Boxing Books

A third of this book is pure junk, purely awful. A third of it is okay, interesting in spots. A third of it gets you inside the soul of a great man, and you come away with a new idea of who he was and what it takes, in the heart, to be like that. Most great athletes are interesting because they're great athletes, though, objectively, reading about them, reading what they have to say, their athletic greatness, you have to say, is coincidental to who they are as men. With Ali, it seems different. You're tempted to believe he was a great fighter because he was a great man. This book helps one understand that.

"All the world's a stage,
and all the men and women merely players"
said who? William shakespear.

I say the world is a boxing ring and we are the fighters, fighting for everything, everyone even ourselves.
well knitted by Hana yasmeen Ali "The soul of butterfly" reveals the true character of Muhammad Ali, three time world heavy weight champion, who conquered the world with his skills and now conquering it with his wisdom. The book is all about Ali's journey through life, about events that tested him and his virtues, and how everytime he stood by his words like a true fighter.

I was very pleased with my purchase of this book. It arrived early and in great condition

This beautiful summary of Ali's life is not just a gift to his kids but to all of America as well. In his own simple words, Ali shares with us his greatest triumphs and his worse agonies. It is all done with the same Ali, verve, upbeat spirit, and of course with smatterings of his homespun poetry. It is a superb collection of wisdom and witticisms that greatly enriches all who read them. The arc of the amplitude of his life is breathtakingly wide in scope. And I am fortunate in having had the good luck to have met him on three different occasions, and to have been touched by his style, grace and confidence on many others. All have been memorable experiences for me personally.

Some of the things he shares in this short volume come as a surprise even to me, one who kept up with his career almost religiously. For instance, I never knew that the Nation of Islam was against his refusal to go to Vietnam, and that he was expelled from the sect as a result of it? Nor did I know that he was refused a seat in a Louisville restaurant in 1960 while holding both the key to the city and while wearing his Olympic Gold Medal? Nor did I even know that he had actually denounced Malcolm X and "sided" with Elijah Muhammad in the feud between his two spiritual leaders: the feud that ended in Malcolm's death? Nor did I know that he was a Sunni Moslem? Or that he had thrown his Olympic Gold Medal into the Ohio River?

Although the book only reflects it indirectly, Ali is proof, that, whether black or white, we are all still part of the "American racial holocaust": A part of the Big American racial lie. The truths that Ali could not reveal directly in this book is common knowledge to all the world, that:

America hated Ali the same way it hated Dr. Martin Luther King, not for his arrogance, nor for his refusal to go to the war, but for being a proud black warrior in a "white only world." And then he used his pride and his boxing skills to take over the stage of America's drama of heroism, formerly reserved for white males only (or occasionally for others designated American "sanctioned Heroes," of which Ali clearly was not one). America's highly touted religion freedoms ceased to apply when this "proud black warrior" at center stage in the American drama, where he was not supposed to be, chose to exercise that freedom to, first become a Muslim, and then to refuse to go to war to kill others at the U.S. behest.

For exercising his religious freedom in these two ways, many interpreted both of his actions as the supreme insult to the nation's sensibilities. As a result, America tried to take away everything he had: his livelihood, his title, his fame, his money, the best years of his youth, his pride, his confidence: I know, I visited him in his home in Chicago during the Christmas of 1969 when he was in the deepest part of his "in country exile." But even though they took away everything else, they could not take away his pride or his confidence or his belief in his new found God.

America was most gleeful about dragging him off center stage, but even off center stage, his quiet strength grew to even greater proportions than his physical strength: Ali became larger than life outside the ring, not within it. When America saw that his quiet strength was greater than his pugilistic prowess, they knew they could not defeat him, in or out of the ring. Thus, there was no choice but to capitulate: After the Supreme Court Decision, America "ate crow" but they did not apologize for stealing the best four years of his youth, or taking away his title. They just cheered wildly when Joe Frazier beat him. This humbled him enough for white America to embrace him, but still without apologies. It was done as much to continue making money off of him, and so that they could now claim him as their own, and then be able to bask in his larger than life aura, as to redeem America's much embarrassed soul.

Because America's past is so ugly, it is very much the American way to pretend that nothing at all has ever happened in the past. The "bad Ali tape" was simply erased from the collective cultural memory banks: no apologies necessary, the same as it was done for Dr. Martin Luther King: one day King was a villain, the next a martyr, the next day a hero? Such is the nature of true "Black" heroes in America: Muhammad Ali, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Charley Parker, Sugar Ray Robinson, Malcolm X, Paul Roberson, WEB Du Bois, Eldridge Cleaver, Stokley Carmichael, Fanny Lou Hammer and on and on.

