Best Boxing Books

[milpool]

I've read loads but I recommend, The Years of the Locust, This Bloody Mary...and Ali, His Life & Times by Thomas Hauser.

Also enjoyed the Jake La Motta autobiography and The Hate Game.

[jaymitch81]

Anybody read Jimmy Tibbs book?? Worth getting?

Excellent book. I'm from the East End so was able to relate to a lot of it, especially the early part of his life. Well worth a read.

[coneye]

One that sticks in my mind is Black Nights i think its called, about Billy Costello good read Its written by Thomas Hauser

[the patriot]

Anybody read Jimmy Tibbs book?? Worth getting?

Excellent book. I'm from the East End so was able to relate to a lot of it, especially the early part of his life. Well worth a read.

Great thanks for the heads up

On a side note.. I know Tibbs is a born again Christian does the book touch on that?? Each to their own and all that, but if he starts preaching I'm not sure I'll stomach that.

[milpool]

Anybody read Jimmy Tibbs book?? Worth getting?

Excellent book. I'm from the East End so was able to relate to a lot of it, especially the early part of his life. Well worth a read.

Great thanks for the heads up

On a side note.. I know Tibbs is a born again Christian does the book touch on that?? Each to their own and all that, but if he starts preaching I'm not sure I'll stomach that.

No preaching. IIRC, there's not a great deal said about it.

[jaymitch81]

Excellent book. I'm from the East End so was able to relate to a lot of it, especially the early part of his life. Well worth a read.

Great thanks for the heads up

On a side note.. I know Tibbs is a born again Christian does the book touch on that?? Each to their own and all that, but if he starts preaching I'm not sure I'll stomach that.

No preaching. IIRC, there's not a great deal said about it.

I agree with Milpool, no so much preaching but touch on how he found religion, why he follows it and the impact it has on his life now. Very insightful.

[the patriot]

Great thanks for the heads up

On a side note.. I know Tibbs is a born again Christian does the book touch on that?? Each to their own and all that, but if he starts preaching I'm not sure I'll stomach that.

No preaching. IIRC, there's not a great deal said about it.

I agree with Milpool, no so much preaching but touch on how he found religion, why he follows it and the impact it has on his life now. Very insightful.

Cheers for that lads... I'll be picking up a copy soon enough

[Tarquin Tarpaulin IV]

Woman in the Corner by Gilbert Odd

Spotlight on the influence of women on the careers of boxers as trainers, managers etc.,

Not a traditional boxing book but a real eye opener when you learn how involved some women were before ring card girls came about!

[brilo33]

Hard Luck: The Triumph and Tragedy of "Irish" Jerry Quarry. bought it ,haven't read it yet got a good write up,never heard of him before

[aliboy123]

wow! never heard of jerry quarry? that's saying something on a boxing forum! - check him out on youtube

[brilo33]

wow! never heard of jerry quarry? that's saying something on a boxing forum! - check him out on youtube

i did looked him up on youtube and the boy looks tasty ,

[Tom Moore]

Avoiding mentioning those mentioned before, Herol Graham's book is an excellent read if slightly disturbing towards the end.

I'd also recommend Sorcery at Caesars, which is about Hagler-Leonard.

[Andrew]

wow! never heard of jerry quarry? that's saying something on a boxing forum! - check him out on youtube

i did looked him up on youtube and the boy looks tasty ,

Didn't know there was a book on him. The Fraizer fight was class.

[Monte Fisto]

A vote here for George Kimball's "Four Kings" about Hagler, Hearns, Leonard and Duran.

Yes, I loved this too. I read hands of stone straight after and too be honest my mind now merges the books somewhat.

[cutsman]

Not strictly a boxing book, but Knuckle is a good read.

[PredatorHayds]

Honourable mention to Meldrick Taylor

Think I tried to read this. This the one with all the spelling mistakes

[Dixonian]

Charlie Magri - Champagne Charlie - the absolute mutt's nuts.

He said Matthew Barney could do it all in the gym when he trained him

Yep. Hug, hold, clinch, cuddle, spoil, grip, tie-up, wrap-up...

[Emmseegee]

I have read a fair chunk of boxing books and somehow managed to avoid four kings until now, dunno why i have never read it as it always gets great reviews. i started it a few days ago and just picking away at it. I was starting to get a bit bored with the boxing books as they can get a bit repetitive, started reading books about the background of cheating in sports etc and they have been quite an eye opener. Also read one called Bounce, written by a table tennis player and his belief of natural talent being a myth and all performance being a result of practice and circumstances at an early age. Good read if anyone fancies a wee change from boxing books but still related in some ways. (Sport)

[Counter-puncher]

. Also read one called Bounce, written by a table tennis player and his belief of natural talent being a myth and all performance being a result of practice and circumstances at an early age. Good read if anyone fancies a wee change from boxing books but still related in some ways. (Sport)

I have heard of this book, not read it, but the premise sounds like bollocks to me

I played football when I was a kid, did pretty well, treated it really seriously, trained hard on my own as well as all the formal training I did.

No amount of training would have made me the players just above my level who made it professionally.

And no amount of training would have made them Ronaldo.or Messi.

Interested in others' opinions on this

[crusader]

To act like people dont have different natural limitations is nonsensical. Obviously environment plays a role too, but only to an extent.

[Counter-puncher]

To act like people dont have different natural limitations is nosensical.

I haven't read it so.i don't know if its correct to characterise him that way, although thats how the synopses I have seen make it seem

[crusader]

The impact of heredity is well documented....he surely must have a more nuanced argument then "upbringing is all"

Size, for example, plays a significant role in athletic success, and is clearly influenced by more than one's environment,

[Counter-puncher]

The impact of heredity is well documented....he surely must have a more nuanced argument then "upbringing is all"

Well, you'd think so, but I'm pretty sure the phrase 'natural talent is a myth' is a decent summary if not direct quotation of his argument.

[lillywhite14]

Black box thinking is supposed to be quite good by that table tennis player come journo, Matthew Syed. He's quite an interesting chap. I remember seeing him tear Roman Abramovich apart on sky sports news once, the presenters were open mouthed in shock and didn't know what to say when he started talking about the morality issue etc, was amusing.

Back to boxing books. I can confirm that Dark Trade is quality and that Unforgivable Blackness is fvcking superb. I've read it about a dozen times or so I reckon.

I'm away in January, no news, no shoes type holiday so I'll be indulging in a couple of these recommendations chaps

[Eddy]

Anybody read Jimmy Tibbs book?? Worth getting?

Excellent book. I'm from the East End so was able to relate to a lot of it, especially the early part of his life. Well worth a read.

Great thanks for the heads up

On a side note.. I know Tibbs is a born again Christian does the book touch on that?? Each to their own and all that, but if he starts preaching I'm not sure I'll stomach that.

He's not that type of person at all. He said in a interview I saw once, that he tests the water with his fighters, but if a they don't want to know, he won't force it down their throat, as he doesn't like people doing it to him.