Set to be released on amazon on May 1. In the Ring With John L. Sullivan, by Adam J. Pollack John L. Sullivan was so special that he made gloved boxing, the type of boxing we watch today, a popular national and international money-making sport. He was the man who started gloved boxing on its path towards acceptance in the sporting world as the form of fighting that could determine a true champion. He boasted that he could knock out anyone within 4 rounds, and he was good enough to do it; inspiring awe in all those who saw him. John L. Sullivan was the world's first sports superstar. Still, in order to convince skeptical old-school fight purists of his right to be called champion, Sullivan occasionally had to engage in bareknuckle contests under the traditional London Prize Ring Rules. The only problem was that fighting, and especially bareknuckle fighting, was illegal. This book follows Sullivan's career path, fight by fight, blow by blow, in glorious detail, using local next-day primary sources. Also covered is Sullivan's personal life, training, negotiations, legal battles, and all of the extracurricular activities outside the ring that helped make him the world's most famous man. The 490 page book contains over 200 rare contemporary lithographs, drawings, photographs, and advertisements.
I was wondering if he had changed his mind on anything, or found something important that had slipped under the radar previously.
I suppose he changed his mind about how much attention he had to pay to out-of-the-ring circumstances. The first book had set a new standard for boxing research that only Adam himself was able to improve on in his following books, although it's not to say there's no more room for improvement.
It is a new and improved version. I think it is better written, has added info on the fights, more on his personal life and outside-the-ring life, much more on the hype leading up to the Kilrain fight, WAY more photos and lithographs, particularly from the National Police Gazette, it is hardcover, and it includes the Corbett fight. One of you will get it I'm sure and then let the rest know what he thinks. I am very happy with it.
I've never read anything but glowing reports of your work. I have the 2 volumes of Jack Johnson, " The Rise" & "The Reign" and the Jim Jeffries book ,all excellent and the research in them is unprecedented!
I loved the one on Fitz, couldn't put it down. Ruby Rob went even higher up in my estimation after reading it, a fantastic piece of work.
U.S. amazon version: http://www.amazon.com/Ring-John-L-S...-1&keywords=in+the+ring+with+john+l.+sullivan U.K.: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ring-John-...-1&keywords=in+the+ring+with+john+l.+sullivan
Thanks adam, glad to see you're still writing books of legends. I'm going to get this one. I truly enjoyed the one on Bob Fitzsimmons :good.