But the racist American system can never "own" Ali, no matter how many Olympic torches they allow him to carry around the stadium, because he beat the American system in the same way he beat all of his opponents in the ring: fair and square. He looked it in the eye and refused to buckle. And this book proves that Ali won, this, his most important bout, with the strength of his character

It is very heartening to feel the gentleness and deep caring for humanity from such a powerful man like Mohamed Ali. Reading of this book fills you with hope, love and light.

It's a great book. I've met and spent some time with Larry in our hometown of Easton, PA and he really's done great things for the city, though he does gloss over one issue he had when he wanted them to rezone a parcel so he could create a business. He doesn't say that it was going to be a fast-food fried chicken restaurant and that city leaders thought the valuable land could be put to better use than that. Instead, he wonders if it was racial. Other than that, an excellent portrait of the difficulty in rising to the top of the boxing world. It's a real Horatio Alger type story. Phil Berger does a great job ghostwriting it for Larry.

This book is definitely an entertaining and easy read. Holmes recounts his rise and reign as heavyweight champion of the world. He shares the brutal realities of professional boxing with great humor. The stories he tells about Don King's greed and audacity are hilarious and worth the price of the book alone. However, I question how honest Holmes is about himself. He portrays himself as a good, decent man in the rough and dishonest world of professional boxing. I think this is how Holmes wants to see himself. But some of his stories are clearly false. For instance, Holmes claims that Norton tried to intimidate him before the fight by staring him down. But in the tape of the fight, it is Holmes, not Norton, who is doing the staring down. I think the book reveals that Holmes didn't want to acknowledge his own anger. Instead, Holmes wants you to believe he is the constant victim.

This book is definitely an entertaining and easy read. Holmes recounts his rise and reign as heavyweight champion of the world. He shares the brutal realities of professional boxing with great humor. The stories he tells about Don King's greed and audacity are hilarious and worth the price of the book alone. However, I question how honest Holmes is about himself. He portrays himself as a good, decent man in the rough and dishonest world of professional boxing. I think this is how Holmes wants to see himself. But some of his stories are clearly false. For instance, Holmes claims that Norton tried to intimidate him before the fight by staring him down. But in the tape of the fight, it is Holmes, not Norton, who is doing the staring down. I think the book reveals that Holmes didn't want to acknowledge his own anger. Instead, Holmes wants you to believe he is the constant victim.

This was a good read about an important fighter, the man who very nearly became the heavyweight champion with the best winning record.

Larry's story is interesting and while there may have been a touch of self-aggrandishment throughout, he did not overdo it. I think that he could have gone into more detail about certain fights eg vs Tyson, and he could have discussed the life of a champion outside of the ring more than he did, but these are minor quibbles while looking at the book overall.

A good read.

World Champion Larry Holmes recounts his life inside and outside of the ring in his fascinating autobiography. This book is not some former champion hoping to make his life read like a movie script. It is a down to earth story that many sports fans can relate to. Larry pulls no punches in describing his feelings in his personal life and his professional life. It is a captivating account of this mans life and what it took to not only win the championship, but defend it so successfully. Full of humor and unabashed honesty, one comes away with a newfound respect for Larry and his many accomplishments. A lively and engaging read, "Against the Odds" is the perfect name for the life and career of Larry Holmes.

This is definitely an answer to prayer for me as I have had some serious issues with things in my life that were hidden for so long. I was preparing to minister to someone who the Lord was leading for me to minister to but as soon as I would approach this person, fear like I never experienced would pierce deep into me. One of my brothers in the Lord gave me the book to borrow sensing that I needed to read it. I went through the root sprits and found the instuctions helpful. Soon after doing what the author said to do, my faithful heavenly father delivered me of this fear. This is definitely a must read for any believer experiencing issues in their life that they just can't seem to get a handle on. OUr God and Father is an awsome deliverer and I praise Him for this with all of my heart!!!

Another excellent resource dealing with generational curses, spiritual warfare and strongholds. I have read numerous books on the subject as I find it very interesting and love to know as much as I can; this is a keeper. Fascinating and enlightening book! Oh! It has NOTHING to do with martial arts!

If you are born again but still unaware of the spiritual realm this book will open your eyes and set you on the path to freedom. I highly recommend it.

This book is Dynamic this book help me help people come out of dark,dark
places, whan theres seem like theres no hope this God sent book tell so much about darkness you can see yourself comeing out of darkness in to the lightness of God I have told so many about this book. I gave review to my class on this book, I recommend it to ever one thats in a dark place
and ever one who knows the Lord. I love it because its for everybody, Its
a Blessing its a God sent. Joylena Arvie Williams

This book is something everyone should read. It highlights many things all of us have been going through and how to cleanse our spirits and how to break those things in our life that we will not permit because they are not Godly they are of Satan! It teaches us how to reclaim what Jesus has already paid the price in full for each and every one of us and why we should not allow Satan to control any of our thoughts or our ancestrual things that are put upon us. Please read this book if you have things in your life that seem to keep coming back at you! Stop Satan in his tracks and find out the why's and How's of these things in your life or loved ones life! Praise God for Dr. Malones insight on this book! And praise God for anyone directed in reading it. It will change your life just as it has mine!

