Product Description
Darren learns the techniques of boxing, including sparring, punching, and footwork, as well as the sport's safety rules. ... Read more

Product Description
As spring arrives in the tiny village of Ste. Justine, the boys’ thoughts turn from hockey to the town’s annual, and informal, boxing tournament. Roch is beaten by the Côté brothers again, strong farmer’s lads, and he decides next year will be different. He orders barbells to build up his muscles, training all winter long, and dreams about finally winning the tournament after enduring years of humiliation. He will not be beaten this year. He will be a champion. When the day for the tournament arrives, Roch wins – in a way. ... Read more

Product Description
Thirty years of ringside reporting from one of the world's most honored sportswriters

A living legend on both sides of the Atlantic, British sportswriter Hugh McIlvanney is best known for his incisive ringside boxing commentaries. Employing a writing style as muscular as it is graceful, McIlvanney never fails to infect the reader with his enthusiasm and sense of awe for the sport, while at the same time revealing the deeper truths at work in all such extreme expressions of human will and physical prowess. As one critic put it, "The genius of McIlvanney is his ability to magnify and precisely delineate those elements of sport that contain fundamental truths about the human condition."

First published in 1983 to great acclaim, this sport classic is reprinted with the addition of recent dispatches to span 30 years of ringside reporting. The Hardest Game includes McIlvanney's commentaries on such immortal bouts as "The Rumble in the Jungle" (Foreman vs. Ali, Zaire, 1974) and "The Thriller in Manila" (Ali vs. Frazier, Philippines, 1975), and the most memorable fights in the careers of Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, and others.

"Anyone who admires writing as muscular as it is graceful should buy this book." -- The Daily Telegraph ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

The Easiest Review
The Hardest Game is The Easiest Book to review. Just open to any page and read. Without being florid or using up too much ink McIlvanney puts you in the arena with a style that is perfect. It is always a sobering jolt, when one thinks that they have some writing ability, to read an author like Hugh McIlvanney. Am I really privy to the same dictionary as this guy? It is nice to know that I have this book on the shelf.

Great Boxing Writer!
One of the best books about boxing I've ever read.Mcilvanney is an excellent author and his knowledge of boxing is incredible.

The Sweet Science According to Hugh
Through 90 compiled articles that span 30 years, McIlvanney takes us back to the time when the great prizefighters roamed the ring (Ali, Foreman, Frazier, Hagler, Leonard, Tyson, Lewis, Bowe, Holyfield). Also included are some memorable fights for top-ranked British fighters as well as his thoughts on the issues facing boxing then (and maybe even now) - ring deaths and the dearth of good heavyweights.

Like his subjects, McIlvanney pulls no punches. Here are some excerpts:
On the people who believed that Tyson carried Buster Mathis Jr. for a few rounds in one of his first fights after prison, he has this to say: "Anybody who believed that drivel about the set-up would lose an IQ competition with a plant".
On Riddick Bowe as a possible contender who could give the paroled Tyson much trouble: "...But Bowe is handicapped by his ability to out-eat a squad of navvies" [ellipsis mine].

The only limitation I have with this book is that the articles consist merely of preludes and postscripts to a fight. This would prove no problem when the article is read in the context of a newspaper where events are fresh on the minds of the readers but when read by people who weren't even born during the time of those fights, there's that sense of missing the plot felt by the reader.

Still, McIlvanney's insights are priceless. Quite interesting are his evaluation of the heavyweights. Though it's a given that Tyson had talent, he refused to see him as Ali's equal which was proved prescient. Holyfield was what he considered a "synthetic heavyweight" - a good matchup for the 5'11 Tyson but cannon fodder for taller heavies like Lewis or Bowe. His disdain for Lewis who seems to be always one good punch away from a knockout, is also quite evident in the text.

All in all, McIlvanney tackles the sweet science like no other writer and boxing as well as his other favorite sports (horse racing, football) should consider themselves blessed that such a talented writer patrols the beat.

33 Years of Boxing in a Nutshell
Hugh McIlvanney, as an authoritative columnist over the past four decades for The Observer, The Sunday Times, and Sports Illustrated, is a name that has become synonymous with boxing reportage.Having sat on press row or before closed-circuit television for hundreds of British and international prize-fights, the sheer volume of his writing alone places him in the same category as Nat Fleischer, Bert Sugar, W.C. Heinz, and A.J. Liebling, writers who tracked boxing's evolution first-hand over a great number of years.

The Hardest Game, now in its third edition, is a set of McIlvanney's writings over a 33-year period, spanning from the mid-1960s to the late 90s.The collection focuses mainly upon heavyweights, with Muhammad Ali as lead character through the 60s and 70s up until his final bout against Trevor Berbick in 1981.The book's final, bulky section, 'Further Dispatches,' gives weight to Mike Tyson, who dominated headlines as undisputed heavyweight champion, rape convict, and attracter of box office records after serving three years in prison.But while emphasizing these two juggernauts, McIlvanney does not fail to provide us with the larger boxing spectrum, looking into other important heavies such as Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Evander Holyfield, and Lennox Lewis, besides lighter talents such as Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Ken Buchanan, and Barry McGuigan.

McIlvanney's reports are usually in couplets, first previewing the fight, than describing its results and aftermath.At least in this writer's opinion, his previews are of greater interest, since they are more insightful and bring deeper meaning to the fights by examining boxers as people rather than media-spun messiahs.Naturally, his stories on Muhammad Ali are the most engaging, as they follow that bright icon through his off-hours and supply glimpses of Ali's out-of-ring persona.While Ali is a hard man to compete with for attention, McIlvanney succeeds in describing the lives of other fighters and keeping our interest.Perhaps most enlightening for non-UK readers is McIlvanney's second part, 'Some of Our Own Who Could Have a Row,' giving a wonderful look into British fighters who have gained notoriety at home and abroad.

McIlvanney is a writer whose style is unquestionably British, using elaborate sentence structure and a rich vocabulary.Especially in his 1960s and 70s articles, the language is ornate and may be awkward to those who are not used to this journalistic way.But underneath is a writer who has a solid perspective on the fight game and applies long-treasured values of journalism that are these days forgotten.Besides looking upon fighters as human beings with normal strengths and weaknesses, McIlvanney keeps a fine objectivity in watching both corners.We rarely, if ever, sense that McIlvanney is getting carried away by a particular fighter and he never ignores the flaws that could bring a man eventual defeat.

The main weaknesses of McIlvanney's collection, besides an ornate language, are the depth of his fight recaps and the overall material he's selected.Those who are expecting complete, blow-by-blow fight accounts will be disappointed, as the recaps give far more importance to McIlvanney's views on what took place and what it means for the sport as a whole.While his perspectives are hard to beat, he gives rather loose, sometimes hollow, descriptions of what actually occurred in the ring.And except for such gems as a story on boxing at Rahway (New Jersey) State Prison and reports of Mike Tyson's rape trial and doings in jail, there is very little to read outside of pre-fight buildups and the fights themselves.

