Boxing Books

the only thing i knows that lewis is more than all boxers ever because he was noncomparable in any ways atall.we all can imagine it that those loosed he had was underrated opponet which's clear to everyones in the whole world.
My adivise to mr Lewis is that shld not allow any one to cause enemity betwen he and Our Mnager (Mr Ogun)and not to disorganised his team ok.
I'm from Ghana and love to be seen him fight always i had been in his Fans since 1992 and love him naturally.
that's all for now Regards Alpha Atibay

This book was a great picture book. Lennox is a sexy, sensitive, and loving man.

I've always liked Lennox Lewis, the man is intelligent & always carries himself with class. And lets not forget how great a boxer he was. This is a nice item to own if you're into Lennox, this girl I was with knew this & bought it as a birthday or christmas present for me (I forget which one), and I was very pleased. Its a hefty piece, a coffee table dweller all in black & white and which basically takes you through the 1999-2001 period with a selection of pictures and interviews.

The book itself is large and nice looking. The photography is more of an artistic nature than run-of-the-mill sports coverage. There are some awesome action shots of Lennox at work versus Evander Holyfield, Michael Grant, and Frans Botha, but far more of Lennox in his past times, playing ball & chess, hangin' in Jamaica and some great material of him in Africa. the girl who follows his camp around and provides the words has a nice style of her own and asks Lennox some interesting stuff. Lennox clowns around a bit & we finally get a glimpse of his real character.

I can't criticise this book, although I did wonder why there were no shots of Lennoxs convincing points win over David Tua from 2000? (A GREAT performance) And bigger & better shots of Lennoxs crushing revenge kayo of Hasim Rachman woulda been cool, and if he'd have waited around a few months longer before realeasing this book we could even had some shots of him waxing Tyson. However all in all this really isn't the overall vibe of the book. The book is a journey through a period of time with the Lewis camp & represented with awesome photography work. Overall a very attractive and lovingly created work & a real nice companion for any fan of Lennox Lewis.

I was very pleased with this purchase and I highly recommend this book to ALL fans of Lennox Lewis. You cannot be disappointed. The photographer, Blaise Hart intelligently and poetically captures various scenes of Lewis's life with the passion of a Rembrandt or Gauguin painting. The compilation of black and white photos not only illuminates and magnifies the intensity of Lennox Lewis's brilliance and presence in the boxing ring but also reveals the sensitivity, charisma and spiritual strength of a man who irrefutably has earned the title of legend and hero. He is a Renaissance man and the quintessential, modern "knight in shining armor." He exudes athletic skill, prowess and power but has the corruscating wit and intellect of a consummate gentleman - a rare breed indeed. He commands respect and is the epitome of velvet-covered steel. I also own "Lennox Lewis - the Autobiography of the WBC Heavyweight Champion of the World with Joe Steeples" which I also highly recommend to ALL Lennox Lewis fans because it provides an even more in-depth, detailed account of his heritage, his childhood and the influential forces which led him into the arena of boxing which would be of interest to any true fan. This book, however should not be overlooked and ignored. If the stunning photos of Lennox Lewis in the ring during heavyweight bouts do not impress you then you will be relieved to discover the photos of Lewis at ease in rural Africa, deliberating in solitude and playing chess which you will be sure to appreciate immensely as I did. You will also read insightful interviews with Lennox Lewis scattered between the presentation of photos which are not only candid but very entertaining. Do not pass this book up. You will regret it if you do. Then again - ignorance is bliss but thank God I chose to not be ignorant here! Lennox Lewis is truly an inspiration to us all.

i was very pleased with this book! i read it in one sitting. the pictures captured both the down to earth and gentle side of this fine gentleman. the only reservation i have is that the book didn't delve deep enough into his personal life. it seems that the author painstakingly avoided it. but the pictures somehow compensated for this. i would recommend this book to any and all who are admirers(most of them female, probably) of this incredible man. you won't be disappointed!

Sports Illustrated designated "The Sweet Science" the best book about sports ever written in the Western World and I agree with that assessment. Author Abbott Joseph Liebling was as fine a writer as American journalism ever produced and his favorite subject was "The Sweet Science" of prizefighting in its golden era. Liebling wrote for The New Yorker (not known for its sports coverage) and he renders the boxing world (including its characters, cynicism and lingo-ese) with clarity and uncommmon eloquence. Liebling gives you such "broken" (financially from hunger) fighters as Rocky Marciano, technicians such as Archie Moore and aggressive aces such as Jake LaMotta and Sonny Liston in as vivid terms as possible. He doesn't shrink from his task, either. He relates his blow-by-blow reports with the uncannny knack of one who knows the sharp consequences of a faulty defense. He's amazing, Liebling is, and his "Sweet Science" is the epitome of graceful sportswriting in a bluntly articulate age. I can't think of a more rewarding book for any sports fan. Liebling is a wonder. He was a counterpuncher. Every time you let down your guard he surprises you with a shot to the ribcage.

If you like boxing and reading, then you are truly a rara avis. But if you do happen to belong to such a tiny cohort, then this book should provide a couple hours' entertainment.

Liebling tries too hard to emulate H.L. Mencken's style, and he doesn't have the chops for it...but, at the same time, he knows how to describe the action inside the ring. (Not as well as Jack London, but well enough.) At all times, you sense the depth of his love for boxing.

Another reason to recommend this book is that Joyce Carol Oates thinks Liebling was a racist. (I know, I know...who the hell is Joyce Carol Oates?) If you read the book, you'll discover that he wasn't...and a few more things besides.