This is an excellent introductory guide for novice fighters. It is the best "how-to" boxing book that I have seen, and fills what was a gaping hole in the literature of the sport. Of course there have been many attempts to write a "how-to" boxing book in the past, going back to Jack Dempsey and before, but nearly all of them have been mediocre efforts.

Joe Frazier keeps it simple and to the point, outlining the basic principles, techniques, and exercises that top fighters have relied on for more than a century. William Dettloff has done an excellent job of making the text crisp and clear without diluting Frazier's ideas and personality.

I would reccomend this book to anyone who is starting out in the sport of boxing. Of course there is more to learn, but the fundamentals for success are here, and for the rest you have to get into the gym, train hard, and find a good coach!

So... Box!

I'm an admitted fan of Joe Frazier, so I'll preface this review with the warning that I'm a bit biased. However, I thought the book was really good. The intro was done by Frazier, on how boxing has affected his life. The begginning of the book goes into the history of boxing, from as far back as Egypt and Greece. The post-Queensberry history gets the bulk of the attention, of course. The book then moves on to the rules of the ring, including amature and pro rules and weight classes. After that is a small chapter on running, conditioning, and diet, and another small chapter on finding the right gym, a fighter's gym. After that is a chapter that covers equipment rather extensively, and finally we start getting into actual boxing technique. Stance, offense, and defense are each given their own chapters, and herein we find things like combinations and counterpunching. Next we get into an actual boxers workout, and then get a chapter on sparring. The last two chapters are on boxing styles (ring generalship) and advice from Frazier on what ones first fight will be like. There's also an appendix on where to find boxing gyms in the US.

The book had a good tone to it, although I suspect much of it was ghost-written. Still, you could almost hear Frazier's voice as he's giving you advice on how to train, how to throw a punch, why he doesn't believe in weights, and so on. On the down side, some things weren't given much detail. I felt the diet and excercise part were somewhat rushed, and I was currious about how the medicine ball was used as a target, which never got really explained. I also felt there wasn't nearly enough info on combinations. On the other hand, maybe this allows for some freedom when creating one's own routine.

Will this book teach you how to "box like the pros"? Doubtful, but it imparts some advice that the pros already know. It's a very thorough introduction into the basics of boxing, and every now and then you get a piece of advice from a man who has been at the top of the sport that you probably wouldn't get anywhere else.

I am a beginning student of boxing. This book shows all the equipment and what you need, and how to box, along with great insights from "Smoking Joe Frazier" (the only man to have knocked Ali down, as far as I know).

For those people who don't like this book: be realistic. Look, if Joe Namath writes a book about football, you can't expect to read it and become an all-star quarterback, or more importantly, can't expect to learn everything you need to know to BECOME an all-star just by reading a book, can you? Same thing here.

To really learn to do something, you have to DO it.

So right, this isn't the most thorough book on boxing you are ever going to read. If it was, it would be 10 times longer, and you probably wouldn't read it because if you already box, you'd already know much of it, and if you are a beginner, you would want something short to get the general idea. This book gives you a general idea, and is therefore a good beginner's book. Also, someone probably ghost wrote it for him, as it reads easily.

In summary then, I'd say it's a great introductory book written by someone who really HAS "been there" as both an Olympic gold medalist and world heavyweight champ. What more do you want?

A little over a year ago I signed up for a boxing class sponsored by a community college. The class was held once a week at a small urban boxing gym. We began by learning to wrap our hands, and then proceeded to basic exercises and drills. It didn't take long for me to get hooked (literally and figuratively). After finishing the community college term, I signed up with the gym as a full member. Since then, I've gotten deeper into boxing, especially sparring. I really enjoy facing off against an opponent in the ring. While giving punishment is ideal, I also like taking it and not giving up the fight.

To expand my boxing toolkit, I've started reading some books about the sport. "Box Like The Pros" caught my eye because it was written by former heavyweight champion Smokin' Joe Frazier. Mr. Frazier and his coauthor William Dettloff have crafted a no-nonsense book packed with lots of practical boxing information and wisdom. From my limited experience and what my coach has taught me so far, his advice appears to be solid. Heck, it's hard to argue with the guy who dropped Muhammad Ali.

"Box Like The Pros" starts out with a brief history of boxing, and then gets into the sport's nitty-gritty. Mr. Frazier goes over rules, training, equipment, offense and defense, sparring, and even entering the ring for real as a Golden Gloves or white-collar boxer. I found his down-and-dirty descriptions to be both entertaining and instructional. Indeed, I wish I'd heeded his advice to keep my jaw clenched shut while sparring. And for further help, one appendix lists boxing gyms by state (none were included for Oregon, where I box), while another contains additional resources such as other books on boxing and websites where you can order gear.

