Boxers Autobiography's

Foggy · Post by **Foggy** » 11 Oct 2004, 07:55

Just reading Chris Eubanks at the moment which i'm really enjoying & i'm just wondering does Nigel Benn have an autobiography out and also if you fellas on here can recommend any more boxers autobiographys that i can purchase, cheers

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 11 Oct 2004, 08:01

Foggy wrote:Just reading Chris Eubanks at the moment which i'm really enjoying & i'm just wondering does Nigel Benn have an autobiography out and also if you fellas on here can recommend any more boxers autobiographys that i can purchase, cheers

People rarely mention Chris Finnegan's autobiography when they talk about boxing books - but that one is a classic. Hilarious. Came out in the 70's, co-written by Walter Bartleman.

mickeybeard · Post by **mickeybeard** » 11 Oct 2004, 08:08

Dark Destroyer is Benn's autobiography, and it's good but not as good as Eubank's (bit like the boxers themselves, then - ooooo, bit of controversy

). I also liked Sugar Ray by Dave Anderson, King of the World by David Remnick and On the Cobbles by Jimmy Stockin, as well as a bunch of others I forget. 16th round by Rubin Carter is still the daddy though, and I liked Hurricane: The Life of Rubin Carter, Fighter by James S. Hirsch too.

Not boxing related but if you like biogs check out the Dickie Bird one, and the Last Train to Memphis/Careless Love two parter of Elvis' life by Peter Guralnick.

steve689 · Post by **steve689** » 11 Oct 2004, 08:10

I enjoyed Eubank's although i think a little more time talking about the actual fights themselves and less on morality and the meaning of life etc would have been better, but on the whole an interesting read.

Mickey Vann's autobiography "Give me a ring" is good as well, his early life in the circus and unusual family, along with the Boxing stories make it a better than average book and a good read IMO

knockout artist · Post by **knockout artist** » 11 Oct 2004, 08:28

The best Auto has to be Larry Holmes.

Candid, but hilarious.

Neri · Post by **Neri** » 11 Oct 2004, 08:49

Nigel Benn's is reall good, i recommend that one. Ill have to get round to reading Eubanks.

The worst has to be Michael Murray's. Sorry it's just too deep for me

neil r · Post by **neil r** » 11 Oct 2004, 17:43

Ken Buchanans 'Tartan Legend' is worth a read as is Joe Fraziers imaginatively titled 'Smokin' Joe' 'Sugar Ray' by Ray Robinson is also a goody as is George Foremans and Archie Morres, but the best by far is Raging Bull by Jake La Motta. Also worth a mention but very hard to get is George Carpentiers autobiography. Its one of the few autobiographies written solely by the subject themselves. Its expertly written and a great read.

johnty1888 · Post by **johnty1888** » 11 Oct 2004, 18:48

Jack Kid Berg - the Whitechapel Windmill is the best boxing biography I've read

pbrennan · Post by **pbrennan** » 11 Oct 2004, 19:19

Eubanks biography was very enjoyable.

I found Benns book "The Dark Destroyer", superficial but quite readable. I just got the impression that he was being evasive about aspects of his life.

Micky Vanns book was garbage - He skimmed over the boxing controversies in his career at the expense of his shagging exploits.

Watsons book "The biigest fight" is very enjoyable but again I found that Steve Bunce was unable to provide the depth that Eubanks book possessed.

I found War Baby gave a good insight into the careers of Benn and Watson. I found the Authors habit of imagining what was going through the fighters minds in the early stages of the fight irksome but the book was very well researched.

The best boxing book I have ever read is Thomas Hauslers book on Ali - which is so definitive that any other Ali information is unecessary afterwards with Mcilvenney on Boxing a very close second.

Goz · Post by **Goz** » 11 Oct 2004, 19:27

knockout artist wrote:The best Auto has to be Larry Holmes.

Candid, but hilarious.

Might have to order that.

Ken Buchanan's is an excellent read too.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 12 Oct 2004, 12:11

bennie wrote:
Foggy wrote:Just reading Chris Eubanks at the moment which i'm really enjoying & i'm just wondering does Nigel Benn have an autobiography out and also if you fellas on here can recommend any more boxers autobiographys that i can purchase, cheers
People rarely mention Chris Finnegan's autobiography when they talk about boxing books - but that one is a classic. Hilarious. Came out in the 70's, co-written by Walter Bartleman.

