Best Boxing Books

[bfg]

I read Ring religiously and have read Black Lights by Thomas Hauser , the Dark Trade, Nigel Benn's biography, and currently working though Plimpton's Shadow Boxing. Wondering if anyone had any suggestions for a good read. I know Hauser has written quite a bit and I will pick up the rest of his books at some point but I expect some books can be a bit bad. Suggestions will go on my reading list so hopefully there is a big response.

[JUYJUY]

KO ****zine (was better than The Ring IMO)




War, Baby

[bfg]

Is that the same KO ****zine that is distributed by the same people that distribute Ring? Thanks for the War, Baby recommendation, I'll pick it up.

[JUYJUY]

Is that the same KO ****zine that is distributed by the same people that distribute Ring?

Yeah but better writers and editors etc IMO.

[bfg]

Hmm...I will check it out next time I am at the bookstore...Looks like War, Baby is a Brit title and not easily found here in the US. Luckily I will be in London next week so I'll pick it up while over there...It'll give me something to read on the 9 hour flight.

[jabsRstiff]

"Rope Burns", by F.X. Toole. A great read.

"Million Dollar Baby" is one of the short stories in the book. In my opinion, though it was an excellent story, it was not the best in the book. That tells you how good it is....

[Yogi]

I've read a bunch of boxing books over the years, so here's some of my personal favourites;

"In This Corner" - Peter Heller

"Saga of the Fist" - John Grombach

"The Ultimate Enclyclopedia of Boxing" - Harry Mullan

"Only The Ring Was Square" - Teddy Brenner

"100 Greatest Boxers" - Burt Sugar

"Raging Bull" - Jake LaMotta

"Fighting Fisherman" - Yvon Durelle

"I Only Talk Winning" - Angelo Dundee

"Shadow Box" - George Plimpton

"Papa Jack: Jack Johnson And The Era Of White Hopes" - Randy Roberts

"Rocky Marciano: Biography Of A First Son" - Everett Skeehan

That's only a few that I can recall off-hand, but I've also read some very good bios on Joe Louis, Floyd Patterson, Henry Cooper, Barry McGuigan (I think it was called, "Leave the Fighting to McGuigan"), Sugar Ray Robinson, etc., but I can't recall the names or authors right at this moment.

Just a few that I can recommend.

[Rockin']

The best book on boxing I have found is called Beyond the Ring. I have read all that I could find and this is the best book by far.

I would like to say that Plimptons book, Shadow box, was rather ordinary and bland to me. To claim to know boxing, from a fighters point of view by stepping in with a champion who took it easy on him is rediculous to me.

Also, the book Joyce Carol Oates on boxing was weak with very little insight at all.

Rockin'

[Yogi]

Oates' book was a huge disappointment to me because I had heard so many good things about it before I actually read it. Rockin is right in saying it didn't offer much insight and it was also filled with it's fair share of inaccurate statements, as well. Plus when I read the book it seemed to me that I was almost reading a romance novel or something with the way Oates wrote it.

Like Rockin, it's not one I'd recommend for good boxing stories or info.

[ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY]

I am being very honest... in terms of a boxing book FOR THE FANS... MY book wil eclipse every single one on that list. I have stuff in my book that u can't get anywhere else.

ICE