The late,great Floyd Patterson,who became the first heavyweight to regain the title after losing it,is as good a reason as any to name a book about boxing,'The Sweet Science'.In this particular case,'A.J. Liebling's masterpiece about boxing(mostly
in the fifties)was voted the best sports book ever, by Sports Illustrated.The incredibly colorful characters Liebling focuses on would be hard to beat by any writer in any field,even if he may not have gotten all of it right.For example,he seems to actually get along with Rocky Marciano's manager,Al Weill,even though evidence elsewhere suggests that Rocky may have retired to get away from him.And I think he resorted to cliche in describing Irish Billy Graham as as "good as a fighter can be without being a hell of a fighter"(p.250);Graham is a Hall of Famer who was robbed in a welterweight title fight against Kid Gavilan-and my (Jewish) uncle idolized him.But Liebling,who wrote on "serious subjects" for 'The New Yorker'and was an award winning war reporter, attended the first fight ever held in Yankee Stadium in 1923-and remained optimistic about the future through the lens of boxing,concludes,"I reflected with satisfaction that old Ahab(Archie)Moore could have whipped all four principals on that card within 15 rounds,and that while (Jack)Dempsey may have been a great champion,he had less to beat than Marciano.I felt the satisfaction because it proved that the world isn't going backward,if you can just stay young enough to remember what it was rewally like when you were really young."

I've been searching for this book for years. I'm from Brockton, MA and I certainly appreciate great boxing prose. The new intro really adds nothing to the book and Mr.Anasi even gets Ezzard Charles' name wrong--calls him "Ezra" in the intro--which also indicates poor editing. Leibling gives you the total world of a great fight--not just whats going on in the ring but the world surrounding the fight. Very real, often funny, thoroughly engaging. I want to read more of his stuff.

When asked which is the best book on boxing ever written, anyone with any inclination towards the literary side of The Manly Art will instinctively site Liebling's classic collection of essays written in the early '50s collected in this volume. On the evidence here, I cannot dispute the consensus. Liebling gives you not a history or a list of profiles of boxers but an entire world and a culture. He captures the feel of going to a boxing match in the early '50s, the crowds, the managers, the trainers and assorted characters. The best thing you can say about a piece of literature is that it places you in the action, you can physically feel that you are there and present. I have read no other book on Boxing that accurately captures this the way Liebling does in The Sweet Science. He's also an accomplished and erudite writer, a highly cultured man who brings that cultural sensitvity to something often considered, by those ignorant of these things, to be base and low-brow.

The fighters themselves - Marciano, Moore, Sadler, Robinson, Patterson, Farr - come across less as legends and more as contemporary sportsmen. It seems incredible to me that once upon a time you could just buy a ticket and stroll into the Marciano-Moore fight! For me, that fight and many others was the stuff of mythology and yet Liebling succeeds in making it real and tangible.

Final note: anyone who after reading this feels an uncontrollable lust to acquire Pierce Egan's Boxiana volumes will be enthralled to know that there is a company in Canada, Nicol Island Publishing, who have published at least three of the total of five volumes. Unfortunately, Amazon does not seem to sell any of them.

Just a great book about an uncrowned champion who deserved the title and the fame that went with it.

Clay Moyle's book is just brilliant, filled with rare photgraphs and stories. Very readable and he doesn't get bogged down with the intricacies of the fights which can get boring.

I hope he writes more books like this one, would LOVE to see a book on Sam McVea and Joe Jeannette written!

Clay Moyle has written a wonderful new biography that is a well-researched and detailed legacy on the life of Sam Langford. It was certainly worth waiting for and is now a prized addition to my library.

James Louis Bacon

Thoroughly researched and well paced biography. Includes lots of rare and interesting photographs of Langford and his principal opponents.

A highly recommended 8 out of 10.

Clay Moyle's book is a superb example of a what a boxing biography should be like. Providing many hitherto unpublished - if not unknown - facts about the life and career of the 'Boston Tar Baby' and many of his opponents (for example, we are told Langford's middle name for the first time and we are informed as to what became of boxer Danny Duane, who easily defeated both the young Langford and the highly-skilled Jack Blackburn, yet gave up what would seem to have been a very promising boxing career), the author sprinkles his book with many interesting, oftentimes funny, anecdotes about his subject. Of course, the best aspects of this book for boxing fans are Moyle's descriptions of Langford's boxing style and abilities (including accounts of when and against whom he started to utilize certain tactics and techniques); his accounts of Langford's major bouts - sometimes seemingly providing a 'blow-by-blow' description of the action; the many cited opinions of Langford's opponents and other boxing experts as to his strengths and weaknesses, as well as where he stands among boxing's greats; and, of course, the many fine photographs of the great man and his peers, many of which have never been published before. My only real complaint about this book is that the author did not provide a better 'running account' of Langford's gradual weight gain (i.e. providing his official weigh-in weights for his bouts) so that the reader would have a better idea as to when and against whom he rose from a lightweight to a welterweight to ... a heavyweight (I would have even settled for his weight and that of his opponents being included in his 'Professional Record', which Moyle provides at the back of the book). But that's a small quibble given how great this bio is. I only hope that the upcoming biographies of Joe Gans and Harry Greb are even 80% as good as this one.