One thing I found interesting is how the book inadvertently highlights the differences in boxing technique and instruction. For example, my coach advocates a stance with a pronounced profile, and teaches a left hook with a front foot pivot. However, Mr. Frazier insists on a more straightforward stance, and instructs that the front foot remain planted while firing the left hook. I asked my coach about this, and he confirmed that accepted variations do exist.

At any rate, I recommend "Box Like the Pros" for anyone interested in boxing - especially latecomer fortysomething dudes like me who want some good information on the Sweet Science. And don't forget to keep your hands up!

I was impressed. It reminded me that a number of ex-boxers are great writers: Ken Kesey, John Irving, Agatha Christie and that Hemmingway guy, I think.. I don't know what their first novels were like but I think Brian De Vido has the nuts, as they say in Vegas if a poker player has the cards to back up his bets. His round by round descriptions are very good, as is his knowledge of the art. You can give a guy boxing lessons and teach him to defend himself but you can't teach him to punch, a boxer either has it or he doesn't. If you have ever been on the receiving end of one those punches from someone who "has it" you will understand what that means. I caught one once while in the Army in 1968 and I can still feel a tingle. That punch is why there are a lot of young ex-boxers who quit and old ex-boxers who can't zip up wihtout help.
I think I would have enjoyed more of the law student/almost girlfriend who was not impressed by anyone in the fight game. She did the predictable thing and gained some understanding and approval but that was before she watched the big fight on pay per view. I would have liked to have seen her at ringside and have heard her comments duing and after that brutal battle.
I was never a Sonny Liston fan but that's just me. The connections with Liston are very real, and clever. Something about it reminds me of The Lovely Bones and The Five People You Meet in Heaven but without the science fiction and the chick-ness.
An excellent first effort. Just kidding about Agatha Christie.

Who wrote these reviews? The author and his mother?

This is a simple-minded, cliche-ridden story. Ok, it's got a good hook (Sonny Liston as likable role model) but otherwise, it's a lame, feel good, happy-ending story of the poor-boy-makes-good-in-the-face-of-adversity genre.

The 20somethings who may or may not read this should not forget: Sonny Liston was the prototype for the present generation of boxer. It's his sort that ruined the sport. He's a felon who beat a second-rate champion and immediately lost his title to a loud-mouth upstart. To make him a misunderstood hero is revisionist history at best and pure trash in reality. The author as much as admits he knows nothing about the man but used him as a device.

I give it 2 stars only because the author knows something about the game. As a novel, however, it's junk.

I was encouraged to read this book by the author, Brian DeVido. I am very glad that he took the time to contact me.

In brief, "Every Time I Talk to Liston" is the story of Amos "Scrap Iron" Fletcher and his slow and tortuous progress with his charge who goes by the name of "TNT". However, although progress is slow, TNT eventually captures the world heavy weight title and it is this progress that is the subject of the book.

If the novel has a flaw it is that it is often too predictable. There is little doubt that, by the end of the book, TNT will capture his prize. To offset this predictability, DeVido uses a series of flash backs and intermissions that draw on the career of Sonny Liston, the man beaten by a young Cassius Clay for the title. Liston casts a long shadow and proves to be an inspiration for both Scrap Iron and TNT. His role is somewhat messianic. This technique of DeVido's adds luster to the story. It is very clever.

Much as I was encouraged to read the novel, I too would encourage its reading. DeVido is a good writer and with "Every Time I Talk to Liston" being his first novel, his future looks bright.

I never would have even glanced at a novel on boxing, except that I had a nodding acquaintance with Brian DeVido in grad school and when I saw his novel had come out I remembered I had liked a story he wrote (also about boxing) in a class we were both taking. As it turns out, Every Time I Talk to Liston is an excellent read. It affected my views on boxing both for the worse and for the better; it portrayed the sport as both more brutal and horrific than I already thought of it, but it also revealed it as a science, whose practioners put into it not only a lot of strength and aggression, but also a lot of thought and strategy and love. I don't know if this book would be an even better read for someone who understands and loves boxing already, but it can definitely be a learning experience for someone who neither knows nor cares anything about the sport, or about Sonny Liston.

This book is a compelling read because it is equally plot-driven and character-driven. Some reviewers may complain that the outcome is predictable, but I don't see it that way. As with all underdog stories, the journey matters as much as the outcome, if not more. An even if you think you know how it will come out, the process of Amos training TNT is no less fascinating, as Amos studies TNT's opponent's weaknesses with an enthusiasm and meticulousness that read almost like detective fiction. As a whole, the book is immensely satisfying without feeling too pat. And both the dialogue and Amos's narration are the type you can actually hear in your head as you read, making you wish you were a good enough actor to read the book out loud.

