zale, of the International Boxing Hall of Fame. The heavy-handed Puerto Rican, who was coming off big wins over Fernando Vargas and William Joppy, was favoured to defeat the long-reigning Executioner, but it was Hopkins who controlled the match and then battered the younger man in the final minutes. The Raging Bull got up, apparently no worse for wear. LaMotta started his career back in 1941 as a light-heavyweight before quickly trimming down and finding fame as a middleweight. At that point it became clear something was wrong. LaMotta won the first round (also knocking Cerdan down), Cerdan the second and the third was even. LaMotta won the fight in Detroit and was declared middleweight champion of the world . LaMotta's corner stopped the bout before the eighth round began. He knocked LaMotta down for the only time in his career (not counting his thrown 1947 fight) by a right hand in the seventh round. LaMotta retired for good in 1954 with a record of 83 victories, including 30 by knockout, with 19 defeats and four draws. LaMotta fought Sugar Ray Robinson in Robinson's middleweight debut at Madison Square Garden, New York City, October 2, 1942. A native New Yorker, Clarence George is a lifelong aficionado of the Sweet Science. LaMotta made his first title defense against Tiberio Mitri on July 7, 1950, at Madison Square Garden, New York. LaMotta won the first round (also knocking Cerdan down), Cerdan the second, and the third was even. Chaos erupted after the decision was announced. The Algerian-born Frenchman wasn't nearly so lucky, dislocating his shoulder and rendering the arm useless. But the former champ rallies and counters. But in the seventh Cerdan does indeed punch LaMotta toward the ropes. In spite of his injury and in spite of a severe beating in the first round Cerdan won the second round big and the third and fifth by lesser margins. He uses his fists the way a bull hooks with its horns. Since that 13-round battering, LaMotta had won half of the six fights he had before facing Nardico. After knocking out Dick Turpin and Lucien Krawczyk in non-title bouts, Cerdan faced Jake LaMotta (83-19-4, 30 KOs) for the belt at Detroits Briggs Stadium on June 16, 1949. At that point it became clear something was wrong. How To Record Whatsapp Video Call With Audio On Iphone, LaMotta, who was already leading on the scorecards before knocking Robinson out of the ring, pummeled and outpointed him for the rest of the fight. July 16, 1947: Rocky Graziano TKO 6 Tony Zale. Cerdan grows in confidence. And not only fought, but gave LaMotta a hard time. The realization dawns a split second too late, as the Bronx Bull unloads lefts and rights at the taken-by-surprise Frenchman. LaMotta with a black eye by decision in a great contest. Once the fight resumed, LaMotta landed a left on Reeves' chin, sending him down face-first. Knowing the cut was severe enough to force a stoppage, Sugar Ray attacked, knocking Turpin down and then pounding him mercilessly until the referee stopped the match with just seconds remaining in round ten. Le Sable In English. Contents. Marcel Cerdan (111-4-0, 65 KOs), European middleweight champ, faced world champion Tony Zale for the title on September 21, 1948 (Ring Magazines Fight of the Year). [42], LaMotta died on September 19, 2017, from complications of pneumonia in a nursing home in Florida, at the age of 95.[43][5][8]. Cerdan's corner threw in the towel after 9 rounds and the World Middleweight title awarded to Jake LaMotta.A rematch was scheduled between the 2 boxers however in October 1949, Cerdan died in a plane crash on his way back to the USA. Fights broke out around the ring and the crowd continued to boo for 20 minutes. The Algerian-born Frenchman wasnt nearly so lucky, dislocating his shoulder and rendering the arm useless. Scholarship Fund His favorite boxer is Tony Galento -- despite training on spaghetti and meatballs, and beer, Two Ton Tony still managed to knock to the canvas the greatest heavyweight of all time, Joe Louis. This fight was scheduled for 15 rounds and was for the middleweight title. LaMotta fell into the ropes and went down. Burt surgar thinks Cerdan is the better fight would have easily beat Lamotta. And while it was a battle between the middleweight and welterweight champions, Walker gave away only seven pounds, not a troubling difference considering that five months before The Toy Bulldog had defeated light heavyweight Mike McTigue. [35] John later became an actor, and one of his roles was as "Duke", who ran the bar of that name featured in the television comedy series Frasier. Marcel Cerdan on a 1969 UAE stamp Cerdan began boxing professionally on 4 November 1934 in Meknes, Morocco, beating Marcel Bucchianeri by a decision in six rounds. Legacy. With a thick skull and jaw muscles, LaMotta was able to absorb incredible amounts of punishment over the course of his career, and is thought to have one of the greatest chins in boxing history. In the third, Cerdan drives LaMotta toward the ropes, planning to deliver the kind of massive uppercut that finished Zale in the 11th round of their championship bout. The American is tough, all right. [41], LaMotta: The Bronx Bull stars actor William Forsythe as LaMotta, while Paul Sorvino plays his father. May 1, 1957: Sugar Ray Robinson KO5 Gene Fullmer. Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Melankomas, Jan 31, 2023. Never the less, Cerdan was made a two to one betting favorite. Among his list of achievements to date was beating a prime Sugar Ray Robinson back in 1943, the first man to do so. Boxing History: June 16, 1949 Jake LaMotta KO 10 Marcel Cerdan, Detroit. Aggressive from the opening bell, he knew just what punches, singly and in combination, to deliver. To make matters worse for LaMotta, the fight was screened live to millions on CBS in the first sports show to be telecast from Florida. After the Zale fight Marcel returned to Europe where he had a couple of non title fights stopping Dick Turpin and Lucien Krawczyk. Cerdan spent most of his career at welterweight fighting nobodies in Europe, was past his prime, and had never faced anyone as good as LaMotta and when he did he lost in lopsided fashion. Theres the opening bell. One thing for certain is that LaMotta had more speed at this weight than Duran. The Cerdan-LaMotta bout was held at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, and was the first fight under the banner of the International Boxing Club a But in the seventh Cerdan does indeed punch LaMotta toward the ropes.