At last, a boxing historian rather than a journalist/writer, has delved into newspaper archives, books and magazines to create, after much cross-checking and meticulous research, an in-depth biography of one of the sport's greatest performers. Not only is its content invaluable, the quality of illustrations and text is a credit to the author and the publisher

March 19, 2004
I was trained to hit a Speedbag by my ex- Father-in- Law Raliegh Martin, when I was in my twenties. He also taught me street stuff he had picked up through life. Very different to the Taekwondo and wrestling I had previously studied. He began boxing at twelve years of age and boxed eleven years in the Navy, and he also learned Navy Jujitsu. My Ex-Father-In-Law used to take nitroglicerin pills after we worked out, but when his daughter and her mother would go to town we always forgot about any health problems or pain. He was disappointed when his daughter decided it was too much of a strain on his heart. He told me that his brother George was more skilled than he was, but that they both could hit a speedbag fast years prior. Well, that was years before I knew him. I have seldom seen anything close to what Alan Kahn shows you in his videos. The book breaks down the details of what you see in the videos. Your hands will know what to do when you include the speedbag in your workout, and you will know a real confidence!
Train hard and have fun!
Guro Dennis Servaes

The speedbag has always been the most technically baffling devices for boxing for me. I could never figure out how to hit the bag, the timing, and how to control it. But after reading this book, I have alot more confidence in my speedbag training. Alan definitely breaks down the do's and dont's to speedbag training right down from equipment to proper punching technique. He gives little tips on the advantages/disadvantes of wall speedbag platforms and freestanding platforms, s-hook/chain link swivels, speedbag covers, etc. He also deals quite a bit on proper safety and common injuries associated with speed bag training. Definitely answers alot of questions for those wanting to buy their first speedbag set. In his techniques section, he goes over all the basic punch/elbow combinations, their rhythms, and how to flow from one technique to the next. Let me tell you, the first four chapters deal mostly with basics but the later chapters are filled with different punch combinations that everyone from beginner to advanced people will be challenged. And he really does create an interesting technique of blending music like reading to his speedbag sets. At first it might seem daunting, but if you really do spend time in his techniques section, which he recommends, you'll be able to read and follow his routines like second nature. Near the end of his book, he'll also include some applications for the martial artist as well as setups on different workout devices like a stationary bike to include speedbag training. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it as a must buy for the basic boxing fan to the regular fitness enthusiast.

I bought the book and the DVD and I am thoroughly impressed with the level of detail Alan goes to in both. Anyone who has seen a demo of Alan hitting the speed bag knows he is exceptional at this skill, but what became clear to me after reading the book and watching the DVD is that he is equally skilled at teaching novices how to master the techniques and nuances of the speed bag.

I would recommend that you buy both book and DVD, as they support one another quite effectively. Watching the DVD took the mystery out of several techniques that I had been struggling with for a long time. I can honestly say that after watching the DVD once, my skill level at a couple of the more difficult techniques improved greatly.

One of the best benefits of buying this training course is that you can ask Alan questions on a forum he set up specifically for speed bag enthusiasts;

speedbagforum.com

Alan and others will answer all of your questions and I learned a lot simply by reading the older threads that contained many of the same questions or discussed some of the same problems I was having.

I think the combination of the book, DVD and the coaching you can get on the forum is superb and I commend all three to anyone who desires to become a highly skilled user of the speed bag.

Semper Fi,
Mike

I was trained to hit a Speedbag by my ex- Father-in- Law Raliegh Martin, when I was in my twenties. He also taught me street stuff he had picked up through life. Very different to the Taekwondo and wrestling I had previously studied. He began boxing at twelve years of age and boxed eleven years in the Navy, and he also learned Navy Jujitsu. My Ex-Father-In-Law used to take nitroglicerin pills after we worked out, but when his daughter and her mother would go to town we always forgot about any health problems or pain. He was disappointed when his daughter decided it was too much of a strain on his heart. He told me that his brother George was more skilled than he was, but that they both could hit a speedbag fast years prior. Well, that was years before I knew him. I have seldom seen anything close to what Alan Kahn shows you in his videos. The book breaks down the details of what you see in the videos. Your hands will know what to do when you include the speedbag in your workout, and you will know a real confidence!
Train hard and have fun!
Guro Dennis Servaes

I read the book and bought the video, the video is very effective at demonstrating the various techniques, but I couldn't take the video to the gym, so I used the book at the gym and studied the video at home. I recommend the video

A champion among champions. One of the greatest of all time tells you his story - he is a fighter, not a writer. Don't expect pretty prose, expect a deep, moving look into the life of Sugar Ray Robinson.

To talk about the grandness of Sugar Ray Robinson may seem a commonplace, but in the annals of the boxing there has not been such kind of boxer who has displayed such style, refinement, effectiveness and elegance. 109 KO along his life and the fact to have recovered four times the World championship have become a true myth in this sport.

it is what it is. you get Sugar Ray's story right from the man himself. its concise and thorough and entertaining and inspirational

Sugar Ray - 3.75 Stars

I wanted to love this book. I wanted to love Sugar Ray - he was Ali's hero and in a lot of circles he is considered pound for pound the greatest boxer of all time!

I wanted to love this book and Sugar Ray - but unfortunately I didn't.

I almost feel like I'm committing some sort of sacrilege here - and I'm sad to say - I found Sugar Ray Robinson somewhat unlikable.

The story is a great story - a very poor family's struggle and their support and love for each other - Sugar Ray's discovery of boxing and his rise to fame and fortune and the phenomenal and heart breaking comeback and the sad decline in the end. His story really is very interesting, but the book doesn't capture it. It doesn't capture the Sugar Ray magic and I felt that Sugar Ray wasn't 100% honest - he and the book were truthful, but I felt that there was something missing - that he wasn't completely honest.

Sugar Ray Robinson was One Of THe Greatest Fighters Ever.Very Uplifting of How He Overcame SO Much.He was a Great Warrior Inside of The Ring.Muhammad Ali called Him The Greatest.A Must Have.

Read about two thirds of this book - 114 out of 166 pages.

I don't recommend this for the Ali fan looking for the Zen of Muhammad Ali

The book is divided into 3 sections.

Part One - Ali
Part Two - Zen Fisticuffs
Part Three - Personal Battles

In part one - a story titled My Dinner With Ali - is one of the greatest Ali stories I've ever read - this story is also in The Muhammad Ali Reader (by the way - THE BEST book about Muhammad Ali - if you're an Ali fan and don't have it - GET IT) - anyway - this story is such a great and heart warming story about the Champ - you feel like you're right there with them. It's truly inspired writing and a must read for any Ali fan and for anyone who has an idol or hero from any walk of life...it's just fantastic.

