Recommended Reading
by Matt Mosley on Mar 2, 2010 6:03 PM EST
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I don't read as much as i used to since my addiction to the internet started but i do still enjoy collecting boxing books.
Have you BLH fans got any recommendations?
I'll give three of mine to start off.
Muhammad Ali:His Life And Times by Thomas Hauser.(Not very original,i know,but the best book i have read on Ali).
In The Red Corner:A Journey Into Cuban Boxing by John Duncan.(Interesting look at the Cuban amateur scene.Nearly 10 years old now though).
Kostya:My Story by Kostya Tszyu with Malcolm Andrews Tszyu.(From his harsh amateur days in Russia to his later move to Australia and numerous title belts.)
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Unforgivable Blackness
is Jack Johnson’s biography, which is quite thick and has extensive footnotes . It also has been made into a documentary.
I cannot express in words how much I enjoyed reading this book. What Johnson was able to do in the early 1900’s in a segregated America is simply incredible.
Ricky Hatton came closer to beating Manny Pacquiao than Marquez did to beating Floyd.
-SC
Yeah, it's a fantastic read.
"The terror of the unforeseen is what the science of history hides, turning a disaster into an epic"
by Oli Goldstein on Mar 4, 2010 6:04 PM EST up reply actions
Sam Langford: Boxing’s Greatest Uncrowned Champion by Clay Moyle.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
Sam Langford has a great life story
"Honey i forgot to duck" - Jack Dempsey
by Drunken cutman on Mar 3, 2010 6:06 PM EST up reply actions
smokin’ joe: the autobiography – he really, REALLY gets back at ali for everything ali said about him.
rocky marciano: the rock of his times. by russell sullivan – reading it now and its pretty damn good.
gypsy joe harris: son of philadelphia – by anthony molock – amazing fighter nobody has ever heard of. defensive genius and he was later found out to be blind in one eye. hardly ever trained, smoked, drank and played pool instead. the book is not the best writing in the world though.
theres another book i actually read in college for a history class. it was on the fights between gene tunny and jack dempsey. i dont remember the name of it. i couldn’t find it on a quick amazon search either. it was damn good though. tunny is by far the most underrated heavyweight champ ever.
i read a bunch more i read when i was younger, when i think of them i’ll post.
"Newspapermen ask dumb questions. They look up at the sun and ask if it is shining."
-Sonny Liston
.
I couldn’t find the Frazier book but do have the Marciano one.It’s had a lot of good reviews.
Yet to read it.
the frazier book should be on amazon. not sure if they ship where you are though.
the marciano book is a really good read. im not even halfway though but its really good so far
"Newspapermen ask dumb questions. They look up at the sun and ask if it is shining."
-Sonny Liston
.
Re:'Smokin' Joe'.
There are private sellers on amazon but too expensive for what i am willing to pay so i will wait and hope they re-release it,or at least someone else write’s a biograpy on him.
Rocky Marciano by Everett M. Skehan. Classic
Kostya’s My Story is a great one Matt. Growing up in Serov explains Tszyu’s toughness.
The Big If – The life and death of Johnny Owen by Rick Broadbent. Tragic and uplifting. A favourite of mine.
Unlicensed (random notes from boxing’s underbelly) by John Hotten. Brutal.
On Boxing by Joyce Carol Oates. — "I have no difficulty justifying boxing as a sport," writes Oates, "because I have never thought of it as a sport. There is nothing fundamentally playful about it; nothing that seems to belong to daylight, to pleasure. At its moments of greatest intensity it seems to contain so complete and powerful an image of life – life’s beauty, vulnerability, despair, incalculable and often self-destructive courage – that boxing is life, and hardly a mere game."
"Anytime you go thirty rounds with a guy, try to kill each other, and have the utmost respect for each other, no one understands that, but guys who have been to war understand it." - Micky Ward on Arturo Gatti.
Great Quote,Goaty!