I agree, Chris Finnegans book is one of the best autobiogs I've read, some others I've read and would reccomend are....
I Conteh... by John Conteh
Flight of the Hawk... Aron Pryorr
Raging Bull.... Jake Lamotta
Somebody up there likes me... Rocky Graziano...
Fighting was my Buisness... Jimmy Wilde
No man stands alone... Barny Ross...
Welcome to the big time... Eranie Shavers...
The Greatest... Muhammad Ali...
Thus Farr... Tommy Farr...
Two Fists and a Fortune.... Bruce Woodcock......
I'm actually reading the Woodcock book now and it is an excellent read with great insights into his life and boxing career... very well written. 8)

Phoenix · Post by **Phoenix** » 12 Oct 2004, 12:18

didn't really like Eubanks book but can't remember why exactly. One I did enjoy reading recently was War Baby by Kevin Mitchell about the Benn/Mclellan fight, and of course Dark Trade by Donald somebody...

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 12 Oct 2004, 14:42

silkov wrote: Flight of the Hawk... Aron Pryorr

Yes that is a good read.

I know these are not autobiographies but has anyone read these books?

The Long Round: The Triumphs and Tragedies of the Men Who Fought Mike Tyson by Dominic Calder-Smith

Benny: The Life and Times of a Fighting Legend - John Burrowes

lamphey · Post by **lamphey** » 12 Oct 2004, 15:01

I really enjoyed "The Craig Bodzianowski story" which I read a few months back. Written by Mike Fitzgerald, co-author of the Shavers book.

Currently reading Dave 'Boy' Green's book but I'm struggling to get into it. Didn't realise Green had so many amateur bouts with Kirkland Laing.

My T Sharp · Post by **My T Sharp** » 12 Oct 2004, 16:02

Agree with everyone who said Raging Bull (Jake La Motta)...a lot more honest and interesting than the film 8) .

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 12 Oct 2004, 16:26

lamphey wrote:I really enjoyed "The Craig Bodzianowski story" which I read a few months back. Written by Mike Fitzgerald, co-author of the Shavers book.

Currently reading Dave 'Boy' Green's book but I'm struggling to get into it. Didn't realise Green had so many amateur bouts with Kirkland Laing.

I didn't realise green had a book out, what is it called?... when was it published?... 8)

lamphey · Post by **lamphey** » 12 Oct 2004, 16:38

silkov wrote:
lamphey wrote:I really enjoyed "The Craig Bodzianowski story" which I read a few months back. Written by Mike Fitzgerald, co-author of the Shavers book.

Currently reading Dave 'Boy' Green's book but I'm struggling to get into it. Didn't realise Green had so many amateur bouts with Kirkland Laing.
I didn't realise green had a book out, what is it called?... when was it published?... 8)

"Fen Tiger : The Success of Dave Boy Green" by Bob Lonkhurst. Only been out for a couple of months.

I got my copy direct from the author. He says they're not putting it into shops but selling it at personal appearances, EBAs, charity events, etc

This is the same author who did the excellent Tommy Farr, Jack Petersen and Terry Spinks books.

kevin · Post by **kevin** » 12 Oct 2004, 17:27

My personal favourite is "The Rochdale Thunderbolt" about Jock McAvoy

Kev

tonyevs · Post by **tonyevs** » 12 Oct 2004, 17:43

neil r wrote:Also worth a mention but very hard to get is George Carpentiers autobiography. Its one of the few autobiographies written solely by the subject themselves. Its expertly written and a great read.

Nit picking, but…as far as I know The Roar of the Crowd by James J Corbett and Gene Tunney`s titles were unique in that they were solely written by the fighter in question, and not helped by a ghost writer and put down as their own.

There are so many good books out there but an autobiography I enjoyed was that of Jack “Doc” Kearns, titled The Million Dollar Gate.
The Doc was a great character of his day and he sure tells a good story, don`t know how much of it really happened as he said but still a good read.

johnty1888 · Post by **johnty1888** » 12 Oct 2004, 18:22

"Benny: The Life and Times of a Fighting Legend - John Burrowes"

I have read this book and its a good read but goes off on a tangent for maybe a third of the book when it goes into the history of Glasgow and the people of the Gorbals.