Part One is about Ali. Part Two is about Sugar Ray Leonard ( 2 articles) and Bruce Lee (1 article)- the Sugar Ray stories are good and the Lee story is interesting and sobering.

I didn't read Part Three as they are fictional stories.

My intent on getting this book was to read about Muhammad Ali - get more of Miller's perspective - as I've read a story of his before and wanted more of that.

The title and cover are a bit misleading in that it doesn't represent the whole book.

I really enjoyed the first 2 sections, but again - this wasn't what I was looking.

The four Ali stories are the most intimate I've read about any celebrity. They possess a seemingly timeless beauty. The ones about Davis Miller's own life are sad and lovely and we feel ourselves inside his life. A wonderful, highly recommended read.

Keen to find out a little about boxing, I bought `The Zen of Muhammad Ali' by Davis Miller on a whim and was pleasantly surprised on a number of levels.

Davis Miller's enthusiasm for his subject is contagious - He's followed/studied Muhammad Ali with an adoring, but objective eye since 11 years of age.

Also (and this can sometimes be rare in this genre) Davis Miller can really write! It's truly wonderful, even as a part-time, half-arsed martial artist, to come cross an author who can write in a beautiful, concise and honest way about this stuff we spend so much of our time (and money) doing. Using Sugar Ray Leonard as an example, the chapter `Rapture' adroitly plumbs the depths of what motivates people to study boxing (and other martial arts).

The book is subtitled `and other obsessions' - These obsessions include an informative chapter on Bruce Lee, a short story entitled `American Video', and a beautiful chapter called `Ellen's, December 1971'. Read it and weep.

This is well crafted, sensitive writing with a distinctly American flavour - Good Americana of the Jack Kerouac/Norman Mailer/Steely Dan variety as opposed to the other rubbish that is trotted out daily to us in `The Rest of The Free World'.

Worth a read.

This book is a collection of Davis Miller's best essays ranging from boxing legends Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard, martial arts king Bruce Lee right through to his own moving stories, some fiction and some more personal experiences of his life. An example is Ellen, which is a very moving story and is written with so much emotion.

The Ali articles are my faves - they are all excellent pieces of work. The 'Zen' word is a most appropriate title for this book as a lot is written about legendary boxers and why they do what they do and why many carry on for far too long - they live for that moment to moment excitement which they cannot seem to find no where else. To them, it's like they're living in a different space of time, a different world when they are in that ring. Zen has no real truth, it is just living moment to moment, being natural which is something which cannot be put down. This has to be experienced and Miller expresses these experiences with very well thought out words and fascinating insight.

What i like most about this book is the articles on Muhammad Ali (4) and the one on Bruce Lee. It seems that Muhammad Ali's people are doing exactly the same as what happens to other many great world idols, they are bullying and exploiting the fans for their own greed and saint like image agendas. Miller writes wonderfully about all of this in his new essay on Ali, 'The Ying & Yang of Ali'. He also writes about my first boxing idol when i was very young, Sugar Ray Leonard which for me is very interesting and enjoyeable to read. Ray was influened a lot by Bruce Lee which is revealed in Miller's excellent book. I give this book top marks. I hope it reaches a much larger audience as it certainly deserves to be.

Buy Zen of Muhammed Ali, and all of Davis Miller's other books! They are amongst the most important pieces of literature to have been published in the last 100 years! Simply mind blowing. And incredibly fun.

This is an outstanding biography about arguably, one of the best boxers to ever walk the planet. Author Christian Giudice did his homework and presents an amazing story of the mythical character, the legendary persona and ultimately, the man, Roberto Duran who held championship titles in four different weight classes. The book includes many black and white photographs taken from different periods in his career as well as rare family photos. Included are the classic match ups featuring him and his foes in action and some just mugging for the camera. Let me say, right away, that I was a big Roberto Duran fan. This book appeals on many fronts though even if I was just a casual boxing fan. Having seen him box in person(Leonard vs.Duran III)and followed his career it was a walk down memory lane but with new insights into the ins and outs of the fights. I was pleased to find out that the infamous "no mas" is probably nothing more than a sound bite taken out of cotext. The full sentence reveals that he didn't want to fight with the clown Leonard anymore, (hence the "no mas"). At the time I thought that he was just frustrated and didn't want to chase him around anymore;in other words, he felt like fight or go to dancing with the stars. There was also more to this story, cocerning his health, his diet and his preparation that shined more light on what was a confusing situation. It seems Duran was never one to shy away from controversy. He lived extravagantly between fights, balloned in weight and fought some of the best world class fighters and some real bums. Waht cannot be denied was his ability and his charisma, especially amongst the Latino community. The book begins with his early years, his trials and tribulations. The poverty rags to riches story is detailed, the colorful characters that influenced him,as well as his protagonists and allies in his rise to fame and fortune. He was flamboyant to the max, he wrestled with a pet lion, knocked out a horse with a punch in his youth(supposedly) and was a womanizer. In spite of all his shortcomings he rose to top of the boxing world and won titles in numerous weight classes. There will probably never be another Roberto Duran. In this book it is all told, the good and the bad. If you were a boxing fan during the eighties you gotta have this book. If you're new to boxing check him out on classic fights. He was an amazing boxer who was vicious yet loveable. If it sounds like I have or had a man crush on Duran, you're probably right. I loved the man, he was the ultimate macho boxer. Highly recommended for all boxing aficionados.

My sons and I have had the honor of meeting Mr. Duran in person, in Prescott AZ and he is truly a legend inside and outside the ring. His kindness to my sons, who are amature boxers themselves, is without words. I remember as a young boy seeing him fight and any man who stood toe to toe with him was in for a short night. The book gives the reader the insight of a man who transended boxing, who cared for all the men he faced in the ring and never forgot where he came from. He was fearless in the ring yet wrongly protraded as a villian, his story is a must read and I feel privilaged to say that I have met the hands of stone!!