I definitely recommend this book, both to boxing fans and others. It's the kind of book that can extend how you see something that's been around all along, which is a gift for any reader.

Being far from an enthusiast of the sweet science, I expected to have a lukewarm reaction to a boxing novel, especially another one that uses Liston as inspiration (I count at least three novels/story collections that have Liston's name in the title from the past couple of years). However, I was instantly taken with this tale of a once-promising heavyweight on the downside of his career. Amos "Scrap Iron" Fletcher is a good fighter who has never been knocked down but has also never one a major fight or fought in Vegas, his lifelong dream. At the beginning, he gets this dream and it turns out to be shallow. After a scandal, he returns to Trenton, NJ, where he decides to manage a fighter named TNT (It seems all fighters have to have a nickname). The novel follows Amos as he trains TNT for an eventual world title bought. Throughout it all, we have Amos visiting the grave of the once-great Liston for inspiration and confession he cannot make to those around him. We have wonderful writing, good characters, and descriptive writing that captures moments in the ring like nothing I have ever read--not that I have read too much about boxing. However, as much as I enjoyed this novel and as quickly as I read it, I fear it gets a bit formulaic by about midway through. I still enjoyed this novel quite a bit and am encouraged to see an author who so impressively melds sport and literature.

Good informative book, but a little dry.
Its the only thing out there for Schmeling fans though.

Well written, fascinating & informative book. Highlights:
Boxing history-preparation for & recounting of the first Joe Lewis match
Germany between the Wars- the Berlin culture & it's vitality. The rise of Hitler.
His experiences in the the cultural society,& the political arena.
Max was married only once to Anny Ondra, a contempory, & a famous European star.
--so a love story too.
Alfred Hitchcock starred Anny Ondra inThe Manxman, a silent film, & Blackmail,his & England's first talkie-both are available dvd. Hitch never missed anything.

Well written, fascinating & informative book. Highlights:
Boxing history-preparation for & recounting of the first Joe Lewis match
Germany between the Wars- the Berlin culture & it's vitality. The rise of Hitler.
His experiences in the the cultural society,& the political arena.
Max was married only once to Anny Ondra, a contempory, & a famous European star.
--so a love story too.
Alfred Hitchcock starred Anny Ondra inThe Manxman, a silent film, & Blackmail,his & England's first talkie-both are available dvd. Hitch never missed anything.

For boxing history fans, this autobiography is a treasure trove of information. Schmeling, who only recently died at the age of 99, takes the reader inside the boxing intrigues of the 1930s as well as his interaction with the Nazis as they consolidated power in Germany. Contrary to the biased and uninformed Publishers Weekly review above, Schmeling was no Nazi and had no sympathy with their aims (a fact well known to anyone with any acquaintance with boxing history). When ordered by the Nazis to divorce his Czech wife and to fire his American Jewish manager, Schmeling refused. The Nazis were interested in him for one reason, as a propaganda piece.

Schmeling was a solid and steady, though unexciting fighter. He won the championship by a foul and lost it via a bad decision (with his manager giving the world the famous, "we wuz robbed" quip). He was champion in a time of solid but not great fighters. However, the fact that he upset Joe Louis, when Louis appeared to be invincible, demonstrates that he was a first-rate fighter for any era.

The book is a re-issue of Schmeling's 1977 German autobiography with a new epilogue written by Schmeling in the late nineties. Since the book was originally published in Germany and written for German audiences, many of the personalities that Schmeling mentions will be unknown to most Americans. Thankfully, the book includes a glossary to inform the reader who the personalities were. It would have been more helpful to have had these as footnotes but that would have probably required new typesetting and thus upped publishing costs. I do have one major disappointment with the book. It has very detailed coverage of Schmeling's fighting years and some on his activities immediately after the war but I wanted to know more about Schmeling's later years. He became a wealthy businessman who was very philanthropic. Schmeling's basic modesty is probably the explanation for this omission but it still left a gap that needed filling.

In short, this is an excellent book for someone who loves boxing history and wants additional information on some of the key fights and events of the first half of the 20th century.

I'm not really a boxing fan, though like most people who enjoy watching and participating in sports in general, I've tried to read up on the history of boxing in order to be informed on the sport.

Having said all that, I walked into reading this autobiography with the same opinion that a lot of Americans have about Max Schmeling (that is, if they even know who he is since his era was over seventy years ago) -- that Schmeling was a fanatical Nazi, Hitler's pampered, so-called "Aryan Showhorse" who represented aryan supremacy, and who, in a wonderful example of poetic justice, received a savage comeuppance at the hands of the sensational Joe Louis in their mythical 1938 rematch.