I’ve got ‘On Boxing’ on my amazon wishlist but still haven’t bought it yet cos i have a stack of boxing books i have yet to read :).
I am on with Ted’s ‘Boxing Is My Sanctuary’ at the moment.
On Boxing is great
It would be even better if it wasn’t mostly old pieces. But her interviews with Tyson are well worth reading if you haven’t checked them out yet. And the essay that opens the book is fantastic.
Boxing writer: "Iran, what are you going to do when you retire?"
Iran Barkley: "Rob your house"
+1 for On Boxing. I read it a couple years ago and most of it is really cool.
"And so, as, uh, Heavyweight Champion recognized by nine of the fourteen sanctioning bodies..." -Drederick Tatum, The Simpsons
by BloodMeridian on Mar 11, 2010 10:23 PM EST up reply actions
i’m going to have to check out kostyas book. hes top 3 of my all time favorites. not sure why i haven’t yet already.
"Newspapermen ask dumb questions. They look up at the sun and ask if it is shining."
-Sonny Liston
.
I Would Also Recommend,
Atlas:A Son’s Journey From The Streets To The Ring To A Life Worth Livingby Teddy Atlas.(really enjoyed this).
Boxing Confidential by Jim Brady (Great look at the politics and corruption in boxing.Maybe a bit dated now though).
Boxing’s Greatest Fighter’s by Bert Sugar.(Some might not agree with the order of greatness he put the fighters at but i think he did a pretty good job overall).
I read ‘Four Kings’ by George Kimball not long ago and while it was well written,i wouldn’t say it was one of my favourite books.
Fans of that era would probably love it though.
Sugar Ray Robinson.
Sweet Thunder-The Life and Times of Sugar Ray Robinson by Will Haygood was released last year.It has had some good reviews.
I haven’t bought that yet but i do have ‘Sugar Ray’ by SRR and Dave Anderson.
I have about 70-80 boxing books,some classics,but i have only read about half of them!:).
I wanted to get in there before they stop publishing or they became expensive collector’s items.
‘The Fearless Harry Greb’ cost me about £35($50 approx) brand new but i am really glad i bought that and the Sam Langford and Joe Gans books.
the Euro is worth more than the dollar. Holy shit that can’t be right.
"Yes Gina, I am a Wise Cracker"
Well that’s a pound (£),not a Euro symbol,for a start :).
But yeah,roughly 1.5 USD to 1 pound sterling.Euro is roughly the same as the pound nowadays.
The pound sucks right now
Bad times for us Euro travelling types. No longer can I skip over to Budapest for a long weekend and pay a pittance for flights, accommodation and food :(
"Honey i forgot to duck" - Jack Dempsey
by Drunken cutman on Mar 3, 2010 6:09 PM EST up reply actions
No Comment
"Honey i forgot to duck" - Jack Dempsey
by Drunken cutman on Mar 4, 2010 1:19 PM EST up reply actions
I've got a book at home which I think is called "McIlvanney on Boxing".
It’s a collection of Hugh McIlvanney’s articles from across the years on big fights, fighters, the sport as a whole. Great collection. His article straight after Hagler/Leonard was particularly good, both bluntly honest and utterly perceptive.
There’s a comment on the back which reads something like, “If you like your boxing journalism muscular yet poignant, McIlvanny is the writer for you”, or something similar. However badly I’ve paraphrased it, it’s true…. :)
Some people are acting like Pacquiao should be expected to have just gone, "Yeah sure, let’s do something I’ve never done before because your dad made some dumbass baseless comment."
(SC, 28/12/09; http://www.badlefthook.com/2009/12/27/1221143/mayweather-pacquiao-update-bob#comments)
A link;
http://www.amazon.com/McIlvanney-Boxing-Hugh/dp/1851587322
Some people are acting like Pacquiao should be expected to have just gone, "Yeah sure, let’s do something I’ve never done before because your dad made some dumbass baseless comment."
(SC, 28/12/09; http://www.badlefthook.com/2009/12/27/1221143/mayweather-pacquiao-update-bob#comments)
I should just say, that's not the edition I have....
