Welcome to our collection of memorable quotes from Jake LaMotta, the renowned American former professional boxer and World Middleweight Champion. LaMotta’s life was a tale of grit, determination, and resilience, both inside and outside the ring. His unyielding spirit and relentless pursuit of victory made him a legend in the world of boxing.
Throughout his career, Jake LaMotta faced numerous challenges, both in and out of the boxing ring. His quotes reflect the wisdom gained from those experiences, offering insight into the mindset of a true fighter. From his famous line, You never got me down, Ray, to his reflections on perseverance and courage, LaMotta’s words continue to inspire generations of athletes and enthusiasts alike.
Below, you’ll find a selection of Jake LaMotta’s most memorable quotes. Whether you’re seeking motivation for your own battles or simply appreciate the eloquence of a seasoned champion, these quotes are sure to resonate with you. So, feel free to copy them, place them on an image, or enhance them with stylish fonts. Let the wisdom of Jake LaMotta ignite your fighting spirit.
Ask most guys what their ambition is, and they’ll say they want to get rich. But when they get rich, they discover it’s not what they wanted at all. I don’t want to be rich. Jake LaMotta
I guess God blessed me with a hard head, because I really didn’t feel punches. Jake LaMotta
When you break bones, they heal up and come back even stronger. Jake LaMotta
When you’re No. 1 contender for five years, and you know who’s controlling things, you’ll do something you’re not proud of. Jake LaMotta
I’m the Godfather of Boxing. Everything is out in the open with me. What you see is what you get. Jake LaMotta
If I got a beating for something, I usually deserved it. Jake LaMotta
I purposely lost a fight to Billy Fox because they promised me that I would get a shot to fight for the title if I did. Jake LaMotta
When I was a kid, I wanted to fight Joe Louis. But I think if I had seen Mike Tyson at that time, I would have said, ‘Nah, I don’t want to fight him.’ He’s deadly. He could have been one of the great heavyweight champions. But he goofed. Jake LaMotta
There was only one thing I wanted out of life. That was to be the champ. Jake LaMotta
You have to treat everybody the right way. Otherwise, you’ll have a short life. God bless. Jake LaMotta
I was a no-good bastard. Jake LaMotta
I wanted to get punished, and I took unnecessary punishment when I was fighting. Jake LaMotta
Everybody has a temper, but mine was set on a hair trigger. Jake LaMotta
The three toughest fighters I fought were Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Robinson, and Sugar Ray Robinson. Jake LaMotta
I’ve learned a lot about life besides how to take a punch. And I’ve taken quite a few in and out of the ring. Jake LaMotta
I don’t know how to back up. Jake LaMotta
I was a sick animal. I was jealous. I was vicious. Jake LaMotta
Lot of guys can take punches. The idea is not to take unnecessary punishment. Jake LaMotta
My nose was broken six times, my hands six times, a few fractured ribs. Fifty stitches over my eyes. But the only place I got hurt was out of the ring. Jake LaMotta
My greatest defense was my offense. Very few guys did that. Jake LaMotta
I had such a crazy life. How I got away with it, I don’t know. Jake LaMotta
I hypnotized myself so in my subconscious, I believed I couldn’t get hurt. And I don’t mean ‘believe’ – I mean believe believe believe. Jake LaMotta
I used to psyche myself out. Only, back then, we didn’t know the word ‘psyche.’ Jake LaMotta
The world knows me as the Raging Bull. Jake LaMotta
Boxing never hurt me at all. Jake LaMotta
Big money causes me too much trouble with my ex-wives and the government. All I want is to keep busy and to be comfortable. Jake LaMotta
Sugar Ray Robinson was the greatest, pound-for-pound, ever. He fought most of his career with just one loss, and that was to me. He had 131 fights with one loss. Jake LaMotta
You don’t compare a guy with 30 or 40 fights with a guy who had 200 fights and fought over 25 years. Jake LaMotta
I’m no angel. Jake LaMotta