McIlvanney, however, is the right man for this job.He is a journalist with wide-open eyes and ears and is never afraid to type out a strong opinion.Even though his emphatic views have left him in a few awkward situations - including several articles that all but write off Evander Holyfield's chances of becoming undisputed heavyweight king - he is far more right than wrong and gives a clear map of the directions that boxing has taken.McIlvanney even deals intermittently with the dangers of boxing, having seen Welsh bantamweight Johnny Owen die of fight-related injuries in 1980 and watched Ali become stricken with Parkinson's Syndrome in more recent years.Every so often, the book pops out of its glory-induced trance and asks the basic question of whether civilized societies should allow this game to continue.

The Hardest Game is more of a sporting document than a social one, making it hard to recommend for mainstream readers.Its main focus is boxing and it rotates around boxing.But those with even a nominal interest in the sport will find The Hardest Game informative, especially with Ali and Tyson still dominating the sports landscape.

McIllvaney is Incredible!
Probably the most eloquent sportswriter I've encountered, he combines his wonderful writing technique with a thorough knowledge of the sport gleaned from years spent ringside.Best of all are his comments on the sport of boxing in general, which succinctly describe the multitude of paradoxes that exist within an environment that is at once brutal and, in its own way, incredibly noble.McIllvaney understands boxers and their suffering and transmits their lives so realistically, it's as if one knows them personally.You can't go wrong with this one! ... Read more

Product Description
The whims of politics are at the fore of Guillermo Vincente Vidal s memoir, in which young boys become men in the shadow of revolution and personal turmoil. Vidal writes about his family's participation in events that forever altered U.S. Cuban relations after an effort to free children from the threat of Communist rule sparked Operation Peter Pan. From chance encounters with Fidel Castro and Robert F. Kennedy to life in a dismal Catholic orphanage in Colorado, Vidal perseveres to embrace life as a proud and successful Cuban American. His account is a poignant story of forgiveness and the joy of returning home. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Truly a child's perspective and view
Not many stories of Cuba can be told first hand by a child.This is just one person's experience that was shared by so many.These "kids" turned out pretty well even with the challenges they faced.Good book.

Boxing for Cuba
Gillermo Vidal's book stirred long forgotten emotions that brought happiness to my heart looking back when I immigrated with my parents and two sisters from Havana in January of 1961.I think everyone that reads "Boxing for Cuba" would learn why so many immigrants succeed in tough times and enjoy to the fruits of the American Dream.

A different immigrant story
"Boxing for Cuba" was an interesting story about Cuban immigrants from the Castro takeover.The story of the Peter Pan children was particularly interesting as I had never heard about it before.I also liked his description of returning to Cuba many years later.Gave me a new perspective about Cuban immigrants.My book club enjoyed the book and it gave us lots to talk about.

Not just another immigrant story
Bill Vidal's portrait of pre-Castro Cuba compellingly reveals how the regime change of 60 years ago affected both his family and the island's other well-to-do residents. Initially supportive of the new government, his father lost both his property and his livelihood, resulting in a decision by him and his wife to send their three boys to the U.S. on one of the so-called Peter Pan flights, along with 14,000 other Cuban children. Despite their parents' very dysfunctional relationship, life without family and homeland proved an almost overwhelming challenge. Instead of the promised foster home, the children ended up in the startlingly abusive environment of a Catholic orphanage in Pueblo, Colorado, until their parents were able to rescue them and once again establish a home. Readers will empathize strongly with the efforts of the boys' father to reestablish himself in an alien environment, and with their mother, who finally leaves the family to be near family in Miami. Bill's eventual success as Deputy Mayor and Manager of Public Works for the City and County of Denver offers hope and inspiration. The rapprochement between Bill and his complicated parents before their deaths is a poignant testimony to the power of family and the character of the man. Reminiscent of Carlos Eire's moving memoir, "Waiting for Snow in Havana," Vidal's book is more gritty, more personal, more frank, more open.

Boxing for Cuba
I know the author.Very large gaps in life story, but the main part was the Operation Pedro Pan.Very interesting ... Read more

Product Description
Before there was Ultimate Fighting, men like Jay C. Champ Thomas made their livings beating each other senseless and occasionally dying in the ring.Thomas is an American legend.Beginning in 1923, his career as a boxer, wrestler and boombattler spanned nearly six decades!A veteran of over 10,000 bouts, Thomas successfully defended himself against some of the world's fiercest aggressors.Now he shares his secrets with those who wish to study the real manly arts.Thomas uses a panoply of tricks and punches only to defend himself against unscrupulous fighters, and he cautions against employing them recklessly.In order to defend oneself, it's important to know all of the distateful options that can be brought into play. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

it's real
It's real. Do alot of freeze framing on championship fights and you will notice the top tranked boxers usings these techniques with skill. Usually the outlaw punches are done very quick and in the middle of a blindingly fast combination, as they are very hard to pick up, even in slow motion. You have to freeze frame, like when Buster douglas knocked out Mike Tyson, he did a crushing uppercut, then finished "iron" mike off with an elbow to the head and the old 1 - 2 to make it look good. These tactics are so smooth, even professional commentators, referees, and judges don't know they happened. This book doesn't concentrate on low blows and other obvious lawbreakers, but uses deception. Glove laces are tapped up in regular matches, but are not in amateur bouts and sparring, so that is a great tip to look out for. GH

A funny read...
This book is more or less a waste of time in terms of reading it as non-fiction... however, it has emense entertainment value.It reads very smoothly and Champ's braggadocio can't help but make you crack a smile.The guy's hilarious!The meat of the text could easily be summarized in a page or two, but Champ goes on to weave tales of how he came to learn the deadly arts within and how he used these forbidden techniques when angered beyond reason... I'm sorry, but it's really very funny (tears are running down my face as I write this)!

As a resource, I honestly can't recommend this book and would probably give it only 1 star... but because of the lack of entertaining boxing fiction out there, I can recommend you borrow it at least to check it out.Good stuff, if read in the right light!

Good for the ring but not the street
Champ Thomas book gives a good overview of the dirty tricks that one may encounter in a boxing ring but I cannot see how one might encounter them, or use them, in a streetfight.The author's war stories add some spice tothe book however and readers will get a feeling of nostalgia from the typeof politicaly incorrect language he uses.

