boxers autobiographies

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by ryan8331, Sep 17, 2008.


Page 1 of 2
  1. ryan8331

    ryan8331 Member Full Member

    478
    2
    Oct 30, 2007
    can anyone recommend any good autobiographies from a boxer or trainer?,i like to do my reading from the 1st person perspecive?
     
    ryan8331, Sep 17, 2008
    ryan8331, Sep 17, 2008
    #1
  2. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member Full Member

    97,698
    29,027
    Jun 2, 2006
    "The Impossible Dream " by Larry Gains is good."My Life" by Joe Louis and Art Rust,"Dempsey" by Jack and Barbara Dempsey ." I only talk Winning by Angelo Dundee,is worth a read.
     
    mcvey, Sep 17, 2008
    mcvey, Sep 17, 2008
    #2
  3. ryan8331

    ryan8331 Member Full Member

    478
    2
    Oct 30, 2007
    cheers,i didnt know joe louis had one,
    ive read 'view from this corner' by angie dundee,that was good.
    i just ordered raging bull(lamotta) and mi vida loca(johnny tapia)
     
    ryan8331, Sep 17, 2008
    ryan8331, Sep 17, 2008
    #3
  4. Bill1234

    Bill1234 Boxing Junkie Full Member

    8,314
    495
    Jan 28, 2007
    "Against The Odds" by Larry Holmes
    "Welcome to the Big Time" by Earnie Shavers
    "My View From The Corner" by Angelo Dundee

    They were all very good and interesting reads.
     
    Bill1234, Sep 17, 2008
    Bill1234, Sep 17, 2008
    #4
  5. SteveO

    SteveO MSW Full Member

    4,255
    14
    Feb 4, 2007
    Ken Norton's autobiography, Going the Distance (I think that's what it is called) is pretty good and honest, especially about his losses to Cooney, Shavers, and Foreman.
     
    SteveO, Sep 17, 2008
    SteveO, Sep 17, 2008
    #5
  6. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

    112,846
    47,748
    Mar 21, 2007
    Smokin Joe Frazier is the definitive first person boxing story in my opinion.
     
    McGrain, Sep 17, 2008
    McGrain, Sep 17, 2008
    #6
  7. SteveO

    SteveO MSW Full Member

    4,255
    14
    Feb 4, 2007
    That is a good one. Read it last summer.
     
    SteveO, Sep 17, 2008
    SteveO, Sep 17, 2008
    #7
  8. klompton

    klompton Boxing Addict banned

    5,667
    39
    Jul 6, 2005
    Smokin Joe is a classic. The two that all other should be judged by are Raging Bull (LaMotta) and Somebody up there Likes Me (Graziano). One my all time favorites is Victory Over Myself by Floyd Patterson, a truly great boxing book, and Sugar Ray (Sugar Ray Robinson). I read Sugar Ray and Raging Bull back to back which is really cool since both guys were contemporaries, fought each other six times, and many of the same people, and both had difficulty getting title shots on the way up.
     
    klompton, Sep 17, 2008
    klompton, Sep 17, 2008
    #8
  9. Cmoyle

    Cmoyle Active Member Full Member

    1,284
    14
    Nov 6, 2006
    'The Flight of the Hawk' by Aaron Pryor is outstanding.
     
    Cmoyle, Sep 17, 2008
    Cmoyle, Sep 17, 2008
    #9
  10. BlackWater

    BlackWater G.Wash. Full Member

    1,587
    7
    Mar 19, 2008
    "Facing Tyson" --just got done reading it last week. And "American Son" this week
     
    BlackWater, Sep 17, 2008
    BlackWater, Sep 17, 2008
    #10
  11. SteveO

    SteveO MSW Full Member

    4,255
    14
    Feb 4, 2007
    Facing Tyson and Facing Ali, although not full autobiographies, are damn good.
     
    SteveO, Sep 17, 2008
    SteveO, Sep 17, 2008
    #11
  12. aj415

    aj415 Boxing Addict Full Member

    4,606
    6
    Aug 15, 2006
    Not a boxer but "Atlas" (Teddy Atlas) autobiography was intricate, riveting, and engaging. You can feel the intensity with which the man lives through the way he writes and the experiences he had.

    If this were the General I'd predict some criticizing/hateful remarks on Atlas as a commentator/trainer, but I expect better from the Classic. Don't prove me wrong!
     
    aj415, Sep 17, 2008
    aj415, Sep 17, 2008
    #12
  13. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

    61,172
    45,485
    Feb 11, 2005
    Jack Johnson's autobiography, while factually inconsistent, gives you a great flavor of this most important man.
     
    Seamus, Sep 17, 2008
    Seamus, Sep 17, 2008
    #13
  14. COULDHAVEBEEN

    COULDHAVEBEEN Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    18,776
    16
    Jul 10, 2007
    Might chase up a copy myself - by the way, what did Norton offer about the losses (briefly at least).

    http://www.mahalo.com/Ken_Norton is a good stop for Ken Norton info including on the autobiography.
     
    COULDHAVEBEEN, Sep 17, 2008
    COULDHAVEBEEN, Sep 17, 2008
    #14
  15. AlFrancis

    AlFrancis Boxing Junkie Full Member

    9,812
    843
    Jul 25, 2008
    Does anyone know if Ruben Olivares has ever done one, even if it's in Spanish?
     
    AlFrancis, Sep 17, 2008
    AlFrancis, Sep 17, 2008
    #15
Page 1 of 2