I wasn’t born to be a fighter. My hands are too small, and look at these short arms. Jake LaMotta
You know what’s the greatest sin in the world? Hurting your fellow man. Jake LaMotta
Most people aren’t good or bad. They’re naive. Jake LaMotta
Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve. Jake LaMotta
You can’t think about the past anymore. Jake LaMotta
I was tough at a very young age, where I was just fighting all the time. Jake LaMotta
Fear is unnecessary. Jake LaMotta
God’s been pretty good to me. He made me duck all those punches that were supposed to land. Jake LaMotta
Subconsciously – I didn’t know it then, I realize it today when I know a little bit more about the mind and the brain – I fought like I didn’t deserve to live. Jake LaMotta
I fought from the time I was eight years old, sometimes three, four fights a night. We did it to eat, and we did it because we were just tough kids. Jake LaMotta
I never went to church. The priests couldn’t scare me with all that crap about hell, but somehow I knew, inside of me somehow, I knew that I’d pay for it. Jake LaMotta
You can’t fight if you have any compassion or anything like that. Jake LaMotta
There’s no pensions for old prize fighters. Jake LaMotta
I ask for personal appearance fees because I’ve earned them. I deserve them. My presence at events is what they need, so they ought to pay for it. Jake LaMotta
I fought Sugar Ray six times. Pound for pound the greatest fighter who ever lived. Jake LaMotta
I was able to convince my body that I could take it and nobody could hurt me. I might’ve gotten cut, stitches over my eyes. Broken nose. Broken hands. But I never really got hurt. Jake LaMotta
Besides being a slum kid with no great education in anything except how to fight and stay alive and steal, I also had this temper. Jake LaMotta
All my life I made a living out of hurting people. Now, I make a living out of making people laugh. Jake LaMotta
I play solitaire and wait for something to happen. Jake LaMotta
Counting amateur fights, I have over a thousand bouts. Jake LaMotta
All my life, I wanted to be champion. Jake LaMotta
I lost a lot of money, lost my wife and kids. Jake LaMotta
I fought Sugar Ray Robinson so many times, it’s a wonder I don’t have diabetes. Jake LaMotta
There’s a lot of people all over the world that talked about me. Jake LaMotta
I waited all those years for a title shot, and when I finally got it, I had to pay $20,000 for the opportunity. My purse was only $18,000. So to make money, I had to bet $10,000 on myself at 8-5. That was how it was in those days. Jake LaMotta
I made a million, and I lost a million. Jake LaMotta
I always needed money when I was younger. I had different ways of getting it. A lot of the ways I don’t like to talk about. Jake LaMotta
People get in auto accidents, they’re paralyzed for life. I got hurt worse getting married. Jake LaMotta
Something’s bound to happen to you in a tough fight: cut eye, broken nose or broken hand or something like that. So you could make excuses out of anything, you know, but you got to keep on going if you’re a champ or you’re a contender. Jake LaMotta
Even when I was hurt, I was always the aggressor, no matter what. Jake LaMotta
I forget stuff. Guess I took a few too many punches. Jake LaMotta
You can’t go into the ring and be a nice guy. Jake LaMotta
Cooking’s my hobby. Jake LaMotta
I conditioned myself many years ago that nobody could hurt me. Jake LaMotta
I fought in Detroit 23 times. Jake LaMotta
Most of the time, husbands and wives argue about stupid, foolish things. If it doesn’t mean that much to you, give in to your wife. Jake LaMotta
Punches never bothered me that much. Jake LaMotta
I been in jail twice. The first time was reform school: they got me for carrying burglar’s tools, something like that. The morals charge was a frame-up. Jake LaMotta
Whenever I did have a lot of money, I got in trouble. Jake LaMotta
Forward, always moving forward, from the time I can remember – a kid. I was short, and the big guys would take advantage; I had to turn myself into a body puncher. By that time I was in reform school, they’d have a boxing match every week; they’d bring guys in from outside to fight me. Jake LaMotta