The title should be: Back to the ooooooooolllllddddddd days!
I am an active boxer myself and this book is rather ridiculous and amusing than anything else! It starts with the fact that that guy and his little *tricks* refer to a time where i have still be fluent, and im 21. Stufflike: "Scratch your opponents face with the ropes of yourgloves"...uhm: Mr. Thomas...today the part of the gloves where the"ropes" are gets covered with tape! Then most of his punches arebasically the same. The whole book could be done in 5 pages! His littlestories are pretty boring and one feels like sitting at a table with a guywho wont stop telling you what a damn hard guy he's been and yaddayadda...simply never stops talking about his past and all! *yawwwn* TheKILLER PUNCHES are actually not really executable in a ring...first of all:The motion you have to do is too slow! The opponent will hit you before youcan do that lil *miss, pull back, and hit him with the outside of theglove* thingy...pathetic! Second: Most of the punches will definately NOTbe tolerated by ANY official in the ring! I mean: sure...go for theshot...perhaps you are lucky and do knock him out, just dont be surprisedif you get disqualified! Seriously...the techniques and tricks he describesin that book reminds me of a "low budget production" where theguy gets a bottle dragged across his skull and 10 guys attack that onehardass one after the other...life is NOT like that. A glass bottle breaksyour face and 10 guys attack you all at once! Same with the book...realityis different! If a punch takes almost 2 seconds your opponent has rippedyou apart in the mean time and the ring official is NOT blind! So, sorrypal...that book sucks!If you are interested in boxing and some hardpunches: do NOT buy this book, but train hard and be hard in the ring! Take care and keep it real... ...singing off with with a jab, jab,uppercut, hook combination from the city of guts and balls,Mad Dawg

Mike Tyson Must Have Read This Book
One of the dirty tricks that "Champ" Thomas mentions in his book is the arm trap. Anyone who saw Mike Tyson fight Francois Botha knows that. at the end of round one, Tyson trapped Botha's arm in exactly the same wayThomas recommends, with the intention of breaking it. Ear bites are theonly thing missing from this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Perfect for people of all ages and nearly any level of health, Chinese internal boxing does not depend on muscular strength. Instead, its power is drawn from the cultivation and practical application of internal energy, or ch’i.
Chinese Internal Boxing: Techniques of Hsing-I & Pa-Kua is an in-depth guide to the practice of two styles of Chinese internal boxing. Through clear, concise instructions, photos and diagrams, it invites readers to experience and
understand the traditional, authentic methods of this once secretive art.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent Volume
This book is an excellent, in-depth examination of the Chen Pan Ling method of Hsing-I Chuan and the Wang Shu Jin method of Bagua Zhang. Very clear step-by-step photos and written instructions together with valuable information regarding the deeper aspects of both of these excellent Chinese internal martial arts.

forms forms forms
Has forms and they are good forms.Both of the authors are respectable master of their styles.I just wished that there would have been applications with the forms mentioned. ... Read more

Product Description
Over the years, Thomas Hauser has earned recognition as one of the most respected boxing writers in America and the definitive chronicler of the contemporary boxing scene.The Greatest Sport of All is Hauser's portrait of 2006, another remarkable year in boxing. The book includes an inside look at great fighters, great fights, and the powers behind the throne.There are revealing portraits of Oscar De La Hoya, Jermain Taylor, Bernard Hopkins, and Don King, a look back at giants like Joe Louis and Muhammad Ali, and more. ... Read more

Product Description
Whether you want to box for fitness or competition, Boxing: The American Martial Art is an excellent guide to getting started. Professional boxing coach and trainer R. Michael Onello has created a 12-week, step-by-step boxing course that can be followed at home or in the gym.

Begin with the thorough boxing conditioning program designed to tone and strengthen your entire body, with a special emphasis on the abs, chest and arm muscles. From Lesson One, you'll learn stance and movement, defensive tactics and a simple method of wrapping your hands to protect them during training. As you work through the twice-weekly lessons, you'll learn the jab, straight right, uppercut and hook, then practice them alone and in combinations to increase your punching speed, accuracy and power.

The step-by-step lesson format guides you through the same drills used by professional boxing trainers and includes specifics like the number of reps, the type of equipment to practice on, strategic advice and key points to pay attention to as you progress. Once you've got the basics down, get together with a sparring partner to work on the offense-defense drills, counterpunching and putting your new skills to work in sparring practice.

The lessons wrap up with advice on creating a rotating 12-week training schedule by introducing more advanced training concepts and variations on the workouts. Also included is a chapter for trainers and coaches, including sample program handouts and training advice. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

User friendly
Mr. Onello's book is as one would expect from an experienced teacher:It is straight forward, easy to understand, and results driven.I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in boxing for fitness or even for self defense.

Very poorly organized, overly basic
Don't be fooled by the title of this book.It is not a twelve week boxing course.It is an unintelligible hodgepodge of various boxing training techniques and descriptions of basic punches thrown together in an utterly disorganized fashion.There is no "program" at all in this book.No one could learn anything useful about boxing from this. It just describes the punches and a few simple boxing workout routines in a disjointed and very cursory way. The "routines", as such, are so elementary as to be useless. Just telling the reader to practice a jab, for instance, does not make a "program". I have to believe it was self-published, because no editor would let this pass muster.It reads like a series of unconnected chapters, with one describing a jab, another a hook, etc.
I guess if you were from Mars and had never seen a boxing match or had seen a boxing gym, you would learn a little, but that's pretty much all it would be good for. They actually show you a photo of a heavy bag, in case you have no earthly idea what it is.A complete waste of fifteen bucks.It makes me wonder if the other positive reviews are legitimate.

Straightforward & simple approach that produces real skills
This book works.It lays down a solid foundation.The exercises and practice drills continually produce and reinforce positions that the practitioner will appreciate later on.Its subtle but it will become quite apparent IF one does exactly as the book says.A good place to start.

The best how to box book available
The American Martial Art is the most comprehensive boxing book now available. It covers all the basic punches,and defenses. However, I enjoyed the sugggested workouts covering the heavy bag work,shadow boxxing and counterpunching. No other book I have seen covers counterpunching in any detail.This book offers several counterpunch workouts. Anyone one who puts in the time and effort and completes the 12 week course offered in The American Martial Art, will become a much better boxer. I highly recommend it.

Basic Introduction to a Great Sport / Art
The book gives a basic outline of the great American art of self-defense, Boxing. The author introduces the foundation to the necessary basics to train and compete, if desired. Yet, boxing is a hands on sport that must be physically executed to truly learn. A book can serve as a guide or to attempt to enlighten one to the basics, but without a coach or sparring partner it can never be understood.

The recent trend to train in the exercises of a boxer has gained popularity because it is one of the toughest sports, if not the toughest, to obtain to appropriate amount of fitness in order to safely compete. ... Read more

Product Description
Los Angeles has been regarded as one of the greatest boxing cities in the world for more than a century. With a large fan base, Los Angeles has also been the home of many of the best and most exciting boxers. In Boxing in the Los Angeles Area, authors Tracy Callis and Chuck Johnston provide an overview of one of the greatest pugilistic hotbeds in the world from 1880 to 2005. This comprehensive history covers the top boxers of the area who became famous both locally and worldwide such as Jim Jeffries, Solomon "Solly" Smith, "Mexican" Joe Rivers, Armando Muniz, Oscar De La Hoya, and "Sugar" Shane Mosley. Boxing in the Los Angeles Area also reviews some of the areas most notable bouts such as Tommy Burns winning the heavyweight title from Marvin Hart in 1906, Shane Mosley winning the welterweight title from Oscar De La Hoya in 2000, and Ad Wolgast retaining the lightweight title in a bout with "Mexican" Joe Rivers in 1912. Written by boxing historians and members of the International Boxing Research Organization, Boxing in the Los Angeles Area includes many photos while providing a thorough history of the boxing world in one of the greatest boxing cities. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Jabs and gab from the 5th Street Gym
The Miami Herald May 23, 2010
[...]