I don’t know if more than one book has been published with the same title. At least, that’s nothing like the front cover on mine.
Some people are acting like Pacquiao should be expected to have just gone, "Yeah sure, let’s do something I’ve never done before because your dad made some dumbass baseless comment."
(SC, 28/12/09; http://www.badlefthook.com/2009/12/27/1221143/mayweather-pacquiao-update-bob#comments)
Yeah,
he’s a very good sports writer.I have that book but,guess what?……Haven’t read it yet!:).
You may or may not know that McIlvanney also wrote the classic boxing book,
The Hardest Game.I can’t find that at the moment though(at a reasonable price anyway).
It's not necessarily the sort of book you sit down and read in one sitting anyway.
Not that I’m trying to tell you what to do, but the fact it’s a collection of articles means you can read it in bits, as background reading on fights/fighters, or just when you have the odd spare five minutes.
Then again, some of those articles are amazingly well written, which makes it very easy to say to yourself, “just one more article before bed…”, or: “I’ll just have a look and see what the next one’s about… I won;t read it all the way through, honest….”
:)
Some people are acting like Pacquiao should be expected to have just gone, "Yeah sure, let’s do something I’ve never done before because your dad made some dumbass baseless comment."
(SC, 28/12/09; http://www.badlefthook.com/2009/12/27/1221143/mayweather-pacquiao-update-bob#comments)
Also recently read “Becoming Holyfield” and “Facing Tyson”.
Both a bit over the top with the hyperbole, but someinteresting stuff in there too, such as the ways in which fighters prepeared mentally to face Tyson, and the egotism which is shown quite clearly even in an empathetic look at Holyfield…
Some people are acting like Pacquiao should be expected to have just gone, "Yeah sure, let’s do something I’ve never done before because your dad made some dumbass baseless comment."
(SC, 28/12/09; http://www.badlefthook.com/2009/12/27/1221143/mayweather-pacquiao-update-bob#comments)
I highly recommend
Boxing Is My Sanctuary, and Reelin’ In The Years by this tough old geezer Ted Sares. To quote Mike Casey:
This is a fifteen round treat so touch gloves with The Bull and enjoy the ride.
Essential reading for any die-hard and written in Ted’s own unique style. Classic stuff.
A Neutral Corner by A.J. Liebling. Fifteen previously uncollected prizefighting pieces written between 1952 and 1963. Brilliant.
Fighting The Demons – the Lester Ellis Story as told to Robert Drane. Some Australiana for ya Matt.
"Anytime you go thirty rounds with a guy, try to kill each other, and have the utmost respect for each other, no one understands that, but guys who have been to war understand it." - Micky Ward on Arturo Gatti.
I definitely recommend
Atlas by Teddy Atlas…a great read.
I’m reading ‘No Ordinary Joe’ Joe Calzaghe’s book now.
Except for the part on Sammy the Bull, a true rat and scumbag.
"If you sit there and watch a person take about an hour to tie his shoestrings, then you realize that whatever problems you got ain't that significant"
---Vernon Forrest 2006
by The Midnight Rambler on Mar 4, 2010 10:49 AM EST up reply actions
How about this
The Devil and Sonny Liston by Nick Tosches.
A little cooperation from the formatting guide would be apprecitated.
Charley Burley and The Black Murderers’ Row
by Harry Otty
"If you sit there and watch a person take about an hour to tie his shoestrings, then you realize that whatever problems you got ain't that significant"
---Vernon Forrest 2006
by The Midnight Rambler on Mar 4, 2010 2:54 PM EST reply actions
HANDS of STONE by Christian Giudice
When I was watching the four Kings in the 80s Duran always semmed the lesser of the four losing to Hagler, wiped out by Hearns and the famous ‘no mas’ aginst Leonard. But after reading this I learnt a lot more about his early career and promted me to watch a lot more of his early fights and understand why so many rate him the best of the four. It’s well written and madness of his lifestyle makes for some great stories.
on Ali
I must have raed about 20 books on Ali – I like the Hauser one too, but David Remnick’s King of the World is probably my favourite and also like Mark Kram’s Ghosts of Manila – gives a different perspective on Ali and more from Frazier’s side
I liked ‘King of the World’ but thought that Mark Kram was just trying to be different from the common opinion of Ali.A lot of his points were either pretty trivial or didn’t hold much water as far as i am concerned.
