The October 1949 issue of The Ring Magazine featured legendary boxer Jake LaMotta on its cover. Bid to collect this grand-scale photographic reproduction of LaMotta’s 1949 cover, personally hand-signed and inscribed by “The Bronx Bull” aka “Raging Bull” himself!
This great piece reproduces the cover of the October 1949 issue of The Ring Magazine, with its powerful graphic image of Jake LaMotta juxtaposed aside a horned bull. The cover’s caption reads: JAKE LaMOTTA / THE BRONX BULL.
Jake LaMotta has signed, with a full-name signature, in a large, clear signature in black marker. Beneath his signature LaMotta has added “Raging Bull”, also in black marker. Jake LaMotta’s signature and inscription have been examined and authenticated by James Spence Authentication (JSA), and the item bears a unique alphanumeric authentication label, which corresponds to the Certificate of Authenticity from JSA which accompanies the item.
The piece comes freshly framed in a black gallery-style frame measuring 21-3/8" in height x 17-3/8" width.
GIACOBBE “JAKE” LaMOTTA (1922–2017) was a legendary professional boxer, world middleweight champion, and, following his boxing career, stand-up comedian. Nicknamed "The Bronx Bull" or "Raging Bull", LaMotta was a rough fighter who was not a particularly big puncher, but he would subject his opponents to vicious beatings in the ring. With use of constant stalking, brawling and inside fighting, he developed the reputation for being what is often referred to today as a swarmer and a slugger.
Due to his hard style of fighting, LaMotta often took in as much as he dished out in an era of great middleweights. With a thick skull and jaw muscles, LaMotta was able to absorb incredible amounts of punishment over the course of his career, and is thought to have one of the greatest chins in boxing history. LaMotta's six-fight rivalry with Sugar Ray Robinson was one of the most notable in the sport. Although each fight was close and LaMotta dropped Robinson to the canvas multiple times, LaMotta won only one of the bouts.
LaMotta, who lived a turbulent life in and out of the ring, was portrayed by Robert De Niro in the 1980 film Raging Bull, which was based on LaMotta’s 1970 memoir Raging Bull: My Story. The film, Raging Bull, released in 1980, received overwhelming critical acclaim for both director Martin Scorsese and actor Robert De Niro, who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance. LaMotta trained De Niro for the his role in the film, until LaMotta felt De Niro was ready play the role.
Jake LaMotta was ranked 52nd on Ring Magazine's List of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years, and the magazine ranked him as one of the 10 greatest middleweights of all time. LaMotta was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 1990.