Jake LaMotta Touches The Earth

Jake LaMotta vs Danny Nardico,

Coral Gables, Florida, December 31, 1952

16mm Sound Film Transfer

12 Minutes

The Fight and The Knockdown

Nearly two years after the great Jake LaMotta lost his middleweight title to Sugar Ray Robinson in their final epic battle, LaMotta was still fighting on.  In this match against light heavyweight Danny Nardico, Jake is still savvy and tough, but with each passing round, he falls further behind.  What makes this bout notable is that Jake’s once granite chin fails him, and LaMotta is suddenly and dramatically knocked down for the first time in his long career.

The Film

The film is in great condition.  The ring photography is very good and the action is clear.  Despite the pounding that LaMotta takes after the seventh round knockdown, Jake fights with characteristic disdain, holding the rope for support with one hand and punching with the other even as Nardico’s punches wail in.

Collector's Note: 190 16mm Boxing Films Added to Archive

Collector's Note:

I have recently acquired a collection of nearly 200 16mm classic boxing films.  Most are in excellent condition.  I am happy to say that among the many reels of film are rare and/or rarely seen fight films.  As the material is cataloged and archived, I will be showing some of this material on this blog, including brilliant quality upgrades of copies that have previously been traded among collectors, or currently seen in low quality on Youtube.