I like to hear different sides and opinions but i wasn’t impressed with him.
I hate to use this word but Kram just came across as a bit of a hater,imo.
It was quite a few years ago that i read that though,Bristol,so i don’t know,maybe i would see it a bit differently today.
Fair point Matt
At the time I read t I’d just read a lot of other books on Ali and I guess liked it as it gave somewhat different perspective, but yeah at times he did sound I would say quite bitter. Maybe a danger if someone only read that one they’d get a warped view of ali and his career. When I was a kid I read and loved ‘The Greatest’ , but apparently much of it was complete fiction – lol
I also got hold of the 2 original 60’s biogs of Ali ‘Man of destiny’ by John Cottrell and Jack Olsen’s ‘Black is best; the riddle of Cassius Clay’ (English version just called ‘Cassius Clay’) – they were an interesting read giving a view from the time – but bit hard to get hold of/expensive on ebay/amazon.
I'm reading Redemption Song (by Mike Marqusee)..
..which is about the political impact of Muhammad Ali; really very interesting read, would certainly recommend.
"The terror of the unforeseen is what the science of history hides, turning a disaster into an epic"
Redemption Song
Yeah me too I read that a couple of years ago and really enjoyed.
Sanctuary
I’ve asked my wife to get me Ted’s book for my Birthday
Redemption Song.
Haven’t read it yet but i do own it.
Here’s a good one for the UK fans(or whoever):-
Looking for a Fight:How a Writer Took on the Boxing World – From The Inside by David Matthews.(A writer trains at a pro gym over an extended period of time with the aim of having at least one fight).
I certainly recommend this and UK fans or boxing writers who have trained in boxing would really enjoy it i think.I read it at the time when i was boxing a bit myself and found it very interesting.
sort of on topic
A really good somewhat academic book is Body and Soul by Lois Waquant. Its a story of a sociologist who is trying to look at the social structure inside of a boxing gym on the South Side of Chicago. However, in order to gain access to the fighters he has to become a regular in the gym and gets on a regular boxing schedule. Interesting look at his journey and integration into the boxing club. Fascinating read if you are in to that type of thing.
Sounds great
"Honey i forgot to duck" - Jack Dempsey
by Drunken cutman on Mar 5, 2010 8:19 AM EST up reply actions
The Black Lights - Inside the World of Pro Boxing
by Thomas Hauser. Nov 3 1984 Billy Costello fought to defend his WBC Super LW title against Saoul Mamby. This is a book about that fight and about the sport and business of pro boxing. Great book.
Nigel Benn, Dark Destroyer. Benn’s autobiography, powerful stuff.
"Anytime you go thirty rounds with a guy, try to kill each other, and have the utmost respect for each other, no one understands that, but guys who have been to war understand it." - Micky Ward on Arturo Gatti.
Here are three that I reference in my new (and third) book:
Evans, Gavin, Dancing Shoes Is Dead: A Tale of Fighting Men in South Africa, Black Swan, 2003. 450 pages.
Johnston, J. J. and Sean Curtin, Chicago Boxing. Arcadia Publishing. February 28, 2005. 128 pages.
