Great Boxing Books!

silkov
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Post by silkov »

BrocktonBlockbuster49 wrote:
BrocktonBlockbuster49 wrote:which of the archie moore books describe the best detail on his fights??

i have "any boy can" the archie moore story.

how is ageless warrior???

anyone wanna have any suggestions
'Ageless Warrior' is ok but what you should really look out for is his autobiography that came out in about '62 and is called 'The Archie Moore story'. This goes into quite a lot of detail of his years struggling to make it and his travels and illnesses and also his biggest fights. Theres also a section in it about how he used to lose weight while keeping his strenghth... by a method taught him by the Aborigines while he was in Austrailia. All in all a great read and excellent insight to the man.
Rocky_Lives
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Rocky Lives

Post by Rocky_Lives »

You should check out Rocky Lives!, its a great book. But then again, since I wrote it I am a bit biased.
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Post by Expug »

Nigel Collins wrote a book called Boxing Babylon. Very entertaining.
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Chicago Boxing book

Post by Expug »

Sean Curtin has written an excellent historical book Chicago Boxing. Probably been out alittle over a year now.
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Post by RazorKO »

Victory over me - Floyd Pattersons biography. Very good story of a shy introverted man rising to win sports greatest prise.
BrocktonBlockbuster49
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Post by BrocktonBlockbuster49 »

what books have u read on the following heavyweight champions?


joe louis
george foreman
joe frazier
rocky marciano
evander holyfield
jack dempsey
jack johnson
larry holmes
sonny liston
BrocktonBlockbuster49
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Post by BrocktonBlockbuster49 »

what books have u read on the following heavyweight champions?


joe louis
george foreman
joe frazier
rocky marciano
evander holyfield
jack dempsey
jack johnson
larry holmes
sonny liston
mike tyson
silkov
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Post by silkov »

BrocktonBlockbuster49 wrote:what books have u read on the following heavyweight champions?


joe louis
george foreman
joe frazier
rocky marciano
evander holyfield
jack dempsey
jack johnson
larry holmes
sonny liston
mike tyson

Louis.... The best book on Joe is the autobiography he wrote in '47.... called Joe Louis My Story... some interesting insights into him here...

Foremans 'By George' is interesting but not a great read...

Joe Fraizer... the best book on Frazier is the biography that came out in about '72... very good read.

Marciano... ahem!... think you know this one! 8)

Holifield... biog called the real Deal... pretty decent read...

Jack Dempsey... brought out a number of autobiographies, the best is probably 'Massacre in the sun' which was written in the 50s and his last Biog which was written in '77 I think... both give interesting insights into his life....

Jack Johnson... one of the best fighters to read about... his own autobiography 'In the Ring and Out' is a very interesting read... then there is 'Jack Johnosn and his times' by Denzil Batchelor, 'Black Champion' by Finnis Farr 'The Big Black Fire' by Robert H Decoy, Pappa Jack by (? can't remember the author for this one!) and the most recent 'Unforgivable Blackness' By Geoff Ward... all these are excellent reads and you can gain different things from each....

LaRRy hOLMES... 'against All Odds' one of the best autobiographies in recent years... great insight into Holmes and what makes him tick and also the way of the boxing world behind the scenes.

Jim Corbetts 'The Roar of the Crowd' is also a classic and he was one of the first champs to write his own biography and it is one of the best ever written still and a classic insight into the the boxing world during his era...
:box: :box: :box:
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Post by sockdolager »

BrocktonBlockbuster49 wrote:
BrocktonBlockbuster49 wrote:which of the archie moore books describe the best detail on his fights??

i have "any boy can" the archie moore story.

how is ageless warrior???

anyone wanna have any suggestions
I just finished reading this one and I enjoyed it very much. It gives breif details of the majority of his fights, and it goes into some great detail on his big fights like Marciano and Durelle. Also it talks of his training days w/ Foreman and even his daughter. It is a fast read and it is cheap on Amazon. Ill be picking up Boxings greatest stories and the Sweet Science soon. Any other suggestions that KOkid didnt already mention?
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Post by jimglen »

British greats from boxings 'hayday' the 1930s and 40s...

the "Rochdale Thunderbolt", Jock McAvoy and "Gilroy was here!", Bert Gilroy.

