On February 14, 1951, what we could call a “historic saga” in international boxing came to an end—the series of fights between “Sugar” Ray Robinson and Jake “Bronx Bull” LaMotta. Six fights that, over the course of nearly a decade, set crowds on fire, divided fans, and thrilled lovers of top-level boxing; six fights that today stand as true milestones in the history of the middleweight division!
First Fight (10/02/1942)
The first time the Bronx Bull, whose birth name, Giacobbe LaMotta, reveals his family’s clear Italian origins, stepped into the ring with the legendary Sugar Ray, neither had yet tasted the joy of a world title. LaMotta entered the bout with a record of 25 wins, 4 losses, and 2 draws—an impressive record in an era when fighters competed at a frequency that seems unreal today, and where boxers were far less protected and safeguarded on their way to high-level bouts.
A solid record, no doubt, but less dazzling than that of his rival, who was still undefeated after 35 fights, 27 of which had ended inside the distance. That night, however, Robinson found himself facing, for the first time in his career, a true middleweight. Until then, the phenomenal American had never fought above the welterweight limit.
The difference in size was evident from the weigh-in. LaMotta came in at 158 lbs compared to Sugar’s mere 145 lbs. Nevertheless, the lighter fighter was the clear favorite among bookmakers, and the ring—inside the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York—proved them right.
Robinson struggled against his stockier opponent’s unorthodox style and aggression only in the first of the scheduled ten rounds, taking heavy blows to the ribs and having trouble handling the close distance. However, starting from the second round, he took command with his unmatched footwork and delivered a masterclass, dominating most of the fight.
In the seventh round, LaMotta briefly threatened with a few wild hooks, but it wasn’t enough to stop an opponent who proved better prepared that night. Robinson landed punches from every angle, delighting the nearly thirteen thousand spectators in attendance—though he also received some boos from those who didn’t appreciate his elusive style.
Second Fight (02/05/1943)
The two champions met again just four months later. A testament to the grueling pace fighters had to endure in those years is the fact that, in the meantime, LaMotta and Robinson had fought five and four additional bouts, respectively—winning them all.
This time, the match took place in Detroit, at the Olympia Stadium, in front of nearly nineteen thousand spectators. A relentless LaMotta delivered one of the best performances of his entire career, attacking nonstop with fierce determination, mixing shots to the head and body, and never giving his opponent a moment’s rest.
Robinson, for his part, made the grave mistake of abandoning finesse for brute force, engaging on his rival’s preferred terms—likely in an attempt to silence those who had criticized him for backpedaling too much in their first fight.
The eighth round was the defining moment of the match. Already ahead on points, LaMotta unleashed his entire offensive arsenal. After pinning Sugar against the ropes, he stunned him with two devastating blows—one to the head and one to the body—sending him flying through the ropes.
Robinson got up visibly shaken and was saved by the bell. He bravely managed to last until the end of the tenth and final round, but it was no surprise when he was declared the loser at the reading of the decision. His remarkable 40-fight winning streak had come to an end.
Third Fight (02/26/1943)
Incredibly, the third fight was scheduled just three weeks after the second bout. Even more astonishing—at least by today’s standards—is the fact that Robinson fought and won another fight in between these two closely scheduled encounters, just a week before his third clash with the Bronx Bull. The venue remained the same as last time, and the fight was again set for ten rounds.
This time, Robinson showed that he had learned his lesson. Unlike in their previous meeting, he adopted a highly intelligent tactical strategy right from the opening bell. Sugar repeatedly used his masterful left jab to keep his aggressive opponent at bay and disrupt his forward momentum, following up with vicious right uppercuts whenever LaMotta got within range.
This well-thought-out and effective approach allowed Robinson to build an early lead on the scorecards. However, the Bronx Bull was not the kind of fighter to go down without a fight. Despite the difficulties, he remained determined, continuously looking for an opening to land his power shots. He finally found it in the seventh round when he landed a powerful left hand that sent his esteemed opponent crashing to the canvas.
Despite his efforts, however, the Italian-American slugger was unable to finish the job. While he managed to close the gap somewhat on the scorecards, he didn’t do enough to sway the judges in his favor.
After the fight, Robinson admitted that he had been badly shaken by LaMotta’s power and had deliberately taken a few extra seconds to get up after the knockdown to regain his composure. LaMotta, on the other hand, protested the decision, claiming that it was a gift to Sugar Ray ahead of his imminent enlistment in the army.
Fourth Fight (02/23/1945)
Two years passed between the third and fourth fights between these two warriors. During that time, both men continued to prove their worth, enhancing their records and testing themselves against opponents with diverse fighting styles.
Ray Robinson had not suffered a single loss since his second fight with Jake and entered their fourth encounter with a staggering record of 53 wins and just one defeat. LaMotta, stepping into the ring with a record of 45 wins, 8 losses, and 2 draws, was still the bigger man, but the weight difference—which had been about 15 lbs in their previous fights—was beginning to shrink. This time, the scales showed a 9 lbs advantage for the Bronx Bull.