IF you wnat to know learn about a great Boxer this is for you!

Teachers of fiction often make the point that contradiction makes for colorful, rich characters. Christian Giudice's biography of Panamanian boxing champion Roberto Duran in Hands of Stone certainly validates this claim in the realm of reality too. Duran won world titles in four different weight divisions and fought in five decades with a record of 104 wins in 120 fights and 69 knockouts. He is regarded by almost all boxing writers and insiders as one of boxing's all-time great champions. But Duran is still best remembered for his "no mas" welterweight title rematch with Sugar Ray Leonard in the New Orleans Superdome in November, 1980, when he quit at the end of the eighth round. The boxing world has since tried to make sense of Duran's smoldering macho persona, juxtaposed with the unthinkable act of quitting in the middle of a championship fight.

To Giudice's credit, he doesn't over-psychologize, and lets those closest to Duran and the fight itself do the explaining. In fact, Giudice lays out his motivation to write the book in a thoughtful introduction - the book evolved as a matter of his own personal pursuit to answer the question of how and why "no mas" happened. What follows is the biography of a man who is not so much complex as he is certainly contradictory.

Duran's early days are fascinating. From relatives with colorful classical Greek family names like Socrates (an uncle who had uncommon punching power) and Alcibiades (Duran's younger brother whose tragic death he claims his mother never got over), to stories about his early Dickensian street-mentor Chaflan, and the three different versions of his reputed knockout of a horse at the age of sixteen, Duran's early days in the slums of Chorrillo in Panama City make for great reading. Indeed, Giudice's biography is foremost a book for rabid fight fans who revel in boxing's rich trove of gritty stories about survival in and out of the ring.

Giudice describes how enigmatic international businessman Carlos Eleta, from whose property Duran used to steal coconuts, saw Duran fight and became his financial backer. Duran ultimately ascended to the lightweight championship by defeating Scotsman Kenny Buchanan in 1972, despite a controversial foul by Duran. By the beginning of 1980, only Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard had more boxing star-power in terms of persona and charisma - Duran's snarling coal-eyed machismo was unparalleled. With a record of 72-1, he had mopped up the lightweight division and was a tremendous crowd pleaser, staging fierce and unprecedented training sessions with rope-skipping artistry and powerful hitting and had unsurpassed killer instinct in the ring.

Giudice then tells of Duran's greatest triumph, a masterful fifteen round unanimous decision over former Olympic superstar and undefeated welterweight champion Sugar Ray Leonard in their bout in June, 1980, in Montreal. Following this are the details of the infamous "no mas" rematch with Leonard in November of the same year in the New Orleans Superdome, and, finally, his path to redemption in the latter half of his career where he fought brutal battles with some of boxing toughest warriors, including Wilfredo Benitez, Carlos Palomino, Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, Pipino Cuevas and Iran Barkley.

"No mas?" Guidice lets boxing writers, other fighters, boxing trainers reactions to and/or explanations of Duran's "no mas" debacle. The list includes, among others, boxing trainers Manny Steward, Angie Dundee, Ray Arcel and Freddie Brown; writers Budd Schulberg and Bert Sugar; boxers Jose Torres and Carlos Palomino and Sugar Ray himself and many others. Duran, while never hurt during the fight, was clearly being humiliated by Leonard, who had changed his "stand-and fight" tactics from the first fight, having admitted that Duran's insults to him and his family got to him mentally. Duran's drinking, eating and conqueror's victory parties went on for weeks after the first fight and he had ballooned to at least forty pounds, maybe more, over the welterweight limit. Leonard, after serious soul-searching about losing the first fight, stayed focused and trained hard, believing, unlike almost everyone in his own training camp, that he could defeat Duran in a rematch. Duran, nowhere near the shape he was in for their Montreal brawl, had to lose twenty pounds in the last two weeks before the fight to meet weight. Unable to cut off the ring on the skillfully adept and supremely conditioned Leonard who would stick and move, Duran became more and more frustrated. Worse still, Leonard began to taunt Duran, stuck his head out, wound his right hand around like a pinwheel, and then snapped a jab in Duran's face. An impulsive act of abject frustration and most likely self-acknowledgment that he couldn't win and with the possibility of being knocked out by his hated rival, Duran said to referee Octavio Meyran in Spanish, "I'm not going to fight this clown anymore." The ref, not comprehending that Duran was actually quitting, allowed the fight to continue. When the ref signaled the two fighters to continue after Duran had turned his back, Duran, according to the referee, then uttered "no mas." Leonard, at first confused, then realizing Duran had quit, celebrated. When American broadcaster Howard Cosell, who was announcing the fight, heard only "no mas," these two words were forever engraved into the lexicon of Duran's legacy.

There were claims by Duran and others of stomach cramps as the reason for Duran's quitting. Panamanian journalist Juan Carlos Tapia commented: "He was simply not prepared for the fight. Leonard was beating him bad and Duran said that nobody will knock me out." According to Giudice, Duran seemed in denial of the gravity of his quitting, celebrating with friends and Panamanian military groupies that night. He didn't return to Panama for several weeks but on returning, he found his national hero's status suddenly turned to national scorn with his fans throwing rocks at his home and defacing his mural on Avenida Balboa in Panama City. Duran, who thrived on his connection to the people of Panama, went into a huge depression before he soldiered on for twenty more years in the fight game, not retiring until 2002.

