List your best boxing books.

Slapsie Maxie · Post by **Slapsie Maxie** » 26 Jul 2004, 11:40

in a similar vein to Plimpton, a journalist called Ian Stafford wrote a book a few years back called " Playground of the Gods" where he got to train with some of the world's top sportsmen from Runners, Football players etc etc

One of the chapters was him sparring with RJJ.

Funny, and his writing style really makes you feel like you are in the ring

Slapsie

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 26 Jul 2004, 18:47

Slapsie Maxie wrote:in a similar vein to Plimpton, a journalist called Ian Stafford wrote a book a few years back called " Playground of the Gods" where he got to train with some of the world's top sportsmen from Runners, Football players etc etc

One of the chapters was him sparring with RJJ.

Funny, and his writing style really makes you feel like you are in the ring

Slapsie

Wasn't he the editor of Box Monthly in the early days? A knob head if I recall.

Yes I read the Plimpton book - good writer, a good friend of Mailer's, and mentioned in his great book The Fight.

2000 posts - calls for a beer I think

Boxingmad · Post by **Boxingmad** » 27 Jul 2004, 08:35

What's the best book on Tyson? Peter heller's bio is a good read.

Also, is there a video which just shows Iron Mike's fights? No life story, just the boxing.

jimglen · Post by **jimglen** » 27 Jul 2004, 15:20

GILROY was here!
the Life and Career of Scottish Boxing Legend Bert Gilroy!

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 27 Jul 2004, 15:29

Has anyone read Sweet Fighting Men?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 46-7103822

I've heard it's a good read.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 27 Jul 2004, 16:23

OwainCymru wrote:
silkov wrote:Owain, could you go into more detail about the Basham book as I'm hoping to buy it!..... 8)
Silkov,

Bought the book from Amazon.co.uk for £7.95. Delivery is 4-6 weeks
ISBN: 0951521306

It's been some time since I read the book but, from memory, it went into some detail regarding his character, army and private life as well as obviously his boxing career. He was a colourful character with a great sense of fun and generous to a fault. As with so many boxers his end was a sad one. I'm a massive Jimmy Wilde fan and have read a couple of his books but the Basham book is a much better read, better written, more informative and damn good value.

If you have an interest in Johnny Basham I would highly recommend the book.

Thanks mate! I'm going to try and get a copy from Amazon!. I've read quite a bit in old boxing mags about Basham... especially his fights with Ted Kid Lewis which were absolute classics!.
One book I'd reccommend is 'Ring Battles of the Century' by Gilbert Odd... Odd was editor of Boxing NEWS in the 50s and wrote great faetures in it right up to the mid-80s.... this book is just brilliant with him telling the stories of some of the great fights of the 20s and 30s and before... one of the fights featured is the Lewis vs Basham fight.... a classic slugger vs boxer contest. I've had the book since I was 12 and it never bores me even though I've got a couple of hundered boxing nooks now! 8)

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 27 Jul 2004, 16:28

Does anyone know the exact name of a book written about 10 years ago on Seaman Tommy Watson who fought Kid Chocolate in '33 for the World Featherweight title... I need the exact title and the authors name as I want to try and get it from Amazon!. Almost brought this book a while back, had it in my hand but decided to wait and when I went backj to the shop it had gone!.... :x :x :x :x :x ....I think it was called from Broadway to Byker grove or something like that!...

8) 8)

Broncano · Post by **Broncano** » 27 Jul 2004, 16:47

Silkov, that would be BYKER TO BROADWAY

http://www.lusion.co.uk/tups/tups_files ... byker.html

havent read it but reviews are fair to good.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 27 Jul 2004, 16:50

Cheers Mate!

8)

lamphey · Post by **lamphey** » 27 Jul 2004, 17:31

KOJOE90 wrote:Has anyone read Sweet Fighting Men?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 46-7103822

I've heard it's a good read.

Hell Yeah!! Around 15 chapters, each dealing with a Boxer or Trainer she pesonally interviewed.

Particularly enjoyed the chapters on Steve Robinson, and Spencer Oliver (talking about the injuries that ended his career).

But the book is worth buying alone for what must have been the last interview that Howard Winstone gave. He died just a few weeks after his meeting with the author(ess), well before the book ever hit the printing press.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 27 Jul 2004, 17:34

I just ordered 'Byker to Broadway' and 'Johnny, the happy warrior' on Amazon! 8)

...some outfit was selling a copy of 'Byker to Broadway' for £37!....

.... but I got one off Amazon themselves for £9.95!....... 8)

.......nice! 8)

lamphey · Post by **lamphey** » 27 Jul 2004, 17:43

silkov wrote: Thanks mate! I'm going to try and get a copy from Amazon!. I've read quite a bit in old boxing mags about Basham... especially his fights with Ted Kid Lewis which were absolute classics!.
One book I'd reccommend is 'Ring Battles of the Century' by Gilbert Odd... Odd was editor of Boxing NEWS in the 50s and wrote great faetures in it right up to the mid-80s.... this book is just brilliant with him telling the stories of some of the great fights of the 20s and 30s and before... one of the fights featured is the Lewis vs Basham fight.... a classic slugger vs boxer contest. I've had the book since I was 12 and it never bores me even though I've got a couple of hundered boxing nooks now! 8)

The Basham book devotes a few chapters to his rivalry with Lewis. Also includes a number of pictures from their fights and a picture of them together at a weigh-in.

