"Looking for a fight" by Dave Matthews

[nh1]

I've read Looking for a Fight a few times. It's one of my favourite books, and it is one of the best books (and it might be the best) about combat sports that I've read. It's a shame that it wasn't more of a success.

The premise is Matthews, a fat journalist in his early thirties, decides that he is going to become a pro-boxer. That initial thought sparks a multi-year odyssey.

When Matthews starts his journey he's a small time journalist who's failed at most things he's tried. Sam Sheridan wrote a good book called A Fighter's Heart in which he tries to find out what it means to be a fighter. In that book Sheridan trains at MFS and has an amateur MMA bout. He goes to Thailand and fights Muay-Thai. He hangs with Andre Ward. He goes to Japan with Big Nog for the third Fedor fight. Those are just the highlights and do not describe the entirety of Sheridan's journey. There are other steps along the way. As good as Sheridan's book is, and it is good, Looking for a Fight is superior. Sheridan has a Harvard degree and a future. Ultimately he is always on the outside looking in.

In his book David Matthews truly gets lost in the game. He's an undistinguished journalist whose career seems to be going nowhere, he's fat, he's black, he's poor and his personal life is a disaster. There's no real hope at the end of the rainbow. It's a perfect storm. The result is one of the best book about fighting, fighters and what it means to be a fighter that you will ever read. His journey takes place in a context as well. It's not just his story it's the story of the guys he trains with and of the people he meets. It's the story of a certain time in the fight game. It's the story of fighters coming up and going down. It's the story of people chasing dreams.

The book looks to be out of print. However you can pick-up used copies on Amazon pretty cheap. I would recommend doing so.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Looking-Fight-W ... 597&sr=1-1

If the rights have reverted back to him and assuming he still has the manuscript, I think Matthews is missing a trick by not at least bringing out a Kindle version. I think that in 2014 with the internet combat-sports-verse being as it is that the book may be able to find an audience and enjoy a second wind.

I'd also recommend this book.

Comparing apples and pears, perhaps, but I've become more and more frustrated with established boxers' 'autobiographies' which reveal very little. This book reveals a lot more.

[rob h]

Brilliant book, read it many times.

[King Tubby]

Excellent book.

[stevieb_8006]

I like the bits where he airs his frustrations with training and secretly pigs out on walnut whips (whatever happened to them they were lovely).

[TheLeprechaun]

Excellent book.

10 year old thread

[palooka]

I like the bits where he airs his frustrations with training and secretly pigs out on walnut whips (whatever happened to them they were lovely).

They still sell them, packs of 3 in tesco

[dookus]

Just ordered it. Whoever said boxers' autobiographies reveal nothing is correct - you generally have to wait till most of the characters concerned are dead before anything interesting comes out...

[mikiesb]

Great book what is dave Matthews up too nowadays ?

[polecateddy]

Yes as a novelist I can confirm that generally kindles and other ebooks outsell paperbacks by 10 to 1 these days, especially indie type titles. I skimmed the book years ago. I am curious as to what he's upto now?

[polecateddy]

Digging around he looks like he's going alright;

http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/authors/ ... d-matthews

[arlovski]

Good book, 'Man Buys Dog' is a great read too, the guy is a top writer

[Jakemilo]

I like the bits where he airs his frustrations with training and secretly pigs out on walnut whips (whatever happened to them they were lovely).

They still sell them, packs of 3 in tesco

I've not seen the coffee flavoured ones for years though

[Baboon]

Digging around he looks like he's going alright;

http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/authors/ ... d-matthews

Good to see he's still plugging away. Remember it as a great read at the time, some good character stories within it too, Howard Rainey came across a a bit of a legend in it if I recall correctly. Going to have to dig it out again for a refresher.

[mikiesb]

Thanks for the update. That book was written very honestly and gives the reader a true insight into what it takes to even just get in the ring don t want to say anything else so I don t spoil it for new readers of the book.

[stevieb_8006]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buWDuAmXzlU


good rainey vid with Matthews

[magwitch]

I would like to know if the "character" of "Howard" in the not entirely fictionalThis Bloody Mary Is The Last Thing I Own, by the late Jonathan Rendell, is in fact Mr Rainey. If anyone could shed any light on that..

[dookus]

Read it from start to finish last weekend - excellent read. Nicely reconstructs late 90s/early 00s Britain as well, which feels like only yesterday...

[Shambles]

Another book I would highly recommend is Nigel Benn's. I'm only 3/4 through but it's been really entertaining so far, he really doesn't hold back with regards to his sexual conquests or his opinions on the board, surprised he was that open to be honest!

[josco]

I got a used copy on Amazon last week and am now in the middle - brilliant! Agree he should bring out a Kindle (and maybe audio? )version. Howard Rainey sounds a solid sort of guy - is he still training? Sounds like he could write a book too! Terry Dunstan comes across as a pretty hard case.

[magwitch]

i bought Teddy Atlas last week and it's on the way to me in the post this very second. I'm very much looking forward to getting hold of it, at last.

[palooka]

i bought Teddy Atlas last week and it's on the way to me in the post this very second. I'm very much looking forward to getting hold of it, at last.

When you've read it you'll never say Teddy's name 3 times while looking in a mirror; he is both terrifying and mental.