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Best Boxing Books

Posted: 08 Sep 2016, 04:53
by DSW
Any recommendations to take on holiday?

Re: Best Boxing Books

Posted: 08 Sep 2016, 04:55
by Stuffs
Last two I read were very good.

Journeymen by Mark Turley
A Mans World: The Double Life Of Emile Griffith by Donald McRae

Re: Best Boxing Books

Posted: 08 Sep 2016, 05:01
by Stuarty
I have a few sitting that I've not read yet. Last one I read was Hattons and I enjoyed it. Pretty sad in parts and also quite funny. Carl Froch's autobiography is pretty good as well. I thought it was going to be a tedious bore but I really enjoyed it.

I've got Hattons Vegas book there which I started reading right after his autobiography but it was a bit samey and I was Hatton'd out my nut so I've saved it for another day.

Re: Best Boxing Books

Posted: 08 Sep 2016, 05:03
by Stuarty
My Mrs has a book she says is awesome and keeps bugging me to read it. Not her usual thing but she loved it. It's about an ex boxer who has to take up MMA because of an injury. Carl Meritt inside the cage I think it's called.

Re: Best Boxing Books

Posted: 08 Sep 2016, 05:15
by jamesmcdonnell
Charlie Magri - Champagne Charlie - the absolute mutt's nuts. :TU:

Re: Best Boxing Books

Posted: 08 Sep 2016, 05:22
by Stevieb8006
jamesmcdonnell wrote:Charlie Magri - Champagne Charlie - the absolute mutt's nuts. :TU:
He said Matthew Barney could do it all in the gym when he trained him :box: :lol:

Re: Best Boxing Books

Posted: 08 Sep 2016, 05:22
by jamesmcdonnell
Stevieb8006 wrote:
jamesmcdonnell wrote:Charlie Magri - Champagne Charlie - the absolute mutt's nuts. :TU:
He said Matthew Barney could do it all in the gym when he trained him :box: :lol:
Yeah, we've all heard a million stories like that.

Re: Best Boxing Books

Posted: 08 Sep 2016, 09:56
by nobleart1978
1 King of the world by David Remnick ( about Patterson, Liston and Ali)
2 The Rock of his times by Sullivan ( great Marciano biography)
3 On the Ropes by Geoffrey Beattie ( about boxing underclass in sheffield in the mid nineties)
4 Undefeated by Terry Marsh
5 Papa Jack by Randy Roberts( JACK jOHNSON)

Should keep you going mate!!

Re: Best Boxing Books

Posted: 08 Sep 2016, 10:21
by PredatorHayds
The Sugar Leonard autobiography is a must read great book.

As previously mentioned the Emile Griffith book. Best one I've ever read.

Johnny Nelsons autobiography is a good read aswell.

Re: Best Boxing Books

Posted: 09 Sep 2016, 06:52
by CMDY
I enjoyed Dark Trade: Lost in Boxing - won sports book of yeah award. Written in the '90's so features fighters of that era, including quite a bit on Tyson.

Norman Mailer's The Fight on Ali's Zaire contest is proper literature.

Re: Best Boxing Books

Posted: 09 Sep 2016, 07:01
by jamesmcdonnell
cmdenny wrote:I enjoyed Dark Trade: Lost in Boxing - won sports book of yeah award. Written in the '90's so features fighters of that era, including quite a bit on Tyson.

Norman Mailer's The Fight on Ali's Zaire contest is proper literature.
Great book, along with "This bloody mary is the last thing I own."
War baby
A fighter's heart, not a boxing book per se, about combat sports in general, but a terrific insight, and features a young andre ward, just before he turns pro.
I have a whole shelf devoted to boxing, I'll pick out some more.

Re: Best Boxing Books

Posted: 09 Sep 2016, 07:03
by jamesmcdonnell
Mike Tyson; Money, Myth and Betrayal.

An absolute belter, best book I've ever read on Tyson.

Re: Best Boxing Books

Posted: 09 Sep 2016, 07:38
by dookus
jamesmcdonnell wrote:Mike Tyson; Money, Myth and Betrayal.

An absolute belter, best book I've ever read on Tyson.
I'll have to check that one out.

In addition to the above (most of which I own! Thanks Amazon impulse buys) Unforgivable Blackness, a Jack Johnson biography, is a masterpiece. The 4-hour (!) Ken Burns documentary based on the book is wonderful too.

A Flame of Pure Fire: Jack Dempsey and the Roaring Twenties is another one to get.

Anyone know where I can get a copy of Toby Booth's book Boxing Booth? Think that cme out around when he did that documentary shortly before going inside.

Hands of Stone (Roberto Duran) is pretty good too. A bit flat but the hardness of the man and the world he came from shines through.

Re: Best Boxing Books

Posted: 09 Sep 2016, 08:18
by samwbr
Nick Parkinson 's new one A Champions Last Fight is a great read.

Re: Best Boxing Books

Posted: 09 Sep 2016, 08:25
by Gnome
The Road To Nowhere by Tris Dixon. I really enjoyed it.

Re: Best Boxing Books

Posted: 09 Sep 2016, 08:27
by Loftgroov
Dark Trade - I quite liked reading about James Toney in particular.

Re: Best Boxing Books

Posted: 09 Sep 2016, 12:27
by jaymitch81
jamesmcdonnell wrote:Mike Tyson; Money, Myth and Betrayal.

An absolute belter, best book I've ever read on Tyson.
Better than his actual autobiography?

Re: Best Boxing Books

Posted: 09 Sep 2016, 12:28
by jaymitch81
Teddy Atlas auto was decent as was Azumah Nelson's.

War baby is unbelieveably but for me the best of the lot is Johnny Tapia auto. Superb read.

Re: Best Boxing Books

Posted: 09 Sep 2016, 12:35
by Srebmun
I thought about this and although I've read dozens of boxing books the only ones I've actually read when on holiday are Four KIngs, The Killings of Stanley Ketchel, Unforgivable Blackness and Tunney (the Jack Cavanaugh book).

Every 1 of them are equally fantastic but utterly different and should be read by any boxing fan regardless.

Re: Best Boxing Books

Posted: 09 Sep 2016, 13:26
by samwbr
Srebmun wrote:I thought about this and although I've read dozens of boxing books the only ones I've actually read when on holiday are Four KIngs, The Killings of Stanley Ketchel, Unforgivable Blackness and Tunney (the Jack Cavanaugh book).

Every 1 of them are equally fantastic but utterly different and should be read by any boxing fan regardless.
Thanks for those, I will add them to my wants list.

Re: Best Boxing Books

Posted: 09 Sep 2016, 14:03
by the patriot
Anybody read Jimmy Tibbs book?? Worth getting?

Re: Best Boxing Books

Posted: 09 Sep 2016, 14:15
by King Tubby
Looking For A Fight. David Matthews.

Re: Best Boxing Books

Posted: 09 Sep 2016, 14:32
by Andrew
The Thomas Hauser Muhammad Ali book is an absolute ESSENTIAL for any boxing fan. The best book I have ever read.

Really loved Life and Crimes of Don King by Jack Newfield that was an eye opener.

Re: Best Boxing Books

Posted: 09 Sep 2016, 16:06
by dookus
Honourable mention to Meldrick Taylor

Re: Best Boxing Books

Posted: 09 Sep 2016, 16:11
by Syntax Error
Unforgiveable Blackness: The Rise & Fall of Jack Johnson - Superb read: one of the best boxing books I've read.

Sugar Ray Leonard: The Big Fight - Remarkably honest & candid. I did not expect that from Ray as his ego was always a big as his ability, but he pulls no punches about himself & is refreshingly honest.