De Niro Could have fought Professionaly?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by reznick, Jul 24, 2010.


  1. BUDW

    BUDW Boxing Addict Full Member

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  2. choklab

    choklab cocoon of horror Full Member

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    :good
     
  3. Boxingnut5

    Boxingnut5 Member Full Member

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    yeah it was McGuigan who trained Day-Lewis and then said, iirc, he could of been top 12 in Britain if he had started earlier. Atlas was complimentary about Dafoe after training him, maybe it is a case of the trainers saying "Look what a great job I did"?
     
  4. johnmaff36

    johnmaff36 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    McGuigan did do some work with day-lewis but i think it was Damien Denny who he did the bulk of it with. Denny was a pro at the time and i think he was one of the opponents in the film.
     
  5. MAG1965

    MAG1965 Loyal Member banned

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    I am not sold on that. How old was Lamotta when he sparred Deniro? So Lemotta said that. What would happen if Deniro at the time sparred Duran or Hearns or Leonard or Hagler? Even against Mark Medal or Hard Rock Green, Deniro would have been beaten up. Believe me he would have done badly with any good professional at the time, and 1000 rounds? No way. I respect Deniro as an actor and many of my favorite movies have him in them ,but to say he would be a good pro because Lamotta sparred him at 55-60 years old or so is ridiculous.
     
  6. choklab

    choklab cocoon of horror Full Member

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    any amatuer boxer with competative experience would have slaughtered him. watch the rehearsed fight scenes. im telling you your wife could look as good. its smoke and mirrors. not boxing.
     
  7. john garfield

    john garfield Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    In the many years I've watched celebs train, c , only one looked like he had promise, if he'd started much younger: Mario Lopez -- could really punch. Had more KO's 'n Zab Judah dances sparrin' than any pro at Wild Card, and many were cracking good amateurs with international reps lookin' to turn pro.
     
  8. Gesta

    Gesta Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Could he take a punch G?
     
  9. john garfield

    john garfield Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Saw him take a knee several times from Toney body shots, G. But he was willing to mix-it-up 'n trade with the best amateurs, and he usually came out best. Soon as they tasted what he was dishin' out, they got instant respect for him.
     
  10. reznick

    reznick In the 7.2% Full Member

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    lamotta was one of the toughest sons o bitches to ever step in the ring

    of course he was capable of training De Niro

    whats wrong with being 55


    55 is not old, for a COACH
     
  11. choklab

    choklab cocoon of horror Full Member

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    jake coached him to LOOK like a fighter to the layman. it was acting. you can totaly tell the difrence. great entertainment all the same.
    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzUTXpvBTVc[/ame]
     
  12. choklab

    choklab cocoon of horror Full Member

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    This proves there are always exceptions to the rule if the guy spars competativly and has a taste for it. I dont know mariio lopez but I will take your word for it john.
    however, there is no evidence in any films I have seen where you could make a serious prediction that an actor shown to look like a boxer could make it.
     
  13. Gesta

    Gesta Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Well he always looked pretty fit/strong (no homo), I think that a lot of actors are quite good sportsmen in one way or another, but being a pro' boxer is another thing altogether.
     
  14. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven VIP Member banned Full Member

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    I agree. The film has never struck me as having realistic boxing, but it's an atmospheric style and it works as a movie.
    That's Scorsese though. His direction and his editing.

    If LaMotta trained with DeNiro for a year before shooting, I dont think it's at all outrageous to believe that DeNiro might have been fit and competent enough to box against other novice pros or bums in 4-rounders.

    But if DeNiro did train so many rounds with LaMotta I expect it was (1) to get fit and look the part, and (2) to get inside the mind of LaMotta, and (3) develop some empathy for the mind of a fighter in training.

    It was not so he could box realistically on film, because in the end of the day it's Scorsese's vision that counts. And Hollywood boxing isn't really boxing, but it works in this movie.
     
  15. Ezzard

    Ezzard Well-Known Member Full Member

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    This kind of thing is wrotten and said to promote the film. De Niro worked very hard to learn the art and that showed the respect he has for the sport. But top athletes from other sports get embarrassed when they step into the ring let alone actors.