Need a boxing book recommendation

I just started an Audible trial and can download one free book per month. Can anyone recommend some good boxing books that may be available as audiobooks? I’m not looking for books on any modern fighters…the older the better (let’s say John L Sullivan through Marciano time period). Thanks!

 

Anything by Adam J Pollack. Not sure if there are any audio books, but I just began In The Ring With Jack Dempsey Part 1 and am loving it.

 

Flame of pure fire is on audible. Very good.

 

Does it cover Dempsey’s whole life or just while he was champ?

 

Lot of both. I think anyway. I don’t know a better or more enjoyable book on the great man.

 

I found Flame of Pure Fire to be nothing but pedestrian retellings of anecdotes I had heard a thousand times before. It's strictly paint by the numbers, uninspired mediocrity.

Dempsey's autobios are much better to get a real sense of the the man. A Tale of Two Fists, Randy Roberts bio, Shelby's Folly all better. And Adam's book is amazing if you really want to understand the fighter, who he was and how he was perceived in his day.

If you haven't read a lot of boxing books, just start with AJ Liebling's The Sweet Science. It's about the best thing ever writ on the sport.

 

Pollock gives such vivid context to fighters and their contemporaries. The more i've been reading boxing literature, I don't think guys like Dempsey can be rated adequately without a really solid understanding of their resumes and accomplishments.

 

Unforgivable Blackness, about Jack Johnson was a good read. Quite the character.

 

Gilbert Odd's encyclopedia of boxing from the late 1980's. It contains mini bios of most historical greats and even decent fighters. My mom bought it for me in 2004 when i was a tiny boy. It was my introduction to boxing. This was a year before youtube. It also contained plenty of information on bareknuckle and amateur boxing.

It is obviously not going to be an audiobook but if you are interested in the history of the sport; this is a great intro.

https://www.amazon.ca/Encyclopedia-Boxing-Gilbert-Odd/dp/1555213952

 

Not available on audio, but my book on Eder Jofre is on Amazon!!

 

Great Documentary too.

FACING ALI, Stephen Brunt a collection of thoughts & insights from Ali's Opponents, excellent book.

and my own Gilroy was Here, now all verifiable by Bert's Public Facebook page with well over 600 ACTUAL Reports, RATINGS, Title Status and All such Period Documentation on Gilroy's Career... Bert Gilroy, 1933 - 1950 | Facebook

 

Excellent book, learnt a lot about JJ from it.

 

I like that one too.

 

Title Town USA: Boxing in Upstate New York is pretty dope if you haven't checked it out and a rather quick read. But don't be mistaken it is filled with great information, its all about Canastota, New York and the fighters who came from it, and through it.

The description -> "Canastota, New York, at the epicenter of Upstate New York's rich boxing heritage, is home to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Having produced some of boxing's most prominent pugilists, including Carmen Basilio and Billy Backus, the area has also hosted many legendary fighters, including Jack Britton, Harry Greb, Sam Langford and Tommy Ryan. Many boxing dreams have come true here through title fights and epic ring rivalries."

 

Haven't read it yet but it's on my list