Two very well written fast reads, well researched, informative and fact-based accounts from actual reports and commentaries on these great fighters careers, who are 'likely' Britain's greatest middleweights. Both "cheated" and ironically kept from each other, excellent stories and a fight that would have been legendary!
KOJOE90
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Post by KOJOE90 »

This is a great read.
http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/15 ... ZZZZZZ.jpg

Dick Tiger by Adeyinka Makinde.
surf-bat
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Re: re

Post by surf-bat »

barry wrote:That book is certainly interesting and worth a read. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Gunboat Smith seem like a bit of a racist in that book, but it may have just been the norm talk during his era.
A lot of guys back then talked racist, but I tend more to judge a man by his actions. For instance, Tom Sharkey made some racial comments to the press, but he palled around with friends/stablemates like Joe Walcott and George Dixon. Even The Great John L Sullivan befriended Dixon, took him around the country, etc.
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Post by surf-bat »

Jim Corbetts 'The Roar of the Crowd' is also a classic and he was one of the first champs to write his own biography and it is one of the best ever written still and a classic insight into the the boxing world during his era...
:box: :box: :box:[/quote]


Well written, yes, but one of the most grotesquely biased accounts I've ever read. Read the chapters regarding his bouts with Tom Sharkey. Corbett's recollections vastly differ from eyewitness and newspaper accounts. Sharkey savaged him.
silkov
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Post by silkov »

The first fighter to write his autobiography was Daniel Mendoza... good read too!...
surf-bat
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Post by surf-bat »

Jim Jeffries: "A Man Among Men" by Kelly Richard Nicholson. An outstanding book.

"Chicago Boxing" by JJ Johnston. Gave me info on great contenders that I knew little about like Charlie White and Ever Hammer(whom Benny Leonard cited as his toughest foe).
Ambling Alp
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Post by Ambling Alp »

The Jeffries book sounds like it might be interesting. Is that new?
surf-bat
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Post by surf-bat »

Ambling Alp wrote:The Jeffries book sounds like it might be interesting. Is that new?
It came out a few years ago. It's outstanding and goes over Jeff's opponents one by one. In his pro debut he knocked out veteran Hank Griffin, who went on to later give Jack Johnson his toughest fights(2 draws and a win for Griffin). Talk about getting thrown off the deep end!
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Post by harrygreb »

I wish Greb and Ketchel would've lived long enough to write their stories.In This Corner is a great book too with about 40 champs telling their stories,a few telling what it was like to face Harry Greb![/quote]

try to get a copy of "give him to the angels" by james.r.fair (the story of harry greb) this is a great book written by someone who knew harry and
watch him fight, talked about life and boxing with him. its a little gem and worth scouring the net for.
also "the sweet science" leiblings superb book is a masterwork of american sports writing. cool, detached, wry, funny, wise. not only the best book of this game that i have read its one of the best books i'll ever read. period.
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Post by bigzab »

Had to dig this up, because I never got around to this topic before.
Am I alone in thinking that Dark Trade, by Don McRae is a book almost too good for boxing fans?
I do alot of reading, not just on boxing, but this book is just incredible, specifically in the way that it highlights boxers at varying stages of the spectrum of boxing fame.
The insight into James Toney's life and career particularly is a brilliant acheivement of honest, if not impartial writing. McCrae seems to have formed a genuine bond with Toney, which in itself is a surprise considering their differences. The author could so easily have stepped back and written a more factual account of Toneys career, but the fact that he is honest to his own feelings, reactions and sympathies makes this the most compelling book I have ever read, on ANY subject.
There is so much more that I love about this book, but I am starting to sound like a critic, so I'll stop there. I just wanted to say it's a good book.
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Post by lvlarc »

Just a heads up, Johnny Owen's official bio is to be released next Friday entitled the "THE BIG IF"

Looking forward, it should be a fascinating read.
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Post by Migz »

theres a book i got here in Australia i forgot the name its about top ten of absolutely evrything there is in boxing.. its and interesting read altho the book seems a bit "amateurish" (if thats even a word) :-?
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Post by adspath »

Million Dollar Baby...also known as Rope Burns, good book
sockdolager
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Post by sockdolager »

adspath wrote:Million Dollar Baby...also known as Rope Burns, good book
Sweet Science was great and ageless warrior (archie moore) was also very good.Im reading Boxings greatest stories and it is great.
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Post by jimbraddock »

my personal favs are the rock of his times and cinderella man. ive been lookin around for a micky ward bio but havent found one or heard any news on one
Rory McCloskey
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Post by Rory McCloskey »

i've read the 3 jimbraddock books. great reads all of em.
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