Giudice describes Duran outside the ring as a man who genuinely loved his family and friends, salsa music, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, and a good time, just as he loved a good fight. A man of great courage and self-discipline, he could also let himself go to excess eating, drinking, partying with friends and women late into the night. His wife, Felicidad, and his soulful identification with the people of Panama were the constants in his life. Though he made and lost millions, Duran, according to Giudice, never forgot his roots in the slums of Chorrillo. And, in a strange twist of irony, the U.S. military was responsible for destroying his old neighborhood as result of a fire caused in the 1989 military operation to depose Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega.

Giudice's writing reveals his own affection for the people of Panama, the tough characters in the boxing world and Duran himself. I was frustrated for lack of an index, and imagine other readers would be too, particularly since this biography will appeal foremost to ardent boxing fans who love insider's trivia. For those aficionados, however, Giudice has presented the first comprehensive biography in English of one of boxing's and the sports world's most dynamic figures as well as pulled together the most comprehensive commentaries by authorities regarding Duran's "no mas" fight. There are other great tidbits including Panama's colorful boxing history, intrigue surrounding Carlos Eleta's role in the United States, Panamanian politics surrounding the 1989 invasion, and much more. For all of Giudice's exhaustive research, interviews, anecdotes and information, I found his first chapter and the latter part of the last chapter the most compelling. Like many who are enamored of and write about the world of boxing, the collision of realism with the Cervanteseque romantic in the author is ever present throughout the biography. He writes in the latter part of the last chapter about Roberto Duran today:

Roberto Duran's hands are soft, fleshy maps of a life of fighting in streets and rings. His knuckles are ghastly bumps, narratives of the men who confronted him. The man- father fiend and son - has lived in extremes. He has stood with presidents dined with world figures, danced with goddesses, defeated poverty, partied with celebrities, sipped the worlds best champagne, driven expensive cars. Draped himself in rare jewelry, and brawled and bested the world's toughest men. He thrived among crowds. When his people turned away, he turned inward; when the world called out, he soaked in its luxuries, still hear its additive call. All fighters do. As his skills reflexes and skills slowly left him he tilted at ghosts that no longer existed.

We impose narrative on events to make sense, often elevating single moments as "defining," as the words "no mas" have become indelibly identified with Duran. Giudice's biography challenges the reader to say "no mas" to "no mas" and "mas" to allowing icons to become once again the contradictory flesh-and-blood human beings we all are.

This book is riveting, especially if you are big fan of Roberto Duran like I was growing up. The author does a great job in filling in all the details of Duran's childhood and entire boxing career. From fight to fight, you feel that you are actually inside the trainning camp with Duran while he prepares for his next big fight! - you really get a sense of the true Duran, the boxing world and the business of the sport. If you love boxing like I do and Roberto Duran - you will not be able to put this book down.

Jack Johnson remains perhaps the most controversial athlete in American professional sports. And for that, it has been the constant rewriting of his life by his critics and/or racists.

His autobiography, published in 1927 when he was approaching his 50th birthday, should dispell the myths surrounding the greatest heavyweight champion ever. But more than his ring exploits, Johnson truly believed in a world without labels, a world where a celebrity can truly make a difference in people's lives and a world where dreams can truly be sought after and achieved.

He has pointed comments concerning critics who never gave a balanced account of his life and has a lengthy account on the fix he claims was arranged for him to lose the heavyweight title to Jess Willard. A chapter on physical fitness is timely today and demonstrates how Johnson was setting new standards on working out for his sport and general fitness.

You may have viewed the PBS special and read the recent biography on his life, but nothing beats reading Johnson in his own words. Johnson was truly a champion for honest play inside the ring and - most importantly - in the game of life.

Jack Johnson was the first African American Heavyweight Boxing Champion of the World. He became the heavyweight champion in 1908 when African Americans were exploited by Racism in a close-minded White America where hundreds of African Americans were murdered without trial by white mobs of hatred.

With this context of hatred, Jack Johnson, matter of factly talks about his life during this troublesome time in American history as if it were a minor annoyance. In over 250 pages, he discusses his childhood and boxing career. He also speaks of the adventures in his life and anecdotes that all have an excitement, the kind that makes "Carpe Diem" seem like a non-event.

Bull Fighting in Spain; fleeing to Europe from a US government intent on exploiting the marvels of his success with grotesque technicalities of Laws biased against African Americans; storms through the rough ocean off of Mexico; encounters with wild Indian tribes; Russian spies prior the Bolshevik's revolution; somehow managing to win a poker game with 4 Aces when two others with 4 Queens and 4 Kings accused one another of cheating not realizing that they'd both been defeated.

Jack Johnson is the most underrated American Hero. To me, after reading his story, I felt no bitterness in his diction. I read no scars from all the hatred thrusted upon him. On the contrary, I read the voice of a man who probably would have lived to 200 years old had it not been for his tragic auto accident death when he was in his late 60s.

The book has amazing historical insight. He discusses the implication of the "Jazz Age" and how it affects family values. Oddly, today, the Jazz Age was when the family was still in tact. I thought Devil Worshipping Heavy Metal destroyed the family. No wait, wasn't it that rebellious punk rock music? No, wait, wasn't it that selfish "me-generaton" Disco? That evil Rock'n'Roll? No wait.... It's amazing how musical trends imply collapsing humanity. Still Johnson's insight was intellectually pragmatic and insightful.

The book is an amazing read when one considers that Jack Johnson had only a 5th Grade education. Yet we read of a man whose expressive skills excede those with Doctorate Degrees. Notice how I forgot to emphasize that he was a heavyweight boxer? When, fights were often 20, 30 rounds long? All those punches, yet his mind extremely sharp in his autobiography.

He's entertaining with much to say and with deep insight few autobiographies have.

If you find true individualists to be a source of inspiration, Jack Johnson's "In and Out of the Ring" is a must for your collection.

