Where does he rank all time among middleweights in your view? I am more interested in head to head scenarios. Thanks.
I think that he was an extremely tough middleweight who would give anyone in history a tremendous battle but would lose to the very best. Couldn't see him beating Hagler, Monzon, Hearns, Ray Leonard or Hopkins.
I'd give Jake a better chance against those guys in the street. He was a stone killer -- Nobody in the gym would f*ck with him .
I'd take jake over Tommy and Ray in an instant, neither man was that distinguished at 160 and 15 rounds is a long time with la Motta pressurising you. If he can push Robi close then he can take these 2 out and remember leonard was older by the time he hit the MW division. I think Hopkins' economy of punches hurts him against la Motta. Jake would work his way to a clsoe decision. The Monzon and Hagler fights would be close and stylistically interesting. Hagler, not the physically strongest MW champion, would be up against a very strong man. marvin and carlos would be happy to against a man willing to press the fight but La Motta was hard to hit and relentless. I'd still pick these two to edge him but it would be close.
Watch those old films of Jake and Sugar Ray who was as good or better than any of that division in history, and what I see at least, is a "fighting heart" that could overcome men with superior ring skills. He only beat Ray once out of was it five or six times, but Ray had his hands full every time. I think Jake would beat Leonard, but might have had a rougher time of it with someone like Hearns who had the reach to keep Jake out of striking distance and the punch to give him something to think about.
I would say that jake would get UD or stopped by Tommy Hearns, anyone with as little of head movement as he had is a sitting duck for that right hand, and that is bad news. I say La Motta KO's hopkins, La mottas size and pressure at 160 would be too much. VS. ray leonard, I think this might be like the ray robinson fight only Jake doesnt get hurt at all. If jake could cut of the ring, he could smash ray to pieces. La Motta vs. Hagler could be a fight of the century, 15 rounds of neither man backing up. Middleweight classic.
Not really Jake Filled with hunger knocked cerdan down in the first with a left hook, and cerdan tried to get physical with him and jakes superior strength caused cerdan to hurt his shoulder, and jake then proceeded to beat the **** out of cerdan for 9 rounds. Cerdan and his long list of european creampuffs competition were no match for jake that night, he was in a zone to get something he had been avoided from getting for years. Jake also beat sugar ray robinson, bert lytell, holman williams, Laruente Dauthille, Robert Villemain, Tiberio Mitri, Tony Janiro, fritzie zivic 3x,..... There is no film of a prime jake lamotta sadly, the weight drained worn out lamotta you see on film in the 1950s is nothing compared to the human concrete tirless windmill of 1943-1946.
what film of a prime Jake Lamotta have you seen? Jake Lamotta is easily top 10 middleweight h2h and resume. He was the only white fighter of that era man enough to take on the black murders row and he did quite well.........Jake Lamotta 1943-1946 is a rare beast speciman we have never seen. He had a combination of Inhumane Stamina, Concrete Chin, Hulking Strength, Windmill Punching abilities that few middles in history could deal with. This means he could keep coming into you and never worry about geting tired, getting hurt, or punching himself out, or getting tossed around. He also was good at slipping jabs. He beat oustanding competition, recieved his title shot when he was considerably past his prime and he couldnt make the weight anymore, and he took on the best of his era.
LaMotta wasn't an easy guy to hit. He hid well behind his shoulders and rolled and slipped with shots well. Hopkins has never been stopped in his career, as he has a solid chin and good defense. For most of his career, he's also had very good stamina. LaMotta, not being a big puncher, is not likely at all to stop B-Hop. Why do people act like Hagler was a guy that always came forward and never retreated or used lateral movement? Because he fought that way against a guy in Hearns who was very different in style and dimension than LaMotta? Hagler would use the ring and box behind his jab to set up combos, as usual, and probably win a decision over LaMotta.
Yes he was! add that combination with his inhumane stamina, hulk like strength, concrete chin, and windmill punching abilities and jake lamotta is a monster. too bad a Prime Jake Lamotta is not on film.the film we have of him in the 1950s shows a tired worn out weight drained jake lamotta slipping jabs very well, using ring trickery and his underated defensive skills but lamotta simply did not have the youthness on his side anymore and his windmill non stop moving swarming abilities while still good were not what they were at his best. jake was something special.
I like his chances vs the very best remember he fought a prime SRR and fought him pretty close, except in the last one where he faded late,still he had Robinson down in a couple of there fights, I like his chances vs Hagler after watching Hagler/Duran and Antufermo 1 and I think he would nulify Monzon's power with his chin and make him work at a harder pace then Carlos was used to,he would give Ketchel and Greb competitve fight and anyone else at 160...he borders top 5-10, he was a tough foe
LaMotta also showed a good jab in the 6th fight with Robinson. I was surprised and impressed with his double jab. He would tilt to the right and throw that double jab. He caught Ray numerous times with it.