Schmeling, in his wonderfully-written autobiography, exposes America's cartoonish characterization of him, and the political and racial hype surrounding both his matches with Joe Louis as precisely that -- a myth. The great thing about this book is that it is filled with class -- that is, Schmeling never outrightly goes on the attack against his critics or seems bitter at all that he (and perhaps to an even greater extent, Joe Louis) was exploited in a deeply personal way by fight promotors. Schmeling simply tells the story of his life both in and out of the ring, and it is his obvious honesty about both that do much to mitigate the idea that he is some sort of white supremicist.

Schmeling's story not only outlines the history of his own career in the ring, but in doing so also describes in detail the nature of the heavyweight boxing game in the 1920s through the 1940s. Along the way the reader learns the fascinating story of Germany's social scene -- particularly among young adults, as Schmeling was -- during that country's Weimar government years, and how Hitler's ascension to power in 1933 did much to destroy all that, and a large portion of Schmeling's social circle as well.

Schmeling also talks about how his employment of a Jewish trainer/coach was at odds with the nazi government, and how he was asked to disassociate himself from his many Jewish friends when he became champion (after convincingly earning a 15 round decision over Jack Sharkey in the early 30s). Of course he never disassociated himself from any of his friends on account of their religion, but typical boxing fans are unaware of this and cling to the glib and convenient stereotype of Schmeling as a racist monster.

Schmeling also gets rated by American press as some kind of sneering, aristocratic German snob who walked into the second Louis fight supremely confident that he could repeat his earlier triumph over the Brown bomber. Additionally, American press irresponsibly and incorrectly asserted that Schmeling wanted a victory over Louis to once and for all prove the supremacy of the Aryan race.

Of course, anyone interested in more than the grotesque distortions of people who want to make money and sell tickets to fill stadium seats will investigate and realize that Joe Louis was highly-favored to defeat Schmeling in both their first and second bouts, and that Schmeling was never a smug aristocrat but came from a working class background not astronomically removed from the income level of Joe Louis in his youth.

Schmeling's spectacular victory over Louis in their first bout (1936) is often written off by many who ought to know better (such as sportswriters, who supposedly know more than the average fan) as some kind of fluke, and that the second fight (which Louis won) is the only one that really counts.

It is clear from reading this autobiography that Schmeling did a tremendous amount of training for the Louis fight, and approached the bout with an almost scientific strategy to defeat the American boxer. And, lest people be misled that Louis somehow walked into the first bout overconfident and convinced of his own invincibility, readers might be interested to know that Louis himself trained hard for this fight, as it was his tune-up and final step before an eventual showdown with titleholder James Braddock.

Everyone knows that Schmeling won the first fight. He not only won, he demolished Joe Louis. Fifteen minutes after the fight was over, Joe Louis was still unconscious. What people who adore Joe Louis (I myself am more a fan of Joe Louis than I am of Max Schmeling) often don't want to recognize is that in the first Schmeling bout, Schmeling was simply the better man. This despite Joe Louis being hugely favored to win the fight. Everyone thought Joe Louis would easily destroy Schmeling (who even in 1936 was already over-the-hill and in decline as an athlete), and having their expectations thus dashed, transformed Schmeling into an ultra-villain in the 1938 bout to generate interest for a match between good and evil.

Schmeling notes with sadness but no bitterness that New Yorkers mobbed him and cheered for him in 1936 for having the courage to do battle against a man who defeated Max Baer (hitherto considered the best heavyweight on the planet, and even today considered one of the potentially great champions had he not self-destructed mentally), but booed him in 1938 because he was a "nazi."

Schmeling also writes about the politics that dictated the events that followed his sensational victory. Logically, since he destroyed Louis, he should have been next in line to fight Braddock for the title. However, since many people in positions of power in the boxing world didn't want to see the title go to germany (where they feared with a reasonable amount of justification) that it would be protected from American fighters, they prudently ducked Schmeling and still allowed the Louis-Braddock bout to go through. If Braddock won, fine, and if Louis -- the heavyweight phenom -- won, better still. But no one doubted that either Louis or Schmeling would have any trouble uncrowning Braddock, who is considered something of a caretaker champion. Thus Schmeling was shut out and at 35 past the point where he could seriously mount another title run.

The tragedies of Schmeling's boxing career are poignantly described in his autobiography, as are the deep-seated turmoils engulfing Germany during this period as the world inched ever closer to war.

Joe Louis won the second fight as a phenomenally-talented young man in his prime (24 years old) against a technically-sound though never spectacular 35 year old fighter with a great right hand punch but whose legs and back no longer were what they once were. The outcome was inevitable but the fight nevertheless generated profound interest because Schmeling won the first bout and the American media falsely and irresponsibly portrayed the second bout as some kind of showdown between Nazi germany and the Democratic USA (ironically, Joe Louis would have to have sat in the back of the bus to Madison Square Garden if he took one). Joe Louis crushed Schmeling, but Schmeling, to his credit, courageously challenged Louis to a third bout to serve as a rubber match, which Louis and his handlers refused to countenance.