This autobiography is a much-needed corrective to playwright Howard Sackler's artistically over-licensed opus "The Great White Hope", dramatized on stage and in film in the late 1960's. As a self-portrait of a Black man living in a particular time and place, it is not only a record of Mr. Johnson's matchless skill as a boxer, but more importantly, it is a journey into an all-encompassing Black mind, an intellect as well as a striking physical specimen, who broke out a new mold for the image of the athelete as someone capable of possessing as much "brains" as they had "brawn." Johnson was so clearly head and shoulders above his peers and detractors that it is no wonder why he was hated and feared by many whites. When enough people of color have read this book, it is likely that Mr. Johnson may be put under the same sun that shines on the likes of Paul Robeson and Jackie Robinson: Black "Renaissance" men whose lives outside of their sport(s) have been obscured because of their insight, outspokeness, and general refusal to be limited by their "race." Don't let "Black History" month slip by without attempting to get onto, and into this priceless autobiography by a true "giant" of a man.

This book is a must read, not only for boxing fans seeking more information about the first black heavyweight champion, but also for students of American history and specifically race relations in the U.S. Johnson's writing is insightful, eloquent and scholarly. He refused to allow the abysmal prejudice of whites to deter him from his goals, and enjoyed his life to the fullest. He maintained his dignity and judgement despite the efforts to break him. His book shows him to be a man of immense intellect, who could have excelled in any field of his choice. His views on the pace of 'modern' life, diet, physical fitness and race relations are as relevant today as they were in 1927. This book was a great surprise to me as I picked it up as a boxing fan, but the scope of Jack Johnson as a man goes far beyond the squared circle. His life was epic and his words timeless. This is a book for all times, by a passionate, inspired and inspiring man.

This autobiography is a much-needed corrective to playwright Howard Sackler's artistically over-licensed opus "The Great White Hope", dramatized on stage and in film in the late 1960's. As a self-portrait of a Black man living in a particular time and place, it is not only a record of Mr. Johnson's matchless skill as a boxer, but more importantly, it is a journey into an all-encompassing Black mind, an intellect as well as a striking physical specimen, who broke out a new mold for the image of the athelete as someone capable of possessing as much "brains" as they had "brawn." Johnson was so clearly head and shoulders above his peers and detractors that it is no wonder why he was hated and feared by many whites. When enough people of color have read this book, it is likely that Mr. Johnson may be put under the same sun that shines on the likes of Paul Robeson and Jackie Robinson: Black "Renaissance" men whose lives outside of their sport(s) have been obscured because of their insight, outspokeness, and general refusal to be limited by their "race." Don't let "Black History" month slip by without attempting to get onto, and into this priceless autobiography by a true "giant" of a man.

Having written tales set in ancient Greece myself, I know how difficult it is to strike the proper feel, rhythm and tone of voice to attempt to re-create a world that is, on the one hand, vanished and, on the other, totally present and inhering in our modern, Western sphere. If you get too "ancient," you lose the reader. Go too contemporary and the piece feels fake. Eugene Kraay hits exactly the right note with this tale of Theagenes, the great Olympic boxer, as told by Simonides, the poet who wrote the famous epitaph for the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae. Theagenes is a tremendous character. Superhuman, larger than life, but deeply flawed, self-tormented, driven, even consumed, by inner imperatives of honor and redemption. This is very Greek (and very American) and "The Olympian" makes you feel it in your bones. It's a quest story. Theagenes starts out seeking one form of redemption, a bout with the great Spartan champion Lampis, and in the end finds another form that is unexpected, far deeper and rings absolutely true. I confess I was skeptical picking this book up because a friend had told me what its ambitions were. But it hooked me from the first page. I know Greece, the land and the sea, and "The Olympian" gets that right too. I felt as if I were reading an actual manuscript from those days that had somehow just been dug up from an archaeological dig. Eugene Kraay is a born storyteller. His tale zigs and zags and never loses a jot of momentum. He gets you "on the road" with his characters and you feel you're right there with them. The scenes at Olympia are tremendous sportswriting, if such a phrase can be applied. By the time the story reaches Thermopylae, to which Theagenes and Simonides have trekked because Lampis has gone there with his fellow Spartans to help defend the pass against Xerxes and the invading Persian multitudes, you are living every second with them. I won't spoil the ending. Suffice it to say, no one has ever hit Thermopylae from this angle and it is powerful, effecting and unforgettable. One final thought. There are many writers who can write a great sentence or a great paragraph or a great chapter, but very few can conceive a story from start to finish, make it unique, and have it hang together all the way through, so that when you've reached the climax, you can look back as a reader at everything that came before and see how nothing was superfluous and everything has borne you skillfully to the pleasure of the finish. Eugene Kraay does that with absolute ease and assurance in this, his first book. I can't wait to see what he'll do next!

Take note fans of historical fiction, the genre has a new star in E.S. Kraay. Novels with an historic focus, featuring actual figures from history present a great challenge for authors. Can the writer capture the flavors of the period without turning the story into a text book full of dry facts which overwhelm the story? A delicate balance must be struck to tell the tale and create the proper backdrop to honor the actual climate of the characters and their culture.

E.S. Kraay succeeds in this because he is an exceptional story teller. It is obvious that he is an outstanding historian, painting an extraordinary picture of ancient Hellas and its people. His descriptive and poetic passages bring to life the land and people of the story in all their glory as one of the ancient cultures responsible for founding modern western civilization.

Kraay's story is narrated by the Greek poet Simonides who continually weaves stories about honor and redemption throughout the entirety of the book. These tales succeed in establishing the setting of the story, the Olympic games and the battle of Thermopylae. Kraay's stories are exceptionally well told and very entertaining. I feel a good book should be easy to read because you are drawn into it and this novel kept the pages turning for me because I couldn't wait to see what would happen next.