BY JOHN HOOD
Special to The Miami Herald

In the long and colorful history of boxing, there was no place as singularly important to the game as the 5th Street Gym. Located on South Beach between the area's heydays, the gym was a sort of ground zero for a good two decades of the mid 20th century, where hard-nosed Cuban fighters such as Luis Manuel Rodriquez and Florentino Fernandez ended up after fleeing Castro, where everyone from Kid Gavilan to Joe Louis would come to train for their championship bouts.

Mostly, though, the 5th Street Gym was known as the home of Muhammad Ali, who continues to be considered the greatest of them all. Chris Dundee ran the place like a minor fiefdom; handling all the action in the manner of a potentate. And in Ali's corner was Chris' brother Angelo, Cuban ex-pat Luis Sarria and Dr. Ferdie Pacheco, all of them on hand for -- and instrumental to -- Ali's rise to the top.

Pacheco, who appears Tuesday at Books & Books in Coral Gables, has just released an oral history, Tales from the 5th Street Gym (Florida, $27.50), that has enough first-hand accounts and on-scene photos to bring back all the glory. Pacheco, most famously known as ``The Fight Doctor,'' was in the champ's corner for ``The Thrilla in Manila'' and ``The Rumble in the Jungle,'' and he recounts those episodes with great charm.

The book tells the story of a place graced with unparalleled character. An integrated place, the first of its kind in Florida, where fighters learned to fight, trainers perfected their game, and celebrities hobnobbed with old-timers like Evil Eye Finkle, Sam the Mumbler, Raincoat Rabinowitz and Tip Toe Tannenbaum.

We visited Pacheco in his Bay Point home and asked him about the book, the gym and about his place alongside ``The Greatest.''

Q: You say in your intro that this book is primarily to ensure the legacy of Chris Dundee, without whom there wouldn't even be a gym. What did he bring to the fight game?

A: He brought a consummate professionalism that we didn't have here before. Plus he brought substantial underworld connections, which you had to have if you were gonna have boxing. He had Frankie Carbone in his pocket -- or Frankie Carbone had him in his pocket. So when you've got the mob, and you've got the location, and you've got the fighters, you needed someone to coordinate all that, to make sure it worked.

Q: Would it be fair to say that there might not even be an Ali -- or at least an Ali as we know him -- were it not for the efforts of Chris Dundee?

A: No, I don't think that's right. Ali was gonna be Ali no matter what. Whoever's there was going along for the ride, just holding on for dear God. Whoever it was. It doesn't make any difference. There were a lot of boxing guys who would have been thrilled to get a hold of Ali. You didn't have to do anything. Somebody handed you Ali, and you just sat down and counted the money.

Q: There are scores of stories about Ali's trainer Angelo Dundee, but corner man Luis Sarria seems to be a bit forgotten.

A: He was hugely overlooked because he didn't speak English. He was like a serf in a medieval castle. He was the guy that they called in the middle of the night to massage the king.

Q: But was he instrumental to Ali's career?

A: Oh yeah, because Ali listened to him. He wouldn't listen to anyone else, but he'd listen to Sarria. Sarria got him in shape, and Sarria was a very, very smart boxing guy. And he'd say what Angelo said, Angelo would say what I said, or vice versa. We had a unified corner.

Q: What are some of your fondest memories working with Ali?

A: Fondest memories are beating Liston here, for the first time. Beating Frazier in the Philippines was the best fight of my life. I've never seen anything that big. And beating Foreman in the jungle at four in the morning. Those were the three big, big occasions. I mean, you couldn't get any bigger than that. You cannot express the absolute thrill of being right next to the guy in those days.

Q: Why did you stop working with him?

A: I thought he was being mismanaged into oblivion. He was already a basket case, and they kept putting him in against better fighters. Finally they put him in against Holmes, who was then the champion, and that was a disgrace. That was murder. So I walked away. [His Parkinson's:] would not be as bad had he quit when I told him, after the Frazier fight in Manila. He would not be good, but he wouldn't be as bad.

Q: Who are some of the other top-notch fighters who came out of the 5th Street Gym?

A: The main one, the best one, was Luis Manuel Rodriquez. He was the welterweight champion. He taught Ali how to fight. Florentino Fernandez too; he was just a devastating fighter.

Q: For many years you ran a clinic in Overtown. Can you please tell us a bit about that?

A: For 20 years I ran a clinic on [NW:] Second Avenue and 10th Street, and I never took a dime. The neighborhood was like Porgy and Bess then. It was all black, but there were no race riots or anything like that. It was terrific. I used to go to the Sir John's Club, and The Harlem Square Club was right across the street from my place. I caught everyone. I'm a jazz fan. You walk across the street, and there's Lester Young blowing; Billie Holiday; the whole Ellington Band. At 12 a.m. they threw them all off the Beach, so they'd come right over, and they'd jam till 5 in the morning. Boy, those were the days.

John Hood is a Miami-based columnist and correspondent.
... Read more

Product Description
Fittingly, it is in Las Vegas, boxing's capital, that author Jonathan Rendall, a young British boxing enthusiast, reflects on his own exit from the boxing scene. What unfolds is the true story of his boyhood romance with the sport, his canny coming-of-age as a boxing writer, and his risky bid to bring the unknown Colin "Sweet C" McMillan to the World Featherweight Championship.

This is a knockout performance by a graceful writer whoknows his subject, knows how to spin a yarn, and knows how to make aneclectic stable of characters come alive on the page. As a stylist,Rendall comes out swinging; when he finds an opening, he can score,whether he's in a smoky British boxing club or beneath the neon skiesof Las Vegas. He is not afraid to run counter to so much of the goodboxing writing that has come before him: what others have praised ascolorful, he sees from his insider's perspective as somewhat sinisterand grotesque. There is a sadness, a melancholy really, to much ofRendall's personal journey as he begins to distinguish betweenboxing's realities and its myths. And yet he's capable of relatingthis with an almost surreal sense of humor, well timed and wellplaced, like good jabs should be. A lesser writer might have beenflattened by the ordeal; it's Rendall's grace under pressure that, inthe end, leaves him standing. --Jeff Silverman ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

then don't drink it so quickly!!
Funny book, great perspective on boxing, I just wish he'd put a bit more about some of the incidents he witnessed and people he met. The talk about the trip to Cuba was pretty saddening. Quite different from standard boxing books, but very enjoyable!

A book in two parts
This was a strange book as the first half of it was excellent and the author spun some interesting tales about a pair of old-time boxers and the rise of his own boxer.

Then at about the half-way mark, the lustre of the book seems to fade and it becomes fairly mundane. It is almost as if the author lost the energy to write as well as he had for the second half as he did for the first half.

Disappointing.

Heart wrenching, exciting, incredibly readable
This is a non-fiction book about the fight game by a guy who goes from easily beaten young college fighter to professional sportswriter to manager of a world champion, and the people he meets and things he sees along the way. There are many heart-wrenching sequences set in and out of the ring, some great fear, great exhiliration, and great sadness. This guy's powers of observation and description powers are phenomenal. This one really hit me hard.