Both Louis and Schmeling are noted on the record as stating they were never malignant toward one another, in fact they became good friends after their fights, maintaining correspondence and visiting each other often, and they highly respected each other. Both have asserted that the "showdown of the races" atmosphere generated for the second bout was a marketing ploy designed to exploit them both. When America couldn't exploit Louis anymore they hung him out to dry and left him penniless. Who helped him? That "evil villain" Schmeling.

Schmeling also writes about his life and times as a paratrooper in World War 2, which is in and of itself incredible as Schmeling is over six feet tall and heavy, not exactly prerequisites for an airborne soldier.

Eventually after reading this book one comes to realize that Schmeling was a better than average boxer but a magnificent, highly-intelligent human being.

Highly recommended.

This is the first martial arts book I have read that is written with women in mind. Don't get me wrong, it's not all about women kickboxers. It's just the first time I've read any martial arts book with specific paragraphs for and about women in martial arts. This is a good book for beginners or someone just trying to decide if they want to try kickboxing. It includes techniques, conditioning and theory. This book needs more pictures explaining the moves, positions and combinations. This book seems like it would be inspirational for women.

Brillant book on Kickboxing for both beginner & advanced student. Lots of interesting compination. Excellent to compliment your training in Kickboxing Karate or Tae Kwon Do.

I really thought this book was a 3, but after some thought I gave it a 3.5. The main reason I gave it the higher score is because, as many other reviewers point out, it is a very complete reference. It's loaded with information. The author is clearly very experienced.

Unfortunately, as a beginner, this book came up short in several key areas. First of all, the pictures and diagrams were simply not clear enough. While not true of all books in this series, I find this issue does crop up from time to time. The pictures are dark and dated, and it's very difficult to clearly see the poses. The publisher should have sprung for new pictures for this book.

The book's other shortcoming is in the area of organization. The information is dropped on you as if you were reading a dictionary. It's very difficult to learn something new by going through so much information. The book could have been better layed out, starting with some basic exercises and then delving into the more complex.

In my opinion, these changes would make this a tremendously better book.

This book is outstanding. I have 13 years experience in different martial arts (tae kwon do, kickboxing, Brazilian Jujitsu) and think that this is a very complete resource. I was impressed by the explanations and photos of techniques related to kickboxing and training, but what makes this so wonderful are these added features.

1. actual self defense techniques using palm hand strikes instead of a closed fist

2. advice on ground fighting (using striking techniques)

3. advice for young children on self defense

In addition, the training routines presented and pad drills are first rate. They even work with Thai boxing's elbow and knee strikes.

Mezger was the USKBA United States Heavyweight Champion and Super Heavyweight Champion as well as the WKC/WKKC World Heavyweight Champion. Don't forget he was the UFC 13 Tourneament Champion, and the 7th King of Pancrase.

His kickboxing record is 22-3 with 19 KOs

His MMA record is 40-11-2 with wins over Masa Funaki, Tito Ortiz, Yuki Kondo, Ryushi Yanigisawa, Minoru Suzuki, and Semmy Schilt. Plus he trashed Kazushi Sakuraba, Ricardo Arona, and Chuck Liddell.

If you are a fight fan, know a fight fan, or have any plans of being a fight fan, buy this book!

It has a lot of great stories and info about his experiences, and the author is obviously very knowledgeable and intimately involved in the fight game. The farther I read into the book, the more I kept saying to myself "I would LOVE to have a beer with this guy and just pick his brain".

After reading the book, I did a bit of research on the author. Check out Eugene's weekly radio show at www.combatmusicradio.com and click on his show Knuckle Up.

Here's a man that has too much time in his life. Good book and good advice. He is definitly full of himself. ( I hope I never have to fight him though!!!)
Well worth the money.

This book stands alone. There have been many books written about fighting and I have read close to 20 of them. This book is the only book that covers all aspects of hand to hand combat. From mixed martial artists, boxers, street fighters, special forces, to greco roman wrestlers and prison survivers. This is not only history and perspective but also how to, hands on information. This book makes other books look like bitches.

Reading this book one senses the writer probably has an endless cache of personal fight stories he chose not to include here, but the ones he does include are totally engrossing. Not being a fighter myself, nor in the least bit familiar with fighting as a sport, this was the perfect first book to read on the subject. After reading it I bought another copy for a friend and the Audio book for myself.