In addition to telling a great story, this book uses events from ancient Hellas to deliver a message that still rings true to us today. There comes a time when many a person faces a challenge to seek personal glory or decide to make a sacrifice for the greater good of mankind. Honor and redemption are tools that build great civilizations. Pride and personal glory are weapons that can tear down a civilization. The Olympic champion Theagenes and the "300" Spartans demonstrate the power of choosing a hire cause than personal glory.

Our own culture in America is currently facing tough times and serious challenges. The fighting men and women of the US armed forces are facing these threats on a daily basis. While reading this book I was able to draw many conclusions about our own era and country. While this book is a tale of ancient Hellas, its message is one for all ages and this is the mark of an amazing storyteller.

E.S. Kraay is indeed a bard, historian and storyteller for the modern age. As a huge fan of historical fiction, I truly feel a new star has arrived. If you choose to read this book, I promise you are in store for a great read.

I heard an interview with the author here in New York City, and he struck me as the type of guy I'd like to have a beer with. Greek history seems like a hobby for him, but one that he has mastered. That's why I bought the book.

I'm into epic stories about heroes rising to the occassion, saving the day by making the ultimate sacrifice. While this story really does touch on all of the manly things that I typically enjoy in books and movies alike, it really gets down to a deeper matter, which is what I hope people really take from this book. The story, like others have said, is captivating and this is indeed an "easy read," but the underlying message beneath it all is one that isn't reflected upon often enough in today's society: A man's true worth is not found in what he does for himself. It's a very profound message and the author was very cheeky in making that point clear, all the while telling a gripping story.

Two points I would like to make about the content of the story:
1. The scene at Thermopylae will choke the reader up. In that moment, you are watching these Spartans get slaughtered, and there's nothing you can do about it. In a time when terrorism steals the headlines, it will likely make you think of some modern day events (ie 9/11, Madrid, etc).
2. The way the characters speak, their language, is different from what I expected. It's almost as if you really are being told the story in the tongue of the ancient greeks.

Very good stuff.

How do you know what makes a true hero a hero??? This book truly has it all. The story brings out so many emotions from the reader. You see triumph, you feel defeat, you cry at loss. This story encompasses so many lessons that we often forget every day. ES Kraay has a way of telling an amazing story and making us re-evaluate how we think. The entire time I was reading this story, I could just picture every detail. We often forget what truly makes a man, a 'man.' We can all relate to thinking Theo is a man's man. He is big. He is powerful. He is a boxing champion! What man would not want to be feared by all in their respective areas??? But as Kraay reveals as the story develops, it is not who we are that defines us, it is what we give back and who we become that people remember. It is about plenty more than us as individuals. This book takes you through a whirpool of mixed emotions, that leave you wanting more! It is a very quick and easy read. Once you start reading, you do not want to put it down! The further you get into it, the better it becomes. I cannot wait to see this movie on the big screen!!! The characters are so relatable. We all know a Theo. We all know a Simonides. You can feel their pain as they watched the Spartans amazing display of courage at Thermopylae. As Theo digs the massive grave, you want to be their helping him; not because he needs our physical help, but because you feel him growing. You see him making the turn as a human being and realizing life is about much more than his personal conquest. All I can say is do yourself a favor, read this book. It will open your eyes. It will give you a friendly reminder of ageless lessons!!!! I cannot wait to see what is next up by this amazing newcomer!!!! GREAT WORK!

Gene Kraay masterfully introduces us into the ancient world of Greece. Kraay's enthusiasm for his characters, their thoughts, and their challenges, quickly become our characters, our thoughts, and our challenges. It is evident from the outset that the author loves this story and is genuinely anxious to share that love with us. He succeeds in grand fashion. As he develops each character, and their unique and distinct personalities, we seamlessly slip into their shoes, recognizing a slice of our own personalities in each. We have all thought ourselves a poet, like Simonides, a peacemaker like Parmenides, self centered, in our youth, like Xeno, and all of us dream of being a hero and champion, like Theagenes
While Kraay leads us through the landscape of ancient Greece, he subtlety educates us on this most critical time of our history, and he does so with passion and fervor. The excitement of olympic competition is interwoven within this history and is experienced in both victory and defeat. This novel will evoke a multitude of your emotions, from love and compassion, to fear and anger, and ultimately, reflective satisfaction and joy.
Ancient Hellas would be proud of E.S. Kraay and his Olympian.

This appears to be an updated version of the classic anthology, The Fireside Book of Boxing, edited by Heinz. I guess people don't read around the fireside anymore, but they buy Sports Illustrated, so the title is itself more contempo, as are some of the entries. The original has been on my shelf for years, and has been pawed through with great pleasure since those golden days of yesteryear. Anyone interested in boxing or prose style (with a little verse here and there) will treasure the collection.

you will be in heaven. the best writing on boxing. I'm delighted. You should buy this book.

Thoroughly enjoyable. The book presents some of the cleanest yet literary sports writing ever on a sport that is woefully under covered. Mr. Ward chose perfectly, marrying a historical overview of the sport with the beauty of it. I just hope this book will not be buried on the bottom shelf where too many great sports books are left to die.

W.C. Heinz and Nathan Ward's Book Of Boxing is also a winner, though less visually packed: text with selected illustrations peppered throughout covers the finest writers of the sport, revealing their observations, the events which marked boxing history, and its dark side. An intriguing survey will fascinate any boxing fan.

It's great to see this collection out again; I remember reading it with my father and brother when I was a kid. Now Heinz and Ward have made it better than ever, with the best pieces of newspaper writing, fiction, and even poetry ever composed about the sweet science. It covers everything, from Homer in the Iliad right up through the Holyfield/Tyson "bite fight." (ouch!) Plus‹a portfolio of good boxing shots in the middle. This is just the sort of terrific compilation that we need to raise kids on today, and give them some sense of what's best, and what lasts about sports.