This guy has a gift for the scary.His search for old-time legend Kid Chocolate in Cuba is lively and colorful and time and again unsettling and nerve-wracking.His getting helplessly caught up in the wrong party with the wrong, and very unsavory, people, while safety helplessly and unstoppably drifts away as if in slow motion, makes for a vivid, torturous waking nightmare.

But he's also funny. His description of the dressing down of a prime Sony Liston by the a tiny tough as nails ex-pro and streetfighter provides an absolutely hilarious come-uppance of the legendary thug by someone who wouldn't put up with a bit of it no matter how small he was nor how big and sure of himself was the heavyweight champion of the world.

Rendall manages to capture the terrible liveliness of the world of boxing in writing whose keen observation and honesty lays both himself and his subject almost uncomfortably bare.Here is a man who has truly felt what he has written about, and takes us to places we can't help but be fascinated by but are grateful to encounter only on a well-written page.

Not just a boxing memoir.
Very enjoyable read wether you are into boxing or not. Many anecdotes on travels, famous and not so famous people who add color to this well written and entertaining read. Shows some of the questionable business practices at the top of any profession and shows a glimpse at what it's like to manage a profesional athlete to the top and all that comes with that too. You will turn the pages one by one once you get started...

Boxing's good,bad and ugly - wrapped up like poetry.
When John Salley was playing for the Detroit Pistons he said of the NBA's roughness that "the only way to learn how to fight is by getting beat up."And so the only way to learn about man's attraction andobsession with climbing into the ring - short of doing it yourself - is byreading "This Bloody Mary Is The Last Thing I Own." Jonathan Rendall uses a master storyteller's touch to introduce real-lifegreat characters whom anyone will find interesting and compellingregardless of whether they're fans of the sweet science, or hate boxingcompletely. "This Bloody Mary" not only tells the story oflegendary brawlers like Kid Chocolate and Jack "Kid" Berg butexplains with the casualness of a kindly stranger seated next to you at abar why some men like to fight, why others have to fight, and why nearlyevery one of them - in the end - eventually wants to stop fighting. From a sweaty gym at Oxford, to the bright lights of Las Vegas, to theruins of the Polo Grounds in New York City - "This Bloody Mary"takes you on a trip through boxing's highs and lows and lets us peer intothe hearts and minds of the men who just keep fighting.Don't passit up. ... Read more

Product Description
In the long history of professional boxing there was only one man who fought both Rocky Marciano and Muhammad Ali. There was only one man who recorded an astounding 141 professional knockouts. There was only one man who trained both a young Ali and heavyweight champion George Foreman. There was only one Archie Moore. Moore's vast career and exploits are finally chronicled in "The Long Sunset: The Life of Boxing Legend Archie Moore, highlighting his seven-decade boxing career. Author and veteran boxing biographer Mike Fitzgerald spent several months with Moore before the boxer's 1998 death in an effort to capture the full life story of one of the 20th century's most colorful and accomplished athletes. Moore's opponent list reads like a "Who's Who" of boxing: it includes nine world champions and seven Hall of Famers. Starting his career in the middleweight division, Moore moved up in weight class in 1945. Ultimately he dominated the light-heavyweight division, winning his first world title in 1952 (at age 39) and successfully defending that title for nearly a decade. The versatile Moore often fought at heavyweight in the 1950s, twice challenging for the heavyweight crown, including an epic battle with Marciano in 1955. Following the 1960 Olympics, Moore took over training duties for Ali (known then as Cassius Clay). The two eventually parted ways before their fight in 1962. Retiring from the ring in 1963 after compiling 194 career wins, Moore remained active in boxing for the rest of his life, helping guide George Foreman to the heavyweight title in 1973 and overseeing his legendary comeback in 1987. Moore was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. Archie Moore'slife wasn't just about boxing, however. "The Long Sunset also spotlights his Hollywood career in the 1960s, his five marriages, and his beloved "Any Boy Can" youth organization, which reached underprivileged youth. Featuring a foreword by the "Raging Bull." Jake LaMotta, who provides his own fond memories of Moore, "The Long Sunset: The Life of Boxing Legend Archie Moore is certain to provide a never-before-seen side of one of America's all-time greatest athletes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Great profile; leaves out one important matter
This is an excellent portrayal of one of boxing's all time great fighters, whom I had the pleasure of meeting. (He felt that shaking hands was unsanitary, and preferred touching fists.) This book tells of Moore's early struggles, th eproblems he faced as a black fighter, and his ultimate triumph. One reviewer says that this book doesn't mention Moore's alleged tanking of the Marciano fight. I have never believed that he threw that fight, as he fought long and hard against tough odds. Also, he was a 4-1 underdog, which would have made a fix in Marciano's favor unlikely. What this book doesn't mention -- and which film showings of this bout often edit out -- is that when Moore floored Marciano in the second round, Rocky rose at the count of two, and the referee, forgetting that the mandatory eight count didn't apply in a title bout, continued the count, thus giving Marciano extra time to recover. Marciano was clearly stunned, and had the ref followed the rules the outcome might have been different. In Everett Skehan's excellent biography of Rocky Marciano, this incident is mentioned.

Archie Moore
Very good account of Archie Moore's career.He was a true character in an out of the ring.Does not go into the detail of a possible tanking of his fight against Rocky Marciano.That account was put in the Devil and Sonny Liston.But overall, it was very good.

Great warrior and humanitarian
Archie Moore did it all in boxing, he was the light heavyweight champion, he fought for the heavyweight title twice and is the holder of the most knockouts by any fighter ever. He did a lot of this while over 40 years of age.

This is the remarkable story of a true warrior of the ring, Moore fought everywhere and wasn't afraid to fight anyone (of the heavyweight champions, he met Rocky Marciano, Ezzard Charles, Floyd Patterson and Muhammad Ali).

The book is a good read, perhaps not all that I would have hoped that a biography of Moore would be but still not bad. In a perfect world, I would have liked more photos and perhaps more input from Moore himself through previous articles that he had contributed to.

Great read
This is simply but a great book on Moore.
The best one out there on this great champ.

Definitive biography on The Old Mongoose
"Ageless Warrior" is a definitive account on the life of boxing legend Archie Moore.Author Mike Fitzgerald masterfully weaves Moore's 200-plus fights and his personal life into an engaging and evenly-tempered biography.Until now, most books written on Moore tended not to let the facts get in the way of a good story.Fitzgerald, with the cooperation of Archie Moore and his immediately family, finally tells the true story of the "Old Mongoose" with pleasing results.If you're an Archie Moore or boxing fan, this book's for you. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (4)

Waste of time and money
Although I purchased this book in Books-a-Million, I wish I had bought it from here as I would have saved $12-13. When I looked at it in the store, I ignored the foolish title (muay thai and kick-boxing are two completely different sports) and merely gave it a quick overview instead of sitting down and actually reading parts of it. Upon futher inspection of the book, I immediately knew it was a mistake when reading the "About The Author" page in the back. Exactly how does one hold a black belt in a combat sport?

