ever fight Tony Zale or Rocky Graziano? What stopped either of these hellacious fights from happening? If they had happened how do you think the outcome would’ve went?
Uncertain about Zale but Lammota was chummy with Rock they were prison pals and in my opinion he beats them both.
I doubt he wanted any part of Graziano. LaMotta would have been beaten in a way that would have been ugly for all involved. Since Jake wasn't a big puncher he would have basically been committing suicide taking that match. I give Jake credit he was smart for leaving Rocky off his dance card.
I have to disagree. Rocky had very good rt hand power and I'm sure he was one hell of a street fighter but we all know it's a different ballgame in the ring. Rocky built his rep fighting smaller guys and giving a past it Zale a rough time. BTW prime Zale crushes him. LaMotta who I'm no real fan of was a complete smart cagey tough as nails fighter. He may have lacked the one punch KO power but he had everything else going for him. LaMotta gives his old pal Rocky a beating befor stopping him. Trust me I wish it were the other way around but theres virtually no chance of that happening. The ref rescues Rock around the 6th if not sooner
Rocky couldn't box too well but LaMotta is right there in his wheelhouse. Graziano doesn't have to find him. He just has to drop the hammer. I'm sure Jake would take them for awhile but to take them clean round after round I think is a tall order when your talking about a puncher like Graziano. If their both in top shape it's gonna be a bloodbath. Jake's head on a swivel. I agree LaMotta is the greater fighter but I don't like the match up here for him.
Almost the entirety of LaMotta's resume is fighting smaller guys -- welters in the mid 150s while he was coming in above 160 in most cases.
That's a bit of an exaggeration, but as mentioned before Graziano was known fro being even more guilty of the crime of "bullying." But in Lamotta's case anyway, Jake had to boil down as few fighters have before, and this ws in the days when you didn't have a bunch of time after the weighed in to rehydrate and gets stronger. He shredded imelf to make 160, so who's really the better off come fight time? The guy adding 3-4 pounds to his frame or the one who had to boil down with no time to regain strength after the weigh-in?
But if you look it’s shocking the amount of time where came in heavier than 160 - basically many fights it was super middle Jake vs. a welter moving up. Not as many true middleweights on his resume as I expected.
LaMotta couldn't make 160 and have a prayer here. He would have to pull a " Jacobs" to last the distance.
