82 years ago
Sugar Ray Robinson vs Jake LaMotta II
Date: 5th February 1943
Venue: Olympia Stadium, Detroit, Michigan
Title: 10 Round Middleweight Contest
Referee: Sam Hennessey
Sugar Ray Robinson
(
40
-
0
-
0
)
Weight: 144½ lbs
Jake LaMotta
(
30
-
5
-
2
)
Weight: 160½ lbs
On February 5, 1943, at the Olympia Stadium in Detroit, Michigan, boxing fans witnessed a historic upset as Jake LaMotta handed Sugar Ray Robinson his first professional defeat. The bout, a 10-round middleweight contest, saw LaMotta overcome significant odds to derail Robinson's 40-fight winning streak.
Robinson, the Detroit native, entered the ring as a 3-1 favourite, carrying an unblemished 40-0-0 record. LaMotta, known as "The Bronx Bull," stepped in with a 30-5-2 ledger. The weight disparity was notable, with Robinson weighing in at 144½ lbs compared to LaMotta's 160½ lbs. Despite this difference, Robinson had previously outboxed LaMotta in their first encounter four months earlier at Madison Square Garden.
The early rounds saw Robinson build a lead, seemingly on track to repeat his earlier victory. However, LaMotta's relentless pressure began to turn the tide as he forced Robinson into a brawl. The pivotal moment came in the eighth round when LaMotta landed a devastating combination - a right to the body followed by a left to the head - that sent Robinson through the ropes. The bell saved Robinson from a potential knockout as he lay sprawled outside the ring at the count of nine.
As the fight entered its final stages, it was clear that Robinson was in unfamiliar territory, struggling against LaMotta's aggressive style and punching power. The packed crowd of 18,930 at Olympia Stadium witnessed LaMotta's strategy pay off as he secured a unanimous decision victory.
The judges' scorecards reflected LaMotta's dominance in the latter half of the fight: Sam Hennessey scored it 52-47, Dad Butler 57-49, and Joe Lenahan 55-45, all favouring LaMotta. This victory marked Robinson's first defeat and set the stage for one of boxing's greatest rivalries, which would eventually span six fights over eight years.