Mats sweep Pima in home-opener
AWC gets 1st conference win
Boxer who inspired ‘Raging Bull’ dies at 95
Jake LaMotta, an iron-fisted battler who brawled his way to a middleweight title and was later memorialized by Robert De Niro in the film “Raging Bull,” has died. He was 95.
The former middleweight champion died Tuesday at a Miamiarea hospital from complications of pneumonia, according to his longtime fiancee, Denise Baker.
LaMotta handed Sugar Ray Robinson his first defeat and reigned for nearly two years as middleweight champion during a time boxing was one of America’s biggest sports. He was a fan favorite who fought with fury, though he admitted to once intentionally losing a fight to get in line for a title bout.
LaMotta gained fame with a new generation because of the 1980 film based loosely on his autobiography from a decade earlier. De Niro won an Academy Award playing the troubled boxer - violent both inside and outside the ring - in a Martin Scorsese film that several critics have ranked as among the top 100 movies ever made.
“Rest in Peace, Champ,” De Niro said in a statement.
“Jake LaMotta was a champ,” said Scorsese. “He was, as they say, larger than life. He lived a tough life, with a lot to over come, but that’s exactly what he did. I’m glad to have had the chance to know him.”
The Bronx Bull, as he was known in his fighting days, compiled an 83-19-4 record with 30 knockouts, in a career that began in 1941 and ended in 1954. But it was the movie that unflinchingly portrayed him as a violent and abusive husband - he was married six times - that is remembered even more.
“I’m no angel,” he said in a 2005 interview with The Associated Press.
LaMotta fought the great Sugar Ray Robinson six times, handing Robinson the first defeat of his career in 1943 and losing the middleweight title to him in a storied match on Feb. 14, 1951, at Chicago Stadium.
After 14 road matches to begin the season, the Arizona Western volleyball team finally got a chance to play in front of its home crowd Wednesday night.
The Matadors made the most of it by cruising to a straight-sets victory over Pima.
Mafe Sandoval (9 kills, 9 digs), Mosquera Lopez (7 kills), Teuila Lolotai (13 assists, 10 digs) and Neyshlian Roman Concepcion (16 digs) led the way for the Matadors, who won by set scores of 25-16, 25-14 and 25-22.
“We’re happy to be back home, we’ve been on the road a long time,” head coach Lorayne Chandler said. “Obviously finishing in three is beneficial for my heart, so I’m glad that we maintained that.”
The win was the first conference
9-6 overall, 1-2 ACCAC 4-9 overall, 2-3 ACCAC
one of the season for AWC (9-6 overall, 1-2 ACCAC), which was coming off a five-set loss to Yavapai. Twelve of the Matadors’ first 13 matches of the season came at tournaments, which Chandler said helped prepare them for conference play.
“I think just occasionally we have freshman situations that happen that maybe we don’t make the smartest decisions, but talent-wise we are very, very good,” Chandler said. “And fine-tuning and being able to play in all those tournaments has been really beneficial for us.”