Ross, Ron, Bummy Davis vs. Murder, Inc.: The Rise and Fall of the Jewish Mafia and an Ill-Fated Prizefighter (paperback). St. Martin’s Griffin. December 14,2004. 432 page
"If you sit there and watch a person take about an hour to tie his shoestrings, then you realize that whatever problems you got ain't that significant"
---Vernon Forrest 2006
by The Midnight Rambler on Mar 4, 2010 8:24 PM EST reply actions
Matt
I’m not a big reader, but I’ve read “no ordianry joe” and the “dark destyroyer” (years ago now. Both interesting books. Benn’s book begins with his trainer, Kevin Sanders I think, telling him, (while talking about the first rd with GMan) that he (Benn) “didnt half give it to him”, naturally Benn was like “UH???”
Off topic but another good book from years back, is “Fifty Dead Men Walking” it tells the story of Martin McGartland, the IRA informer….. scary stuff!
Phil,
i’ve got “No Ordinary Joe” on the bookshelf but haven’t read it yet.,
Have read loads of good reviews though and looking forward to reading it.
Norman Mailers" The Fight" even though Mailer is off his head and has some pretty crazy ideas he was a great writer and he has some really nice insights . SHEED, WILFRED Muhammad Ali – A Portrait in Words and Photographs, It’s hard to get but it’s another great Ali book with some incredible photos . My old man " aquired " it for me back in 1975 when it cam out . Jose Torres book on Ali is worth reading . Krams "Blood Feud " is well written and does make some salient points but Krams right wing politics and inability to understand how Ali was a creature of his times didnt sit well with me. Joe Layden " The Lat Great Fight" was a great read . Its about Tyson v Douglas. George Plimptons " ShadowBox" is also worth a read . To get a feel for the game Plimpton sparred Archie Moore for three rounds and before the spar a " friend" of Plimptons informed Moore that George had been a gifted amateur boxer and that he had been been talking smack about the Mongoose .As Goaty said AJ Lieblings book is a classic . Cheers fellas , great Fanpost Matt.
"I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me. " Hunter S Thompson.
Thing is, Mailer was one big woose. Gosh, he couln’t even wack his wifes very well. He was a jock sniffing wannabe who could write like a genius.
"If you sit there and watch a person take about an hour to tie his shoestrings, then you realize that whatever problems you got ain't that significant"
---Vernon Forrest 2006
by The Midnight Rambler on Mar 8, 2010 3:43 PM EST up reply actions
'a jock sniffing wannabe who could write like a genius'
LOL – thats a classic line Ted – one of those I read and straight away wished I’d written it myself – I’ve read a lot of Mailer and boy can he write, but the other part is also true. Class !
I think he did a half-decent
job of stabbing one wife though.
by Don From Prov on Mar 9, 2010 11:00 AM EST up reply actions
Kram's an ugly man.
I want a bigger juke-box. Telecasters rule the world - in the right hands. Don't tell me I play bum notes - I KNOW!
by Randy Loathsome on Mar 8, 2010 6:17 PM EST up reply actions
A Bitter Man
Randy – I’d say yeah he’s a bitter man, but I’d say what Kram said in ‘Ghosts of Manila’ can’t be totally disregarded – But it seems he’s certainly not a popular man on this site !!
Yep
‘sting like a bee’ is a good read – One of Kram’s most powerful points is how Ali got manipulated by the nation of islam to an extent that he was saying shit that clearly he didn’t believe – that point alone put some of his words in perspective.
The ‘last great fight’ hmm – good book well written , but the title alone and my own feeling that the Tyson era was way overhyped was off putting
Oscar de la Hoya
Has anyone read “American Son” by Oscar? I have it, but just haven’t started it yet>
.
Phil - No
I looked throgh it in the Bookshop, but didn’t part with the cash – and there was me calling you tight !
Thanks Bristol
But I stole it…. Just kidding!
by Phill on Mar 6, 2010 4:08 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
When I get round to reading it, I’ll let you what it’s like. If it’s worth a read I’ll rent, erm … lend it to you!!
by Phill on Mar 6, 2010 4:10 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Good Fanpost Matt
Reading through all the posts I now got a few more books to take a look at – good idea for a Post Matt – like yourself I’ve collected quite a few Boxing books over the years – so good to have some more to look at.
Yes indeed.