As I flipped through the pages, I noticed that the step-by-step instructions were ALMOST perfectly written out, but severely lacking in the photo aspect of the book. All I saw were pictures of the result, be it on an opponent or just in the air. Overall this book was really not worth it's money, and I HIGHLY recommend "Muay Thai Unleashed" and "Muay Thai: The Most Distinguished Art of Fighting" for anyone serious about learning/training/competing

Awesome customer service-great book!
This book is awesome. Absolutely great pictures. What's better than that? Getting it for a lot less than in the big book stores. The book was in great condition and I received it very quickly in the mail.

Mastering Muay Thai Kickboxing
While not a student of MMA, but an avid follower, I've recognized these techniques as used by such greats as Anderson Silva and others. I've been a student of muay thai for over a year, and I feel this is one of the very best on the market that adheres to strict muay thai technique. One of the few I've read that doesn't bastardize or compromise the explicit technique involved in the tradition of true muay thai. All Photos are explicit, large, and in color, well demonstrated, and the format is excellent.

Not Bad, But Could Have Been So Much Better
After reading this book I was really torn on how I was going to rate it. I seriously considered giving it a 3 star rating, but then again I didn't want my rating to seem overly harsh since this book isn't really bad, just incomplete. Therefore, I decided to go with a 3 star rating and a 4 star rating with an explanation on both. First, the 4 star rating...

This book shows pretty much the entire arsenal of offensive and defensive techniques in Muay Thai in very clear full color photographs.

The layout is easy to follow and didn't present any problems for me as I was reading this book.

If you, as the reader, look at this book as a basic reference manual for the beginning student, then it really has served its purpose and lived up to its name.

And now the 3 star rating...

However, if you are buying this book with the intent to learn all the ins-and-outs of a particular technique, then you are going to be very disappointed. On almost all of the techniques shown, the only photograph you see is one showing you the end result of that particular technique. For example; when the author shows you a left roundhouse kick and a right roundhouse kick, the only photographs you have are one for each technique where the individual modeling the technique is standing there with their leg fully extended. This type of photographic layout is predominantly throughout the entire book.

The amount of text describing each technique is minimal and is really detrimental to anyone trying to learn how to correctly execute a particular technique. There seemed to be plenty of space available and had the author/publisher used the space available more wisely and perhaps used smaller photographs and a few more pages, might have really made one heck of a good book. Sadly, this is not the case.

Not that this is a horrible book by any means, it simply fell short in several areas when it came to providing a detailed description of the techniques being shown.

If you are looking for a basic reference book to show you the various techniques and a brief description of each, then this is definitely the book for you. However, if you are looking for a book to teach you in great detail the correct way to execute a particular technique, then you need to look elsewhere.

Here are a couple of books that are worth taking a look at.

Muay Thai: The Most Distinguished Art of Fighting (9th Re-Print, Revised Edition)

Muay Thai Unleashed: Learn Technique and Strategy from Thailands Warrior Elite

Shawn Kovacich
Martial Artist/Author of the Achieving Kicking Excellence series. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

I Need to take a Shower Now
Brady exposes various cases of corruption and gangsterism throughout boxing history. I seriously felt like I needed to take a shower after reading this book. About half this book is older boxing history related and half is stuff up into the late 90s. He goes in depth with the Jim Norris/Frankie Carbo/Blinky Palermo mess that in spite of these low life having so much control I believe the 1950s was possibly the best era in boxing. There are later chapters on the midwest club scene in the 90s, Don King, corrupt organizations and Bob Arum. The author really snuck in a good zinger with the Jewish Arum titling his chapter "The Talmudic Scholar", which if you didn't know the Talmud is a book written by Rabbis studied by orthodox Jews that is full of all sorts a wacky justifications for cheating and stealing from Gentiles. There are also innumerable examples of fighters who were exploited, cheated and discarded by boxing promoters and managers. Boxing is a great sport to be involved in or a fan of but there is no doubt its a sleazy shark infested sewer.

Boxing Confidential Pulls No Punches
This is one of the most informative, entertaining and disturbing boxing exposes ever written. Brady knows all about the backroom deals, fixed fights, corruption, extortion, payoffs for ratings, and outright criminality of the major promoters, sanctioning bodies, and the TV executive suits who not only turn a blind eye to the chicanery but are willing cohorts in this sordid business of exploitation and greed. Professional boxing, from small club fights to the mega million dollar Las Vegas promotions, is one putrid mess of a sport. In chapters like "The Best Sanctioning Body Money Could Buy", "The Talmudic Scholar", "The Humble Servant of Boxing", and "The Don" Brady flays open the belly of the out of control circus that professional boxing has been allowed to become over the past 25 years. He exposes, in glaring detail, the business side of the sport and the foul deeds of the few major power brokers, most of whom are human vermin without conscience who live off of the blood and brain tissue of-with a few rare exceptions- these exploited professional athletes. Boxers, unlike other sports, have no union or decent representation, and are at the mercy of a few blood sucking predators and thieves who have all but destroyed any credibility this sport may have had.
Brady tells the stories of a litany of ex-champs and contenders who have been robbed of their money dreams and dignity, and who are then discarded like so much garbage after their usefulness has ended.
Brady, a fine writer and investigative journalist, takes no prisoners as he names the heroes, villians, bums and thieves.
Whether you are familiar with boxing or not you will shakeyour head in disbelief and disgust at what is described in these pages. This is so much more than a boxing book. It is also a sociological study and idictment of a segment of our society.This is a very American story and a very important book. ... Read more

Product Description
"This is a surprising book, a terrific book. It's not about boxing, but about an odd, demanding world in which boxing is the thread, the key to existence. Wiley deftly broadens the delineation of this world and its people. Perceptive reporting is the foundation and perceptive reporting is rare enough. Wiley enhances it with clear, quick writing laced with humor and with a sensitivity that lends brilliance to this impressive work."-Robert W. Creamer, author of Baseball and Other Matters in 1941. "Ralph Wiley, with Serenity, has produced an original book about the ring...He can dig beneath the surface and show us what really happened in a bout: why Thomas Hearns, with too much faith in his powerful right hand, lost to Sugar Ray Leonard in their first match...Or why Roberto Duran was acting out of prudence, not cowardice, when he quit in his second fight against Leonard...Yet the book is not really about boxing. Boxing in Serenity is what T. S. Eliot, speaking of plot, called the meat a burglar brings to distract the watchdog. The book is really about growing up in a world where you had to defend yourself physically to survive."-New York Times."Wiley's rapport with boxers is profound."-Publisher's Weekly. "Wiley is one writer who really knows his way around a boxing ring...[He writes] with passion and understanding about complex, violent men and their oddly redemptive sport."-Booklist. Ralph Wiley is the author or coauthor of several works, most recently Born to Play: The Eric Davis Story. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Ralph Wiley Is The Greatest Sportswriter Of All Time...
I was a great fan of Ralph Wiley's regular columns on ESPN's Page 2, and when he passed on (earlier this summer) I decided that it was well past time to get one of his books and see how he did in a longer form.

