Just bought 'Ring of Hate' the other day, dealing with the Joe Louis and Max Schmeling rivalry. While so far I haven't really learned anything new, it is a good refresher of the time when Louis was champ and the period in general. One can't help but feel sympathy for Schmeling, by all accounts a good man, as he was used as a Nazi propaganda tool by the Nazi party. He was caught between a rock and a hard place. I'm about halfway through and it's worth checking out, even if one is familiar with both fighters and that era of boxing.
Sounds like a solid read bud. Let me know how it goes. I'm starting The Devil And Sonny Liston soon. Haven't read it yet.
Reading Gilbert Odd's book on Fitzsimmons and Nick Tosche's The Devil and Sonny Liston. After those two I have three more Fitzsimmons books on deck.
I have just begun to read "The Way to Live" by George Hackenschmidt. The author was not only a great athlete and champion of professional Wrestling, but also a cultured and modest man. A good motivation - regardless which sport you are practising.
I've just read books about Ezzard Charles and Jerry Quarry which were brilliant, one on George Chuvalo and his excuses for losing, which nevertheless was good and one on Jonny Nelson which wasn't. Next up will be one Sonny Liston, but which one ??