"If you sit there and watch a person take about an hour to tie his shoestrings, then you realize that whatever problems you got ain't that significant"
---Vernon Forrest 2006
by The Midnight Rambler on Mar 8, 2010 3:42 PM EST up reply actions
Cheers Bristol.
Phil – I have American Son but haven’t read it yet.It is well rated on Amazon and in general.
Hard Road To Glory by Johnny Nelson.
I would definitely recommend this biography of the former WBO cruiserweight champion for UK fans.Nelson tells a good story.
It covers the Herol Graham and Naseem Hamed era’s at Sheffield’s Wincobank gym.
Funny and inspiring.
Find out how Naz got the nickname ‘Rat Lungs’ from his mates.
Naz - eh ?
Naz didn’t seem too popular with his fellow Boxers – there’s a bit in Calzaghe’s book (or was it Hatton’s – too many Beers last night) about Carl Thompson getting fed up with him mounthing off and threatening him.
Yeah,
they all seemed to get sick of him.I don’t blame them if he was anything like he is on tv.
Have you read the Nelson book,Bristol?
No I Haven't
Matt – that’s one from this thread that I’ve got down on my list to raed
JC and Goaty.
Another book i bought in Australia was the Paul Briggs book Heart,Soul,Fire.
I bought it after reading about the wars he had with Tomasz Adamek.
I haven’t read it yet but i read a bit about his traumatic childhood and violent upbringing.
Have you read this?I hear it’s a good one.
If you're looking for something old school then
Shaw’s Cashel Byron’s Profession is pretty good. Although its over-arching theme is about class mobility and socialism it is still a very good account of prize fighting back when it was illegal and a whole load different from how it is now. This will appeal to both boxing history fans and those who like a bit of good prose.
"Honey i forgot to duck" - Jack Dempsey
Briggs lives about a half hour drive from me Matt , the two Adamek fights were absolute beauties , if you get the chance watch em on youtube . Briggs had more ability than Mundine or Green in my humble opinion . Like most Muay Thai blokes he didnt give a rats arse who he fought , none of this chasing weak titles and fighting old men for Briggs . Adamek is on another level to anyone Mundine or Green has ever fought , Ottke , Beyer , Kessler or the 40 year old Jones yet Paul made a pittance compared to those two . Cheers mate , I havent actually read Briggs book but I do know he has been bonking Charlotte Dawson the host of the first Aussie" Contender " series LMAO . Good Onya mate !
"I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me. " Hunter S Thompson.
The $urgically enhanced Charlotte Dawson hey?
Spot on JC, that Muay Thai spirit served him well. I loved his book Matt; Paul’s an extremely interesting character and his transition from teenage Muay Thai world champ to boxing contender is a fascinating one. He also immersed himself in the whole rave DJ culture etc etc.
Raging Waters – the life of an innocent killer. Dean Waters with Daniel Lane. — After a lifetime of mental and physical abuse, Dean Waters, former Australian HW champ, was unable to to disobey his father and trainer, Ces – even if it led to murder. Ces Waters trained his three sons, Dean, Guy and Troy, at their property on the NSW central Coast. Tough love from the old man.
"Anytime you go thirty rounds with a guy, try to kill each other, and have the utmost respect for each other, no one understands that, but guys who have been to war understand it." - Micky Ward on Arturo Gatti.
GDay Goaty
Cec Waters , jesus H christ Goaty . Nasty piece of work that old Pom . I always liked Troy , always gave the impression of being a top bloke if a dud commentator .
"I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me. " Hunter S Thompson.
I would have paid big dosh to watch Carl The Cat have a strret fight with the Naz lol I know who my hard earned would have been on .
"I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me. " Hunter S Thompson.
Thompson by decapitation, Rd 5?
I reckon Naz could have stayed away til then…. ;)
Some people are acting like Pacquiao should be expected to have just gone, "Yeah sure, let’s do something I’ve never done before because your dad made some dumbass baseless comment."