I'm glad I did. Wiley wrote a vivid description of the art and science of boxing; with every page offering insights that are provocative, disturbing, and important. It's as much about Wiley as it is about Leonard, Hearns, Hagler, Ali, and Tyson. That's not a problem as Wiley was an articulate, interesting, and experienced Black man.

Wiley relates that when he was a copyboy for the Oakland Trib, he would type "RALPH WILEY IS THE GREATEST SPORTSWRITER OF ALL TIME, BAR NONE" on the old IBM Selectric from time to time. It's a shame that so few sports fans seem to know him these days, especially now that he's gone. This great little book, which destroys boxing as completely as boxing seems to destroy its greatest talents, is quite an argument for Wiley's place in the pantheon of the greatest sports writers of all time.

If you enjoyed Wiley's columns, or his writing in SI, or his work on other subjects, OR if you have a passing interest in, or disgust over, or passion for boxing, you will enjoy this book. If you enjoy reading about one man's developing views on an activity that he at first approached with veneration and eventually came to see as horrific, you will enjoy this book. If you read Bill Simmons' columns, you will enjoy this book.

It's such shame that we don't have Wiley with us any more; and I'll miss him, but now that he's gone on maybe he's met Joe Louis at the gates and had that talk with him. We can only hope so.

One of the Best Books on Boxing Ever
this was where you truly could appreciate the Greatness of Ralph Wiley.He knew His Boxing&the way He broke down each subject matter is Classic.Boxing has had many Fighters but you know the Guys that you still debate&talk about many years later.Great takes on Ali,HitMan hearns,Sugar Ray Leonard,Mike Tyson&Everyone else mentioned.A Knockout of a Book from start to finish.

The Pain Business
Intellectuals have long had a fascination with boxing, an athletic contest reduced to its very essence-two semi-naked men trying to kill each other for the enjoyment of a crowd. That's about as stark as it gets. A long and varied list of literary heavyweights have fallen under boxing's spell-Hemingway, Mailer, Oates, Earley, etc., etc., etc. Ralph Wiley belongs up there with the best of them. The ideas he expresses in "Serenity" are meaty and delivered in a style that is both clear and artistic. Mr. Wiley can flat-out write and my goodness does he have an eye for detail and an ear for dialogue. His descriptions of knockout blows are downright poetic; one fighter "... went out like a broken light bulb"; another was struck so hard that the blow "... sent his eyes into the top of his head like snapped windowshades". The sights and sounds and smells of the gym all ring true in "Serenity", from the lowliest trainer ("...with a trainwreck of a yellowing smile") to the beatific Ali.

Mr. Wiley defines serenity as "...the inner peace which comes from doing something well enough to understand it". Boxers, per Wiley, can only acheive pugilistic serenity after they understand that pain, and maybe death, are part of the equation. Pain can not be avoided, no matter how skilled the fighter. So why do so many of them continue on, or return for more once they retire, even (or, perhaps, especially) the successful ones? Larry Holmes, one of the best, (whose latest comeback, at age 50, was against a 300 pound sideshow attraction named "Butterbean") is quoted that a fighter has "... gotta enjoy the ones you take just like the ones you give". Sugar Ray Leonard, like Holmes a wealthy man, made more comebacks than Marley's ghost and risked permanent blindness in the process. Bobby Chacon, another champion, "...smiles at the sight of his own blood". The title of a Gerald Earley essay-"I Only Like It Better When The Pain Comes"-is a direct quote from an early '80's crowd-pleasing Philadelphia middleweight Frank "The Animal" Fletcher. (Aside-Frank "The Animal" once fought James "Hard Rock" Green in a brutal, blood-gushing bout, a great nickname bout, where Mr. Fletcher's mother spurred her son on by leading the crowd in chants of "AN-I-MAL, AN-I-MAL, AN-I-MAL".) Do these otherwise intelligent men actually enjoy getting hit? Hardly. Mr. Wiley has delved deeply into the psyches of men who fight for pay searching for motive, for purpose, and he has succeeded. This is good stuff. "Serenity", like Evander Holyfield, is the Real Deal.

SERENITY A HARD HITTING NARRATIVE OF BOXING
Serenity, as Ralph Wiley tells it, is a state of mind that all fighters try to find. It's not easy, but then, writing a book about the most personal side of boxing - the fighters - isn't easy, either. Especially a good one. But Wiley has done that here. He includes himself a bit, which works, and uses a sharp, witty style that brings the fighters he writes about to life. Best are the chapters on Larry Holmes, and also a letter he writes to his son, Cole. Wiley is enormously gifted, and he will definitely be a writer to watch in the future. ... Read more

Product Description
Boxing's biggest stars speak to head writer of Boxing Digest magazine, Richard Scurti! "Who hit them the hardest?" "Their best knockouts?" "What got them started in boxing?" It's all here! Sixteen-full length interviews are included in this book, with everybody from; Sugar Ray Leonard to Oscar De La Hoya to Sylvester Stallone! They're all here...full-length and...Complete! The new book by Richard Scurti, is packed with premiere hard to find interviews! With the hottest stars in boxing today like; Oscar De La Hoya, Sugar Ray Leonard and Sylvester Stallone! Plus, interviews with some all-time great fighters like; Ricky Hatton, Diego Corrales, Micky Ward, Christy Martin and Kostya Tsyzu! This book is a Must-Buy for every boxing fan out there in the world' today! Pick one up this Christmas or the upcoming holidays! For the Boxing Fan in your family!!WWW.MYSPACE.COM/RICHARDSCURTI ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great book on boxing, a lot of interviews for your buck!
This book is a great read, there are 16 interviews in this book with some of boxing's biggest fighters and with only 152 pages to it, I found it to be a delightfully easy read.You can read this book in a single sitting whether at home or on an airplane.I found myself thoroughly engrossed in it and I couldn't put it down, I particularly liked the interviews with female boxer, Christy Martin and British boxer, Ricky Hatton.I like her take on boxing, motherhood and Perfect10 model boxing, as well.All in all, a very great read and I'd recommend this book to everyone, who likes an easy and enjoyable read.

This is a Really Great Book!!I'm really enjoying reading it!
This book is VERY interesting, a lot of interviews with some very famous fighters and a few fighters that are international like, Ricky Hatton and Kostya Tsyzu.I ESPECIALLY enjoyed the interview with Christy Martin, very good all around book!A very good, well written and short read, I read it this past weekend.I'm not to into boxing, but this book is very good and enjoyable, you'll be glad you bought it!!

