Jake "Raging Bull" LaMotta dies aged 96

He was good. Its a shame his prime predated most of the footage of him. He was already slipping when he got a title shot. I had always wondered about this and couldnt figure it out unless it was just because of the wars he was in. According to his brother that wasnt the case, it was because of Vikki. He said once Jake met Vikki she was all he could think about. He lost focus, stopped training like before, and stopped fighting as often. His head wasnt in the game anymore. He had a new obsession.

 

For those of you who like a little anecdote, Steve Bunce and Costello share a memory about LaMotta on their weekly podcast.

Starts about 30min30sec in:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05h3v1d

 

R.I.P. to The Bull.


What a life,eh ?

 

I think he was probably at his best from '44 to '47. Joey and Vikki both said that Jake went into a deep depression after the Fox fight. He shut himself away, brooded, and let his weight balloon to over 200 lbs. He became jaded believing he would never get a title shot and that, combined with his increasing obsession with Vikki dulled the fighter he had been before. After that he was less energetic in the ring, less intense, more conservative, and wasnt as quick. From 44 to 47 he was a machine.