(SC, 28/12/09; http://www.badlefthook.com/2009/12/27/1221143/mayweather-pacquiao-update-bob#comments)
The Cat was one of my favorites. Another site’s so-called writer called him “Journeyman.” Unreal. Great job of reserach, that!
"If you sit there and watch a person take about an hour to tie his shoestrings, then you realize that whatever problems you got ain't that significant"
---Vernon Forrest 2006
by The Midnight Rambler on Mar 8, 2010 3:42 PM EST up reply actions
As I remember
As I remember Ted – you put the record straight on that one. The Cat was a fighter a fighter not deserving of disrespect from Naz or anyone else !
That really pissed me off becuase the “writer” tried to weazel his way out of it. He did not have a clue as to who Carl was. I was pissed, I tell you! Are you feeling me on this?
"If you sit there and watch a person take about an hour to tie his shoestrings, then you realize that whatever problems you got ain't that significant"
---Vernon Forrest 2006
by The Midnight Rambler on Mar 8, 2010 5:21 PM EST up reply actions
Ted I agree
I don’t know if he didn’t know much about Carl or was just being lazy in his comments , but if it was me I’d just hold my hands up and say ‘I was wrong’ – it’s better to come clean.
JC40 G'day mate! ;-)
I may be wrong and as negative as this may sound.. but I reckon most of us used to watch Naz just to see if he got beat.
by Phill on Mar 8, 2010 6:33 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Not me
I knew Naz, as a fighter, from his early days and he was awesome, believe me. Okay, he turned out a pr*ck but he was so watchable and was a true talent. If he’d watched his ego a tad more he’d had have been as good as he thought he was.
I want a bigger juke-box. Telecasters rule the world - in the right hands. Don't tell me I play bum notes - I KNOW!
by Randy Loathsome on Mar 8, 2010 6:40 PM EST up reply actions
Spot on Phil
Just found it in the Calzaghe Biog – apparently after Naz constantly telling them all how rich he was, mocking how little Thompson got paid for his last fight – ‘I get more for opening a store’ – Carl – out of character let rip ‘If you say another word to annoy me, I’ll take you outside and I’ll sort you out. OK you f*&cking dawrf’ – apparently Naz was quiet after that.
Exciting to watch and a great showman, but major pain in the arse – that was Naz ! Most of all a lack of respect for his fellow professionals.
As A Fellow Yorkshireman,
Naz is one boxer i really dislike,both from what i saw and heard of him and what i have read other boxers say.
Any book by Mcilvenny..
or by Joyce Carol Oates. Check out both writers – completely different styles.
I want a bigger juke-box. Telecasters rule the world - in the right hands. Don't tell me I play bum notes - I KNOW!
Barrera changed Naz's mind
Once Naz fought Barrera, it was game over. His mind games didn’t work on him.
Arrogant little twit with an “a”.
Great entertainer though… gotta give him that, I mean, even I went to the Hardy and Cabrera fights.
I'll never forget he look of shock and sheer pain on Hardy's face at Naz's power.
I want a bigger juke-box. Telecasters rule the world - in the right hands. Don't tell me I play bum notes - I KNOW!
by Randy Loathsome on Mar 8, 2010 7:29 PM EST up reply actions
I'll never forget Naz's look of shock
After Barrera slipped a series of his power punch sin round one and countered effectively every time! Naz got what was coming to him IMO.
I wouldn’t be suprised if Pac turned out to be the incredible hulk in a very good disguise. - Sigidy
by Drunken cutman on Mar 9, 2010 12:23 PM EST up reply actions
+1
People can blame the move from the Ingle camp or whatever but what it comes down to is that Naz’s limitations were exposed for all to see by a much more skilled fighter.
If Naz couldn’t hit you and hurt you,he had pretty much run out of options.
What about novels?
Funny that everyone went with nonfiction, when there are some truly great boxing novels out there. Fat City (later made into an incredible film as well) taught me about a side of boxing that no nonfiction boxing I’ve read has yet touched. The image I use for my profile here by the way is the cover of a recent reprint of this classic by Leonard Gardner.