The bout, held at Madison Square Garden in front of just over eighteen thousand spectators, turned out to be the easiest victory Robinson ever had over LaMotta. Sugar took control from the outset and maintained the distance that best suited him for the entire fight.
The only moment in which Jake gave his fans hope came in the sixth round when he cornered Robinson and unleashed a series of hooks, bringing the crowd to its feet. However, the onslaught was short-lived and remained an isolated event.
Although the referee and judges scored the fight closer, the American press agency Associated Press gave Robinson an overwhelming 9 rounds out of 10.
Fifth Fight (09/26/1945)
Seven months after their fourth fight, LaMotta and Robinson met again, this time at Comiskey Park in Chicago. For the first time, the fight was scheduled for twelve rounds.
Determined to erase the disappointing performance he had delivered in February, LaMotta entered the ring in peak condition. He was riding a seven-fight winning streak, had scored two dominant KOs in his last two outings, and was ready to go to war rather than let his eternal rival have an easy victory.
Sugar Ray, on the other hand, had fought three times in the interim and had been forced to settle for a draw against Puerto Rican Jose Basora—whom LaMotta had knocked out.
Once again, Robinson was the lighter man by about 9 lbs. As always, he was able to showcase his technical superiority in the first half of the fight. However, as the bout entered the championship rounds, he struggled to contain Jake’s relentless aggression.
The ninth, tenth, and eleventh rounds were particularly grueling, as the Bronx Bull applied constant and suffocating pressure. Only Robinson’s extraordinary conditioning allowed him to survive such an intense onslaught.
One judge saw LaMotta winning by a wide six-point margin, but the other judge and the referee gave Robinson a two-point edge, tipping the scales in Sugar’s favor and awarding him the victory via split decision.
Robinson admitted that this had been, without a doubt, the toughest of the five fights he had fought against LaMotta. The crowd erupted in protest upon hearing the scorecards, and even the journalists of the time were split—some believed Robinson had built too big of a lead in the early rounds, while others felt the Bronx Bull had done enough to claw his way back into the fight.
One last memorable chapter was now inevitable. But boxing fans would have to wait more than five years to witness the final, thrilling conclusion to this epic saga.
Sixth Fight (02/14/1951)
When Jake LaMotta and Ray Robinson faced each other for the final—and most important—fight of their legendary rivalry, a lot had changed since the controversial decision in Chicago.
The Bronx Bull had endured the humiliating scandal of the fixed fight against Billy Fox, which ultimately paved his way to a title shot. He had then ripped the world championship from the great Marcel Cerdan, defended it against Italy’s Tiberio Mitri, and achieved a sensational, last-second victory over the dangerous Frenchman Laurent Dauthuille, knocking him out in the fifteenth and final round while trailing on the scorecards.
Meanwhile, Ray Robinson had claimed the world welterweight title and successfully defended it multiple times, defeating, among others, the phenomenal Cuban Kid Gavilan. Between title defenses, Sugar had continued to take on top middleweights in non-title bouts, showing no concern for the size difference as he prepared himself for the challenge of conquering yet another division.
By the time LaMotta stepped into the ring at Chicago Stadium on that Valentine’s Day, Robinson’s record had reached staggering heights: 121 wins, 2 draws, and just a single defeat—the one Jake himself had handed him eight years earlier.
The Bronx Bull had endured immense sacrifices and grueling battles, both in life and in the ring, to finally reach the pinnacle of the sport. That magical night, he showed the entire world just how much he was willing to give to hold onto his cherished belt.
Remembering his past points defeats, Jake abandoned his usual slow start and gave it everything he had from the opening bell. Robinson, who by that time had reached a level of boxing mastery perhaps unmatched in history, was more than ready for the challenge. He responded blow for blow, producing a dazzling, hard-fought contest that remained evenly matched for long stretches.
At the end of the eighth round, United Press had LaMotta ahead six rounds to two. Other observers, including the official judges, had varying scorecards, some favoring Sugar Ray, but the sense of balance was undeniable.
However, starting from the ninth round, the toll of LaMotta’s early exertion began to show, and Robinson took full control. Sugar found his target with increasing ease, and the force of his punches started to take a visible toll on the champion’s face.
Despite his waning strength and the sheer brutality of Robinson’s blows, Jake refused to go down. He absorbed shot after shot with unbreakable courage, remaining on his feet even as his body betrayed him. In the thirteenth round, after yet another devastating combination from Robinson, referee Frank Sikora had seen enough and stopped the fight. The Bronx Bull had lost by TKO, but once again, he had never hit the canvas.
The punishment LaMotta endured in those final rounds was so severe that the fight went down in history as the “Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre”, a chilling reference to the infamous gangland execution that had stained Chicago’s streets with blood on February 14, 1929.