On February 5 , 1943 Welterweight Sugar Ray Robinson, a 3-1 favorite, suffers the first loss of his career – both pro and amateur – when he’s upset by middleweight Jake LaMotta in Detroit. Late in the eighth round, “The Raging Bull,” who at 160½ pounds has a 16-pound advantage, belts Robinson with a right to the body followed by a left to the head that knocks Robinson through the ropes on to the ring apron for a count of nine. Robinson is saved by the bell. At the end of the 10th – and final – round, LaMotta hurts Robinson again, backing him into a corner and pounding away. LaMotta, just up from the preliminary ranks, wins a unanimous decision, avenging the setback he suffered to Robinson four months ago. Robinson had been 85-0 as an amateur and 40-0 as a pro. They will fight four more times, and Robinson will win each bout.
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