Boxing writer: "Iran, what are you going to do when you retire?"
Iran Barkley: "Rob your house"
There is a writer,
Thom Jones (American, no "What’s up Pussycat) who was a hot-shit for a while and then sort of disappeared, but an early book of short stories (can’t recall its name, but would be easy to check out on Amazon) has some really good writing about boxing in it.
P.S. It is Thom with an “h.”
by Don From Prov on Mar 9, 2010 11:06 AM EST up reply actions
Cashel Byron's Profession
I wouldn’t be suprised if Pac turned out to be the incredible hulk in a very good disguise. - Sigidy
by Drunken cutman on Mar 9, 2010 12:24 PM EST up reply actions
The late Ralph Wiley did some great stuff as well.
"If you sit there and watch a person take about an hour to tie his shoestrings, then you realize that whatever problems you got ain't that significant"
---Vernon Forrest 2006
by The Midnight Rambler on Mar 8, 2010 10:13 PM EST reply actions
I was 13 years old and I knew exactly where I was when Jake Lamotta knocked out Laurent Dauthuille with 13 seconds to go and Jake behing on all the scorecards. I listened to it on the radio. Don Dunphy almost went crazy when Jake pulled that one out. I have a photo of the end of that one on the classics page on my site at www.tedsares.com
"If you sit there and watch a person take about an hour to tie his shoestrings, then you realize that whatever problems you got ain't that significant"
---Vernon Forrest 2006
by The Midnight Rambler on Mar 10, 2010 11:30 AM EST reply actions
wrong thread
"If you sit there and watch a person take about an hour to tie his shoestrings, then you realize that whatever problems you got ain't that significant"
---Vernon Forrest 2006
by The Midnight Rambler on Mar 10, 2010 8:48 PM EST up reply actions
behind—typo
"If you sit there and watch a person take about an hour to tie his shoestrings, then you realize that whatever problems you got ain't that significant"
---Vernon Forrest 2006
by The Midnight Rambler on Mar 10, 2010 11:30 AM EST reply actions
Rope Burns
by F.X. Toole
Although detractors decry (MMA) as a brutal, bloody form of human cockfighting, aficionados know it is a brutal, bloody, totally fucking awesome form of human cockfighting. -The Onion
by The Kittitas Kid on Mar 12, 2010 2:24 PM EST reply actions
Thanks Kid
"If you sit there and watch a person take about an hour to tie his shoestrings, then you realize that whatever problems you got ain't that significant"
---Vernon Forrest 2006
by The Midnight Rambler on Mar 12, 2010 3:06 PM EST reply actions
In This Corner: Great Trainers Talk About Their Art by Dave Anderson
Lots of great recommendations in this thread.
My favorite book about boxing is Dave Anderson’s In This Corner: Great Trainers Talk About Their Art.
The profiles a dozen boxing trainers, mostly in their own words. Trainers include: Angelo Dundee, Ray Arcel, Eddie Futch, Emmanual Steward, George Benton, Jackie McCoy, Bill Slayton, Kevin Rooney, Lou Duva, and Gil Clancy.
This important book is essential because it preserves the oral histories of these great trainers.
The book is out of print, but available on Amazon.com from third party sellers.
Here's A Beauty - (i was gonna keep this to myself but...i'm drunk :)
Knockouts – The Art of Boxing.
Beautiful book.Great photo’s of the best fightwers of the modern era.
Big coffee table book…Love it!
“In This Corner” by Heller, Larry Holmes: Against All Odds, Unforgivable Blackness: Jack Johnson Story, Tunney – probably the single best story of the other fighters around the time period and the nation as a whole during that time.
Gatti. Dekkers. Pele. Aoki. Kang. Vanderlei. Basillio. Harry Greb.
by theworldsoldestsport on Mar 16, 2010 11:14 AM EDT reply actions
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