I go along with owaincymru, it's an excellent book.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 27 Jul 2004, 18:05

lamphey wrote:
silkov wrote: Thanks mate! I'm going to try and get a copy from Amazon!. I've read quite a bit in old boxing mags about Basham... especially his fights with Ted Kid Lewis which were absolute classics!.
One book I'd reccommend is 'Ring Battles of the Century' by Gilbert Odd... Odd was editor of Boxing NEWS in the 50s and wrote great faetures in it right up to the mid-80s.... this book is just brilliant with him telling the stories of some of the great fights of the 20s and 30s and before... one of the fights featured is the Lewis vs Basham fight.... a classic slugger vs boxer contest. I've had the book since I was 12 and it never bores me even though I've got a couple of hundered boxing nooks now! 8)

The Basham book devotes a few chapters to his rivalry with Lewis. Also includes a number of pictures from their fights and a picture of them together at a weigh-in.

I go along with owaincymru, it's an excellent book.

It definately looks worthy of buying... especially as it seems to be quite hard to get hold of now! 8)

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 28 Jul 2004, 13:12

lamphey wrote:
KOJOE90 wrote:Has anyone read Sweet Fighting Men?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 46-7103822

I've heard it's a good read.
Hell Yeah!! Around 15 chapters, each dealing with a Boxer or Trainer she pesonally interviewed.

Particularly enjoyed the chapters on Steve Robinson, and Spencer Oliver (talking about the injuries that ended his career).

But the book is worth buying alone for what must have been the last interview that Howard Winstone gave. He died just a few weeks after his meeting with the author(ess), well before the book ever hit the printing press.

Cheers

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 29 Jul 2004, 18:32

AARon Pryor's autobiog 'Flight of the Hawk' is a must have for any boxing fan... very moving and completely engrossing... I came away from the book not thinking so much 'why did he throw it all away' but rather admiring how Aaron was able to reach the heights in the first place given the traumatic background that he grew up in! 8)

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 30 Jul 2004, 08:12

silkov wrote:AARon Pryor's autobiog 'Flight of the Hawk' is a must have for any boxing fan... very moving and completely engrossing... I came away from the book not thinking so much 'why did he throw it all away' but rather admiring how Aaron was able to reach the heights in the first place given the traumatic background that he grew up in! 8)

Good call, I actually only read that book for the first time myself last month. If they ever make a film of Aarons life the critics will say it is too far fetched. His upbringing was truely shocking.

Glad to hear he seems to have found peace in his life these days.

Here is his website-

http://www.hawktime.com/

tonyevs · Post by **tonyevs** » 31 Jul 2004, 18:15

Been trying to get this in first edition for a while now.
A few years ago there was an advertisement in BN where you could buy a signed copy 1st ed, kick myself now I should have got it.
I have heard before it is a fantastic read.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 31 Jul 2004, 19:39

tonyevs wrote:Been trying to get this in first edition for a while now.
A few years ago there was an advertisement in BN where you could buy a signed copy 1st ed, kick myself now I should have got it.
I have heard before it is a fantastic read.

Try Amazon they may have a copy.... 8)

babyhuey · Post by **babyhuey** » 01 Aug 2004, 18:58

i just read "the gloves" by robert anasi great book....
joe fraziers "smokin joe" is insightful and tells the other side of the story in reguards to the the muhammad ali story.....
but floyd patterson "victory over myself" is the best out of all i have read
george foremans book was a classic too

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 02 Aug 2004, 13:15

babyhuey wrote:joe fraziers "smokin joe" is insightful and tells the other side of the story in reguards to the the muhammad ali story.....

Very true it is a good read, I just think it's a shame that Joe seems so bitter and resentfull in it. A great shame for such a great and highly respected fighter.

babyhuey · Post by **babyhuey** » 03 Aug 2004, 23:59

KOJOE90 wrote:
babyhuey wrote:joe fraziers "smokin joe" is insightful and tells the other side of the story in reguards to the the muhammad ali story.....
Very true it is a good read, I just think it's a shame that Joe seems so bitter and resentfull in it. A great shame for such a great and highly respected fighter.

i have heard that for whatever reason, things have gotten better between them in the last few years, joe is always gonna be a little bidder, but not to the extent he was in the book, its hard to blame him though, say what you want about ali, truth is, he was an ass...joe looked out for him and ali looked out for himself...ali had no loyalty, not even to his own wife...

tonyevs · Post by **tonyevs** » 12 Jun 2005, 19:09

Can anybody suggest an up to date boxing encyclopedia.

barry · Post by **barry** » 12 Jun 2005, 19:21

>>>>Can anybody suggest an up to date boxing encyclopedia.<<<<

I haven't really checked out any newer encyclopedia-like boxing books. Others that I really enjoyed are:

Andre, Sam and Nat Fleischer. A Pictorial History of Boxing. Rev. Ed. New York: Bonanza, 1981.

Arnold, Peter. History of Boxing. London: Deans International, 1985.
Golesworthy, Maurice. The Encyclopedia of Boxing. Great Britain: Robert Hale Limited, 1960

Grombach, John. The Saga of the Fist.

Johnston, Alexander. Ten and Out!. Rev. Ed. New York: Washburn, 1947.

Mullan, Harry. The Great Book of Boxing. New York: Crescent, 1987.

Odd, Gilbert. Encyclopedia of Boxing. New York: Cresent, 1983. (There is an up-dated version of this book, which should be very good)

tonyevs · Post by **tonyevs** » 13 Jun 2005, 04:48

Yes got a couple of them.
The best of them being `The Encyclopedia of Boxing by Gilbert Odd` 1989

And the last one I have is `Boxing, The definitive Illustrated Guide to World Boxing, by Harry Mullan`1996, this I find pretty Poor in so much as he has geared it towards the casual follower of the game.

I`m sure there has been a newer book done by now