Billy Fox - Jake La Motta fight

What's your opinion, was it a fix or not?

 

The committee didn't find any proof of a fix though, did it?
I'll try scanning the articles about the fight from Jan or Feb 1948 ring magazine (don't remember which one had it). If anybody wants to provide newspaper articles about it, please do.

 

Ok, let me say it differently, other than LaMotta's own words, they didn't find anything else to back up a claim of a fix. Or did they?

 

November 20, 1947, when LaMotta visited the District Attorney's office for questioning:
When asked by reporters about reports the match had been "fixed," LaMotta replied: "I have nothing to say. We know nothing." He insisted, "All I know is I fought the best I knew how and I was in fine shape."
To questions about reports of a pre-fight conference between himself and his opponent's manager, the boxer declared: "I read about that. All I can say is it's a dirty lie."

On February 13, 1948 the commission's statement reads:
This Commission has been investigating whether or not, in connection with the Billy Fox and Jacob LaMotta contest, Jacob LaMotta was guilty of conducnt detrimental to the best interests of boxing. The Commission received testimony from all persons connected with the preparations for this contest and the actual contest itself. The evidence established without any serious dispute that Jacob LaMotta sustained an injury to his left side during the training for this contest and that he was advised by his physician to refrain from engaging in such contests. No report whatsoever as to those facts was made to the Commission by the boxer, LaMotta, or anyone on his behalf.
In the actual contest the bout was stopped in the fourth round. The boxer LaMotta testified that his opponent struck him in the area where he had previously sustained his injury and as a result that from then on he was materially incapacitated.

 

The Fix, La Motta’s Dive, and the Outfoxing of Fox
By Brett Conway (Oct 12, 2006)

 

What exactly suggests he tanked it, on film?

 

Not pressing the action and not throwing punches (did he throw nothing at all or were the punches just lacking speed or power?) can be explained by the injury he had, and he himself testified that to the commission.
I'm aware of the mob controlling it, but in this particular case there was no proof whatsoever except LaMotta's testification almost 15 years later after the fight, when it was obvious the validity of it couldn't be checked anymore.

 

Also, common sense suggests that there'd be no wide-spread rumors like that before the fight. I doubt Palermo or Carbo were so stupid to share such knowledge with somebody, so that everyone knew it was going to be a fix prior to the fight, to the point that no betting on Fox was possible and only bets on LaMotta were accepted (if we are to believe the NYT writer).