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Books > Sport & Leisure > Sports & outdoor recreation > Combat sports & self-defence > Boxing
This is a splendid oral history of a time between World War I and
World War II when Jewish athletes were the dominant ethnic group in
professional boxing in the United States. The author draws on his
own personal experience in New York City's fight arenas, and
incorporates interviews with more than thirty former boxers,
trainers, managers, promoters, and boxing judges to report on this
overlooked aspect of sports history. Bodner explores the stories of
the Jewish boxers both inside and outside the ring, and also
examines their lives as they left the ring to pursue their careers
which ranged from fire chiefs to boxing judges to hospital
presidents. Boxing was a means many second generation urban
immigrants—including Jews—used to get ahead in the early 20th
century. The Jewish boxers interviewed reported that they took up
fighting to earn money, not to defend their race or negate
stereotypes that Jews were weak. These boxers were proud of their
heritage and displayed Stars of David on their robes and trunks
until religious symbols were banned in the 1940s. During the 1920s
nearly one-third of all professional boxers were Jewish, and by
1928, they were the dominant ethnic group in the sport earning 30
World Championship titles between 1910-1940. Bodner's interest in
the subject was kindled by his father who was an amateur boxer and
professional manager during this period.
Nothing to lose...When nineteen-year-old Tommy Carter throws away a
promising career as a professional boxer to work for local villain
Davey Abbott, everyone thinks he's made a huge mistake - collecting
debts and working in strip clubs is no life for a young lad just
starting out in life. Everything to gain. A brutal fighter, Tommy
quickly earns a reputation for himself - feared and respected by
everyone - and becomes Davey's trusted right-hand man. But when
Davey is murdered Tommy is shocked to learn that Davey has left his
business empire to him - Tommy's the boss now. No one believes
Tommy will succeed. But there is only one rule Tommy lives
by...always back the underdog. Because Tommy is on the way up. This
book was previously published as Barking Boy. Another gripping
gangland read by Kerry Kaya. Perfect for fans of Kimberley
Chambers, Martina Cole, Heather Atkinson and Caz Finlay.
The Noble Art of Heavyweight Boxing is a knockout trip through the
history of this popular sport, from the last thrilling bareknuckle
contest in 1889 between champion John L. Sullivan and challenger
Jake Kilrain, right through to modern times, covering key fights
and boxing greats such as Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Rocky Marciano,
Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, and many, many more.
Illustrated with contemporary photographs and packed with
fascinating true details about the personalities and bouts, this
book will be a winner with every sports fan and boxing enthusiast.
Thirty years after he burst onto the scene as a gold medal light-heavyweight at the Rome Olympics, Muhammad Ali is still a magical figure. His accomplishments in the ring were the stuff of legend -- the two fights with Sonny Liston, when he proclaimed himself "The Greatest" and proved he was; the three epic wars against Joe Frazier; the stunning victory over George Foreman in Zaire; and the shocking loss and final win that made him the first man to win back the heavyweight crown twice, fourteen years after he had first claimed it. Ali's life has been played out as much on the front pages as on the sports pages. With brilliant immediacy and unprecedented candor, bestselling author Thomas Hauser recreates this extraordinary man. In the words of more than 200 of Ali's family members, opponents, friends, world leaders, and others who have known him best, the real Muhammad Ali emerges: deeply religious, mercurial, generous, a showman in and out of the ring.
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