This book is a great all around book!!!
This book is a great all around book!!!I didn't think I would enjoy it because I'm not into boxing but this book is more than just about boxing.The Author takes you though the process of how to get an interview and goes into the background stories of who he interviews.Also, this book takes the reader on the Authors journey through life.By the end of the book I could see how the Author had grown and evolved as a person.A person who started out doing interviews for the fame of it, then by the end of the book finds himself closer to God, his family and friends.I felt like I was right there with him rooting for him in the boxing ring of life.I particularly liked how this book gave me knowledge on how to go about getting interviews with famous people, I felt like I was right along side of the Author getting the interviews.All in all, I felt like this book was really heart felt and is about people's lives, their stories and what makes each person unique as a person. This book has a lot of boxing and boxers in it but its not you typical boxing book.It's a great all around book!!!It's a must read!!! ... Read more

Product Description
This is a splendid oral history of a time between World War I and World War II when Jewish athletes were the dominant ethnic group in professional boxing in the United States. The author draws on his own personal experience in New York City's fight arenas, and incorporates interviews with more than thirty former boxers, trainers, managers, promoters, and boxing judges to report on this overlooked aspect of sports history. Bodner explores the stories of the Jewish boxers both inside and outside the ring and also examines their lives as they left the ring to pursue their careers which ranged from fire chiefs to boxing judges to hospital presidents. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Growing up in Brooklyn asnd memories...
This small volume covers the history of boxing in a most complete and interesting manner. We must remember that every neighborhood had it's local hero, more often than not he was a pugilist. I would heartily encourage the young of today to learn something of our past.

Well worth the read
I read this book awhile ago; and while I was impressed by the scope of the author's treatment, I was a little disappointed by his lack of perspective and his exaggeration of the extent of Jews participation in boxing in the 20s and thereafter. In fact I contacted Mr. Bodner and he acknowledged that he had no authority for the assertion that "nearly one-third of all professional boxers [in the 1920s] were Jewish.". Anyone who has scoured the voluminous records of that period would realize (1) that at no time then, before or after, did Jews dominate the sport of boxing (with the possible exception of 1915 to 1920, when the lightweight, welterweight, middleweight and light-heavyweight titles were for the most part held by Leonard, Lewis, McCoy and Levinsky, respectively), and (2) that its very hard to believe thatJews ever represented more than 10, possibly 15% of professional boxers in the USA. Maybe in the New York area, which is the area of his concentration, their numbers approached 1/3, but limiting his coverage to the New York area is another shortcoming of the book. This isn't to say that Jews were not a substantial, even impressive, presence in boxing from 1915 to the early 1940s, only that their overall participation wasn't nearly as great as Mr. Bodner maintains. This actually makes the achievement of those Jewish boxers who did hold titles more impressive in that their relative percentage is much closer to that of all Jews in boxing. There are more and more references to the above-subject matter on the internet, and exaggerating the overall participation of Jews in boxing does tend to denigrate the quality of that participation. Some people continue to have a hard time accepting that Jews were ever as capable at physical pursuits as other ethnic groups, especially in a sport as rough as boxing.

Still, all in all, I think Mr. Bodner's book is a welcome contribution to the subject, and I highly recommend the read.

Anecdotal ramblings of an enthusiastic insider
No one can question Bodner's sincerity or zeal.Through his father's friends he has gained entry to some great insider opinions and legends.

Bodner's story has some very engaging moments.But his access is largely confined to a small sub-set of the larger Jewish boxing world.As a result there are shocking omissions.For example, Abe Simon knocked Joe Louis down in the first round of their 1941 fight.Simon, despite a broken hand, went 12 rounds,lasting as long as Louis' last three opponents combined.The judges scored it 7 rounds to 5, before Louis took the giant out.Simon fought him a second time for the title as well.A Jewish museum dedicated a large part of last summer's boxing display to him.Yet Simon gets only one short mention in Bodner!

Bodner's most underdeveloped or slanted opinions are presented as Gospel.Long quotes from interviewed old-timers blur with Bodner's writing, as the editor made no effort to set these apart with italics, indents or different font.You have to carefully follow the quotation marks and hope the editor proof-read the text!

The index too is unreliable at points.(The sole Simon reference is left out, for example).And the pitance of photos are grainy photocopies!

I'd rate this two stars were it not for my great interest in the subject, and the anecdotal gems.

The only good fighter is a hungry fighter
This book is the story of a particular time in American and boxing history. During the twenties and thirties poor Jewish boys who had no other way up the economic ladder went into the ring. Bodner says that during that time over thirty- percent of the professional fighters were Jews. And so were many of the trainers and managers. And so it was not anti- Semitism or ' showing that we are just as tough as the Goyim' that put these people in the ring.
A good share of the fighters got out in time, before they were ' punch - drunk' and went on to make respectable lives for themselves. They married had families of their own, and did not send their children into the ring. In this they were much like Jewish mobsters, a one- generation phenomenom.
An exception to this rule was a Jewish fighter who lived down by the Hudson River in old shack in Troy, New York, the late Joe Bedell. He had once been a leading contender, and my father used to visit him when he had no one else in the world. His story was a different one, of a man who had known two minutes of glory in the ring, and had for whatever reason just dropped out of life.
I in my childhood knew this world of the Jewish fighter quite well. One of the pictures my father had in the Junk shop, and which my brother, Jake Freedman, who was also a Jewish fighter at one time, loved was of a bloody- faced Abe Attell fighting for the featherweight title, I believe against Joe Gans.
As opposed to what Bodner says in this fine book there was I think a large element for many Jewish youngsters of proving how tough they were, and disproving the old taunt that Jews ' can't fight'
In regard to reenforcement of this themea previous fine book which chronicles the story of Jewish sports figures including Jewish boxers is Harold Ribalow's 'The Jew in American Sports'.
This outstandingbook gives a nostalgic picture of another world and another time.
Its main theme is summarized in a saying of the late great Reuben Kelly Freedman who was a bit of an amateur Jewish fighter himself
," The only good fighter is a hungry fighter'

It should be titled: "When Boxing was a White Sport!"
A good read! But it lacks info about how Blacks were not fully allowed to be part of the sport and how it was more fixed than real during this time period. Overall still a fun book to read. ... Read more

Product Description
Designed to be user-friendly and clear, this is a comprehensive manual on kick boxing. It seeks to explain everything a kick boxer needs to know to develop kick boxing skills for combat. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

ONE OF THE BEST!
O'Keeffe knows what he is talking about, no matter it's the street or the ring. The techniques are very practical and it cna give a kick boxing/Mugay Thai fighter a all rounded self defense manual. It also covers awareness, conditioning, strength training, mindsets, defend against multiple attackers, weapon defense (stay out of the knife stuff, most of them are not practical for the average guy, but it did address how dangerous the knife is. Also covers drills, training methods, escaping holds, pre emtive strikes, situational defense and one of the best thing about this book is that he does not covers only techniques, it talks about what do you need to look and pay attention to in a certain situation, the dangers of the situation, and lots of advices. Some of the bad advice is that putting your back against the wall in a multiple assilant situation will more likely get you killed. But use your own judegement, test teh technique under real pressure, have your partner really trys to make your technique fail! This book starts with a foreword by self protection pioneer Geofff Thompson and threat awareness, pre emtive strikes, basic strikes. It ends with teaching targeting, vital points, and a lsit of recommandation. Overall this is a great book and should be in any serious self defense practioner's libary.
... Read more