Still a good read though

neil r · Post by **neil r** » 12 Oct 2004, 18:29

johnty1888 wrote:"Benny: The Life and Times of a Fighting Legend - John Burrowes"

I have read this book and its a good read but goes off on a tangent for maybe a third of the book when it goes into the history of Glasgow and the people of the Gorbals.

Still a good read though

agree. ive read this book a few times and theres no doubt that it is a good read and extremely informative and is probably the defenitive work on benny lynch. it does however focus too much on the glasgow "characters" who dont necessarily add anything to the tale. writing a book about a fighter who died at such a young age from pneumonia brought on through alcoholism does require a certain amount of explaining the social context of the time, but for me the book focuses way to much on this and with too much of a rose tinted hue.

neil r · Post by **neil r** » 12 Oct 2004, 18:42

KOJOE90 wrote:
silkov wrote: Flight of the Hawk... Aron Pryorr
Yes that is a good read.

I know these are not autobiographies but has anyone read these books?

The Long Round: The Triumphs and Tragedies of the Men Who Fought Mike Tyson by Dominic Calder-Smith

Benny: The Life and Times of a Fighting Legend - John Burrowes

if we're on the subject of biographies rather than autobiographies then you shouldnt go past Rogers Khans 'a flame of pure fure - jack dempsey and the roaring twenties'. Superb book. Follows Dempsey from his hobo mining days, riding the rods and fighting in american backwaters, right through to the million dollars fights and his iconic status. Khan uses the twenties as a backdrop to explain the rise of Dempsey and its context in the life and times of a developing country. Bear in mind this was the time of al capone, bugsy segal and a whole host of other gangsters, prohibition, speakeasys, matchfixing, colourbars, the birth of the fledgling mass media and certain 'characters' from the early days of the movies and youll understand why this is probably one of the best books you'll ever read.

other mentions should go to 'in the red corner, by john duncam about amateur boxing in cuba, richard baks biography of joe louis, everett m. skeehans book on rocky marciano, frederic mullalys 'primo' and john jarretts 'gene tunney - the golden boy who licked jack dempsey twice'

but if your looking for the best ever book on boxing then beg, borrow or steal a copy of hugh mcilvanneys 'mcilvanney on boxing'. simply put its how sports journalism should be written. an absolute classic.

once youve finished these then go out and read the best book ever, ' the ragged trousered philanthropists' by robert tressell. everyone should read it at least once in their life.

DK2112 · Post by **DK2112** » 12 Oct 2004, 19:03

check Amazon, Lennox Lewis has a new-ish one out now.

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 13 Oct 2004, 11:56

neil r wrote:
johnty1888 wrote:"Benny: The Life and Times of a Fighting Legend - John Burrowes"

I have read this book and its a good read but goes off on a tangent for maybe a third of the book when it goes into the history of Glasgow and the people of the Gorbals.

Still a good read though
agree. ive read this book a few times and theres no doubt that it is a good read and extremely informative and is probably the defenitive work on benny lynch. it does however focus too much on the glasgow "characters" who dont necessarily add anything to the tale. writing a book about a fighter who died at such a young age from pneumonia brought on through alcoholism does require a certain amount of explaining the social context of the time, but for me the book focuses way to much on this and with too much of a rose tinted hue.

Thanks for the feedback guys.

I am currently reading 'Redemption Song' by Mike Marqusee. It's an interesting read, It uses Ali as a focal point to talk about the Civil rights movement of the 1960's. Also touches on Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Whitney Young, Bob Dylan, Jackie Robinson etc etc etc.

As much a political and sociology book as a Boxing book, but very interesting.

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 16 Oct 2004, 15:22

neil r wrote:but if your looking for the best ever book on boxing then beg, borrow or steal a copy of hugh mcilvanneys 'mcilvanney on boxing'. simply put its how sports journalism should be written. an absolute classic.

Been meaning to get that book for years, so with you reminding me about it I purchased it from Waterstones during my lunch break on Friday.

Boxers Autobiography's

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