"How To Box" by Joe Louis

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by McGrain, Sep 3, 2007.

  1. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    Picked up a first (British) edition of this at the weekend for a fiver - 2 and 6 is what it cost in 1948. It's a beautiful magazie full of cracking pictures of Joe as well as some disturbing drawings. It covers areas like mental preperation, the left jab and left hook, right cross etc., a fine read and it's in good nick.

    Two questions.

    Anyone know how much of this is Joe's own work? Despite the picture of him at a typewriter on page one i'm not convinced and it its "edited" by Edward J Mallory.

    Second, anyone if this magazine is worth anything?
     
  2. Russell

    Russell Loyal Member Full Member

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    Disturbing pictures? :):)
     
  3. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    Yeah.

    Drawings of "ideal stance" and stuff like that, it basically looks like a lego man gone spastic.
     
  4. cross_trainer

    cross_trainer Liston was good, but no "Tire Iron" Jones Full Member

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    Does it contain any glaring technical flaws by modern standards?
     
  5. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    :lol:

    Not so far.


    NICE avatar.
     
  6. Icemmann

    Icemmann Breakin it down. Full Member

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    Does it show one of the stick men getting hit and doing a funky dance?
     
  7. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    No...

    But I don't know it so well. I'm sort of scared to touch it.
     
  8. cross_trainer

    cross_trainer Liston was good, but no "Tire Iron" Jones Full Member

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    :yep

    Given to me by Decebal's writing competition.

    Tell me how the reading goes. Perhaps you could show a copy to Amsterdam and the other (reasonable) pro-moderns.
     
  9. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    Here's what Joe has to say about the Left Hook.

    The left hook is one of the most difficult blows to learn and use properly. The hook is used as a countering blow, and sometimes a finishing blow. The shorter this blow the better the effect. The hook is used best against a left jab or straight right as a counter. From the proper stance (there's a big section on proper stances earlier in the manual), and leaving your arm in that position, turn your body to the right, shifting your weight to the right leg and throw the left arm in an arc to the opponent's head. Make sure to hit hit through the mark, no t just at it, with you knuckles up at impact of blow. Practicising the left hook will give you co-ordination of the body weight and the arm power which brings about a snap in the blow, and gives more force.

    It must be said at this time that the left jab and left hook can readily be most effectivley combined...