BoxRec

Of all the striking facts about The Hardest Game—a collection of boxing reportage by Hugh McIlvanney—one stands out above all: most of these exquisite pieces were written on deadline. Whether for The Observer, The Sunday Times, or Sports Illustrated, McIlvanney, over the course of fifty years, illuminated the often chiaroscuro world of prizefighting with erudition and empathy, subtlety and sympathy, all while eyeing the domineering timeclock. Sentimentality—the inescapable quicksand of most sportswriters—is rare, although McIlvanney does suffer occasionally from nationalist wistfulness, a prerequisite, it seems, for UK scribes.

https://hannibalboxing.com/boxshelf-on- ... cilvanney/

It is a fabulous book, I'm not sure that the rather meandering review does it justice but for any boxing fan of a certain age the book is essential reading.