Rocky Graziano vs.Jake LaMotta Fight of The Century

[ron davis]

Who would you pick to win this one? Did you know they were very close friends, and didn't actually want to fight each other, before and after Jake injured his paw.

[Longhaul]

Zale vs Lamotta fight of the century .Old man zale beat the younger Rock two out of three.

[clemenza]

Who would you pick to win this one? Did you know they were very close friends, and didn't actually want to fight each other, before and after Jake injured his paw.

I don’t think this would’ve been even close, The Raging Bull Of The Bronx absolutely destroys Graziano in probably 5-6 rounds at the most. Totally different level of Boxers. Way too much pressure from Jake, there is no way Rocky would hold his ground, he would have to fight backing up. I saw somewhere Teddy Atlas was asked that and I believe his words were, Jake would’ve eaten him up like a hard piece of candy.
And that’s that

[Rusty Tromboni]

Is this a joke!?

I know this place is detached from reality, but even this takes it too far.

But again, maybe it's just a joke?

Seriously, you have a guy with sublime headmovement facing off against a guy who ran head-first into punches. Graziano might've even been the inspirtation for Marvel's "Hammerhead", from the Spiderman comics.

Lloyd MArshall and Fritzie Zivic both chose to box LaMotta. The one time that Robinson didn't, and preferred to match fire with fire, he took the only loss he'd suffer until he ran into Turpin (140ish fights deep into his career). Dauthille pushed the issue, too, and LaMotta authored the greatest comeback win in the history of Boxing.

Usually, those facts are used to support the argument that Jake was crude and very limited. But Graziano couldn't Box to save his life, so this fight would be a very short, but clear display of what even the most vicious/offensively skilled men wanted no part of.

I really don't know how this is FOTC. Maybe you're a mortician?

[Rusty Tromboni]

Zale vs Lamotta fight of the century .Old man zale beat the younger Rock two out of three.

Isn't the rag about Zale that he wouldn't fight LaMotta?

Incidentally, the Mafia helped him with that... by forging a trilogy with the bum graziano, no less.

People won't rank Zale among the best Middleweights because he didn't fight LaMotta and Burley.

[Rusty Tromboni]

I don’t think this would’ve been even close, The Raging Bull Of The Bronx absolutely destroys Graziano in probably 5-6 rounds at the most. Totally different level of Boxers. Way too much pressure from Jake, there is no way Rocky would hold his ground, he would have to fight backing up. I saw somewhere Teddy Atlas was asked that and I believe his words were, Jake would’ve eaten him up like a hard piece of candy.
And that’s that

exactly.

LaMotta had amazing head movement. And he could really, really turn on the offense. If an opponent showed any sign of weakness, LaMotta would suddenly pounce. He lacked power, and Dempsey said, to be a champion you needed to have a punch and take a punch, jake could only really do the latter*. But for anyone who played into his wheelhouse, it would be a round night. Graziano does only that.

*Who knows if LaMotta really said it in real life, but in "Raging Bull", his character makes reference to his hands being too small - lamenting how things would be different if he were a Heavyweight. It's true, at 200 pounds and above everybody has power, and often volume accounts for more than one-punch power. But at Mw he lacked the refinement and power to really be the best. But he was still very, very good (a poor man's Mickey Walker, even) despite having everything stacked against him.

[clemenza]

exactly.

LaMotta had amazing head movement. And he could really, really turn on the offense. If an opponent showed any sign of weakness, LaMotta would suddenly pounce. He lacked power, and Dempsey said, to be a champion you needed to have a punch and take a punch, jake could only really do the latter*. But for anyone who played into his wheelhouse, it would be a round night. Graziano does only that.

*Who knows if LaMotta really said it in real life, but in "Raging Bull", his character makes reference to his hands being too small - lamenting how things would be different if he were a Heavyweight. It's true, at 200 pounds and above everybody has power, and often volume accounts for more than one-punch power. But at Mw he lacked the refinement and power to really be the best. But he was still very, very good (a poor man's Mickey Walker, even) despite having everything stacked against him.

Well said Rusty. Jake was a in your grill mauler that always came foward & was a pressure from fighter. The better ? Is what fighter today or in the last 30 years reminds you of Jake

[billeau2]

I don’t think this would’ve been even close, The Raging Bull Of The Bronx absolutely destroys Graziano in probably 5-6 rounds at the most. Totally different level of Boxers. Way too much pressure from Jake, there is no way Rocky would hold his ground, he would have to fight backing up. I saw somewhere Teddy Atlas was asked that and I believe his words were, Jake would’ve eaten him up like a hard piece of candy.
And that’s that

Hey you!!! Stop reading my mind!

Absolutely agree with this. Rocky was tough... Jake was deceptive because every thought he looked... tough, like Jake! There is a lot more to jake including the way he dealt with punishing blows and gave them.

[The Old LefHook]

Lamotta was a top 5 All time middleweight. Graziano would not make top 10.

[Longhaul]

Isn't the rag about Zale that he wouldn't fight LaMotta?

Incidentally, the Mafia helped him with that... by forging a trilogy with the bum graziano, no less.

People won't rank Zale among the best Middleweights because he didn't fight LaMotta and Burley.

Zale came back from the war and the most money to be made was fighting the Rock .After losing four years of his prime he was out to make the most money.The fact that Rocky and Jake didn’t fight for whatever reason in those four years was no concern of Zales he went with the bigger payday.They knew each other but definitely were not close friends .In that era it’s unbelievable those guys wouldn’t square up and make themselves the only viable option for Zale.