Unforgiveable blackness - the rise and fall of Jack Johnson (any book on him would be brilliant because he was such a fighter and a character but this book is so comprehensive that it anyone could read it not just boxing fans) Dark Trade - Don Mcrae (my all time favourite, the parts with James Toney are brilliant) Irish Thunder - the Micky ward story (like Tapia's Mi Vida loca as enjoyable for the out of ring antics as the actual boxing) Sparring with Hemingway - Budd Sculberg (if you've read Ringside and liked you'll love this) The fight - Norman Mailer (granted he's a syncophant but it's still a brilliant book) In the Red Corner - John duncan (about cuban amateur boxing and a doomed attempt to get Felix Savon to go pro) Sting like a bee - Jose Torres (fascinating to read a contemporary account of Ali by another top fighter) The Big Fight - Hannigan (Ali -v Al Lewis in Croke Park - a must read for Irish fight fans) On Boxing - joyce Carol oates (just joking, this gets mentioned a lot when people talk of boxing literature but IMO it's poncy tosh)
The official Holyfield autobiography isn't that great, I must admit. But a great book related to Holyfield is "The Holyfield Way" by Jim Thomas, his ex lawyer/manager. Gives great insight into all the behind-the-scenes business, dealings with Don King, etc. Far better than Holyfield's own book.
Ive never read that one. Will have to check it out. I could be wrong but is Jim Thomas the guy that helped Evander before he went pro then years later Evander accused him of stealing money or something?
No, Thomas had a pretty solid relationship with Holyfield, he just walked away amicably because he felt Holyfield should no longer be boxing (and this book is a fair few years old now!).
Lazarus and the Hurricane is a sweet book. I've got Hauser on Thursday's BBC London show to talk about his boxing novel. Four Kings works because George was at every single fight involving the Four Kings...I was at every single fight involving our Four Kings...the pitch is out there. It's been out there for TWO years. I'm working my way through the two books written by Adeyinka Makinde: One on Dick Tiger and the other about Frankie DePaula. I will get him on later in the summer. Meanwhile, The Fixer remains essential Summer reading! Adios.
I've read "The 16th Round" (Carter's autobiography), several years ago now, and that's a great read too. Well worth picking up.
Are you saying publishers are being slow to pick that one up (the Brit 4 Kings I mean)? That's surprising, because I would have thought if any boxing book would have a cross over appeal it would be that one considering the mega-millions of viewers they attracted in their glory days. I think that would sell not only to the boxing hardcore, but general sports fans as well, and even one or two casuals. What about the publishers who churn out those "Hard Man Of The Week" books - you know, they started with Lenny McClean, Roy Shaw etc and every couple of months there's a new one of some guy you never heard of telling his story about how he was a bouncer in a "tough area", the scrapes he got into in the criminal underworld, the 3612 fights he had, never losing one, how he did a bit of time and basically how hard he is? Surely if they can invest in non-entities with the same "story" over and over again, they can see a golden opportunity in a Benn/Eubank/Collins/Watson saga? :huh :huh :huh And I am currently reading "The Fixer" too (juggling it with the new Stewart Lee book).
The Big If the Johnny Owen story is a good read, Which is Hausers book on ALI? Is it the one with the mass of quotes from experts, boxers and the like filling in large parts of the story? Need to read that again i think, need to be in the mood to really get into it. I need to get down the library and get Four Kings and Hands of Stone tomorrow, what would be the best one to read 1st though>?
A book about Britain's Four Kings needs to be written by somebody who was at each and every fight. I could keep a fire going for a year with garbage sports books, bouncers with chips, footballers with crabs, boxers with fake belts...total rubbish. It needs to be done with care and love and by a proper writer. Don't give the dreadful publishers of sports books any ideas! By the way I've got Billy Schwer on my BBC London Sunday show today at 5pm to talk about his book - Mental Boxing. Adios.
Holyfield's book is **** I agree. I bought it expecting a really interesting read and put it down pretty underwhelmed. The Four Kings is good, I like the depth that it goes into prior and after the series of fights, in particular the ending chapters. Still don't like Leonard though - he reminds me of Pacquiao with the amount of hangers on, Koncz = Trainer, and Dundee often being kept in the dark as Roach is on some things. I also gained a greater insight into Steward's career too. A British Four Kings would be good, it's a shame we never get these domestic rivalries any more - Groves, DeGale, Sutherland (RIP) and AN Other.