It dosen't matter if your a pacifist or dislike violence.
You could be a nun, a soccer mom, or a back-up singer for John Denver and still find lots of USEFUL knowlege in this read. Useful knowledge that is improtant, the way breathing is improtant. Or the ABILITY to walk away from a fight with your teeth still in your head if you choose to do so. It's always a good idea to fill your head with as much survival knowledge that you can get your hands on, because...you never know. Be prepared, thats' all. Why not?
What if someone were to attack an elderly person right in front of you? If you had your head right you might be able to circumvent that situation. Wouldn't you like to walk down the street with your mate knowing you could hanlde just about anything that could rear it's head at you(minus guns, drive bys, etc).

Robinson gives plenty of reference points for you to sink your teeth into as well. Myself not knowing very much of the pro. and extreme fight world can now at least have a conversation about them after reading this.
There's one or two "controvercial" chapters dealing with knives and someone loosing it and accidently killing another man. These are presented as case studies,as warnings of what could happen if your not thinking, not glorified. Very professional throughout.
Best book of the year.

Oh yeah, if you like the book you'll also want to give [...] a vist. The site has daily music and reporting webcasts from multiple hosts, including this books author Mr. Robinson. Knukle Up!!!

I just finished this and enjoyed it very much. I read it expressly because of the Dropkick Murphys song Warrior's Code, and because Micky Ward was one of their special guests at their 2008 St. Patrick's Day concerts in Lowell.
I think the book has the right balance between fight details and life outside the ring. In addition to learning about Micky Ward, I learned alot about professional boxers and about the business of boxing. I have a greater understanding of the nature of the warrior, and I have much more insight into the Murphys song, which will make it even more fun to listen to. The author does a good job putting you at ringside with his details, yet I still think it's too bad there weren't any pictures.

This is a biography like no other. Micky Ward makes Rocky look like Jose Cansaco. A true inspiration. If you are on the fence about this book, just youtube some of Micky's fights. Read it before it is turned into a movie.

Not being a huge fan of boxing I wasn't sure what to expect. This book is about so much more than boxing! Irish Thunder really shows the dedication and hard work that Micky Ward used to overcome his surroundings. Just when you thought it was his turn to succeed he had to overcome another obsticle. It really is the Rudy of the boxing world. Great read now I can't wait to read the author's other book Destiny Derailed.

This would be one of the more enjoyable boxing books that I have read. The author is top-notch and writes a story that is engrossing and very readable.

One can feel the pressures that Ward was put under in his life in and out of the ring and his toughness and determination to succeed shines throughout the book.

Irish Thunder: The Hard Life and Times of Micky Ward is a great biography of the blue collar boxer from Lowell, MA. Bob Halloran does an excellent job chronicling Micky's career and the trials and tribulations he faced to get there. Right from the beginning, Bob illustrates the vision of Lowell, a once proud boxing town that had become a haven for decadence and despair. Although Micky would fall not victim to the drugs that had claimed many before him, the obstacles presented to him were constant whether it was injured hands, his family, bad management, big fights falling through, or his own self confidence. The fact that Micky persevered to become a popular and well respected boxer personifies his character. Halloran gives you a rundown of his fights throughout the book and his vivid recollections of Micky's wars with Arturo Gatti, Emanuel Burton, Reggie Green, and others make you feel like you're watching the fight as it happens. However, what really keeps the reader glued to this book is the behind the scenes drama. And as it often goes with money, the more there is to be made, the more drama comes with it. Most of the fight facts and recaps are accurate with the only obvious mistake being that Pernell Whitaker won a decision over Oscar De La Hoya, when in fact it was the other way around. All told, this is a well written biography and I would recommend this to any boxing fan.

I've been looking for this book for a while and finally found it. It was recommended by Ajarn Chai Sirisute who I had the honor to meet in 2006 along with Guro Dan Inosanto. It's a great book for historical facts and there are techniques (basics/intermediate) that anyoned can learn. I believe this book would be a great addition to anyone's library of the arts. It is a great book with great historical pictures and is an easy read. Plus a bonus poster in the pocket in the back on Wai Khru Ram Muay. . .awesome.

Much respect.

A very good, high quality book about some of the basic techniques in the muay thai arsenal. 4 or 5 weapons of fist, elbow, leg and knee are adressed and explained. Beginners in the sport of muay thai or thai boxing should seriously consider aquiering this book, as it will definitely help their progress. Extras are a bit of the history of the sport, hand wrapping, traditional wear and combination techniques. Each technique is clearly explained with full color photographs. So you apply what you read.

Great book. It exposes readers to the traditions and important customs when practicing Muay Thai, and includes great training information and techniques.

You wont go wrong if your searching for an all-round muah thai info book.

This is a beautiful book; i.e. glossy pages with great pictures. However, Techniques instructions are too basic without depth or details. I guess it a good book for your coffee table or if you're new to Muay Thai. But if you are serious about learning Muay Thai, get "Muay Thai: The Most Distinguished Art of Fighting".