Jake LaMotta Net Worth, Relationships, Age/Birthdate & Birthday

Jake LaMotta was an American professional boxer — known as “The Bronx Bull” — whose brutal style and resilience made him a middleweight champion and boxing legend.

Introduction

Jake LaMotta was a fearsome American boxer whose life story — from poverty-stricken youth to world middleweight champion, actor, and cultural icon — continues to resonate. Born July 10, 1922, LaMotta became famous for his unrelenting fighting style, earning him the nicknames “The Bronx Bull” and “Raging Bull.” At the time of his death he was reported to have a net worth of roughly $1 million. His personal life was turbulent and public — marked by multiple marriages, hardships, and a legacy that inspired the acclaimed film Raging Bull.

Quick Facts

The Bronx Bull’s Rough Road to Glory

Born Giacobbe LaMotta on July 10, 1922, to Italian immigrant parents in New York City, LaMotta grew up in the tough neighborhood of the Bronx. Poverty and desperation defined his early years. His father — a Sicilian immigrant — pushed him into street fights for money, sometimes to help pay rent. 

It was only after a failed robbery attempt and time spent in a reformatory that he found boxing — first as an amateur, then turning professional in 1941. 

Defining moments in Jake LaMotta’s journey include:

• Discovering boxing while in reform school — transforming a troubled youth into a fighter. 

• Turning pro in 1941 and quickly rising through the ranks. 

• Delivering the first professional defeat to Sugar Ray Robinson in 1943 — a pivotal upset. 

• Capturing the world middleweight title on June 16, 1949, by defeating Marcel Cerdan. 

This turbulent upbringing and early exposure to violence shaped not just his physical toughness, but a mindset of survival and relentlessness.

The Core Pillars of Jake LaMotta’s Net Worth

The core pillars of Jake LaMotta’s wealth included:

While none of these ventures amassed vast wealth, collectively they sustained a modest net worth until his death.

Relationships & Family Life

LaMotta’s personal life was marred by turbulence, multiple marriages, and tragic losses. According to publicly available information:

• At the time of his death, he was married to Denise Baker. 

• Prior to that he had been married several times: including to Vicki LaMotta (1947–1957), Sallye Carlton (married 1960), and Dimitria LaMotta (married around 1970) among others.

Key insights into Jake LaMotta’s relationships and personal life:

• His marriages often involved volatility, reflecting a life shaped by aggression and emotional instability.

• His later life marriage to Denise Baker ended only with his passing.

Beyond Boxing — Lifestyle, Assets & Interests

Beyond career success, Jake LaMotta led a lifestyle that reflected both passion and — at times — turbulence, including:

• Nightclub Ownership: Running a bar/nightclub business post-retirement, a common path for boxers of his era, to monetize fame and ensure steady income.

• Performing Arts: Venturing into acting and stand-up comedy, appearing in films and shows, leveraging his “colorful” persona beyond boxing.

• Cultural Legacy: His autobiography became the basis for the film Raging Bull, keeping his story alive decades after retirement.

There is little public record of extravagant mansions, luxury car collections, or large philanthropic foundations — rather, his post-boxing life seems grounded in modest business ownership and leveraging his legacy through entertainment and memorabilia.

Net Worth Breakdown & Analysis

While exact figures remain uncertain, available estimates and reported values provide a rough sense of how LaMotta’s net worth was structured:

Given the era in which he made most of his money (1940s–1950s), modest purses, combined with a lack of massive endorsement deals or diversified investments, limited LaMotta’s accumulation of wealth. His estimated net worth underscores a legacy rooted more in sporting legend and cultural influence than in financial empire.

Legacy, Public Image & Influence

Jake LaMotta’s legacy is a tapestry of raw talent, unforgiving self-destruction, and lasting cultural imprint.

• Inside the ring, his relentless aggression and near-indestructible chin earned him enduring respect. He remains one of the most iconic middleweight champions of boxing’s golden age. 

• His rivalry with Sugar Ray Robinson — full of violence and drama — stands among the most legendary in boxing history, defining a brutal era. 

• Outside the ring, his complex personal life, flawed behaviors, and redemption attempts painted a portrait of a deeply troubled but unforgettable man. The film Raging Bull further cemented his cultural footprint, exposing broader audiences to the contradictions that defined him.

• As a posthumous icon, LaMotta serves as a cautionary tale: raw talent and grit can bring greatness, but personal demons and destructive habits can shadow success.

In short: his legacy is not just about boxing lineage — it’s about human fragility, survival, and the enduring mythos of a man who never backed down.

Conclusion

Jake LaMotta’s journey — from a Bronx tenement to middleweight champion — is as brutal as it is compelling. His net worth may have been modest, but his story, birthdate (July 10, 1922), and birthday (July 10) continue to resonate through boxing history, cinematic adaptation, and popular memory. His relationships and personal life were turbulent, yet inseparable from the identity that made him legendary. Ultimately, LaMotta’s legacy is not measured in dollars, but in the unbreakable spirit of “The Bronx Bull” — a fighter who embodied resilience, brutality, and survival in its rawest form.