75 years ago today in boxing. Wow.
Where does the time go at all?
Sugar Ray Robinson is of course one of the best boxers that ever lived. For us, the greatest pound for pound boxer of all time.
This time 75 years ago he had a famous victory on the night. On his way to go on to be the greatest boxer that ever lived — for us and many more.
He defeated the ‘Raging Bull’ Jake La Motta in a classic bout.
The latter would have a movie ‘Raging Bull’ staring the now faded actor Robert De Niro, who is a faded no longer relevant star anymore.
In reality though — the movie should have been on Ray Robinson. A far better fighter, boxer and a remarkable man he was.
Here’s the facts of how it went down all those years ago on what was dubbed ‘The Valentine’s Day Massacre’ years after.
Until this day:
- Event: Sugar Ray Robinson defeated Jake LaMotta by TKO in round 13 (at 2:04) of a scheduled 15-round fight.
- Title at stake: World middleweight championship (held by LaMotta; recognized by NYSAC, NBA, and The Ring magazine).
- Location: Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, USA (attendance ~14,000–15,000; broadcast on early home television to millions).
- Significance: This was the sixth and final fight in their legendary rivalry (Robinson won the series 5–1 overall; LaMotta’s only win was in 1943, Robinson’s sole career loss at that point for nearly a decade).
- Nickname: Dubbed the “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” (or “Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre”) due to the brutal, one-sided beating LaMotta absorbed in the later rounds—especially rounds 12–13—where Robinson unleashed relentless combinations while LaMotta refused to go down (preserving his record of never being knocked down in 95+ fights).
- Outcome for Robinson: He captured the middleweight title, becoming a two-division world champion (after welterweight dominance).
- Aftermath: LaMotta was battered and bloodied but never floored; the referee stopped it as LaMotta hung on the ropes defenseless. LaMotta never fought for a world title again and retired in 1954. The fight cemented Robinson’s status as one of boxing’s all-time greatest (often called pound-for-pound #1).
This brutal classic, immortalized in films as mentioned above like Raging Bull, remains one of boxing’s most iconic and savage bouts.
