No other place in the world has been so important to boxing, or produced so many champions, as the small area of London's East End. But how did this specific part of Britain shape boxing, and what was behind the national and international success of these fighters? In this book, Londoner Jeff Jones tells the unique story of the development of modern boxing. Starting with the unregulated bare-knuckle fights in the docks and taverns, he covers the codification of boxing's rules, the increasing sophistication of training and technique, the involvement of bookmakers and the underworld, and the development of a lucrative worldwide sport in which men from London's East End still take part as boxers and promoters, three centuries after the sport's beginnings in their local streets.

For six decades the World Colored Heavyweight Championship was a useful tool of racial oppression--the existence of the title far more important to the white public than its succession of champions. It took some extraordinary individuals, most notably Jack Johnson, to challenge "the color line" in the ring, although the title and the black fighters who contended for it continued until the reign of Joe Louis a generation later. This history traces the advent and demise of the Championship, the stories of the 28 professional athletes who won it, and the demarcation of the color line both in and out of the ring.

"Hookers. Murder. Boxing. Author Patrick Connor lays out the promise of all three right there in the title of his first book, 'Shot at a Brothel'...delivering on the promise...Readers who want to see the Ali era from a less explored angle, with a story that stands on its own, are well served with this read."-Cliff Rold, Managing Editor, Boxingscene Oscar Bonavena remains a god in Argentina. Fighting as a heavyweight during the 1970s, the division's greatest era, "Ringo" battled titans like Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. To resurrect his career, he moved to Reno, Nevada, and hooked up with a local pimp and gangster, Joe Conforte, who ran the infamous Mustang Ranch with his madam wife, Sally. Bonavena had some of boxing's best handlers, but none - from famous trainers to rich syndicates to the sport's top minds-could tame him. And no one could get Conforte and his whorehouse and ex-con goons out of Reno. Ultimately, Ringo plunged into a maelstrom of sex and mayhem-and he wouldn't get out alive. In Shot at a Brothel, Patrick Connor examines in riveting detail Bonavena's fast, turbulent life as well as Conforte's sordid past. Long overdue, here's the real story of how gangsterism, greed, and prostitution destroyed Argentina's greatest heavyweight. Shot at a Brothel: The Spectacular Demise of Oscar "Ringo" Bonavena is the sixth in the Hamilcar Noir True Crime series. Hamilcar Noir is "Hard-Hitting True Crime" that blends boxing and true crime, featuring riveting stories captured in high-quality prose, with cover art inspired by classic pulp novels.

The Legend is the remarkable autobiography of Steve Ward, the world's oldest ever professional boxer. It details the astonishing obstacles Steve has overcome to become a three-times Guinness World Record holder after taking up the sport he loves again at the age of 54. Steve's unstinting ambition is driven by a promise made by his late father Bernard, who introduced him to boxing and told allcomers his son would be a world champion. His story is an inspiration to anyone who has hit hard times and proof of the old adage that all things are possible. A very serious foot injury sustained in a freak accident at work eventually led to Steve planning to kill himself before he bounced back to confound the medical profession and achieve his dream of winning a world title in his very last fight, at 64 years of age.

___________________ Ramla Ali is a triple threat - humanitarian, model and boxer. Her life inside and outside the ring represents her ruthless refusal to quit and passion to fight for what she believes in. In her first book, Ramla details ten key fights - a combination of life's constant challenges and real bouts she's endured both in and outside of the ring - that have shaped her remarkable rise to date. From her arrival in England as a refugee to being drawn to the energy and spirit of her first boxercise class; from the adrenaline of her first amateur fights to how she often powered on alone, searching for a community of women like her, and her biggest win of all: letting love into her life. Each relatable lesson is packed full of honesty and urgency, powering the reader on to become their own champion. ___________________ 'No matter where you start off in life, hard work, dedication and an unwillingness to give up will always see you through to your target. I hope you can take as much out of this book as I did' ANTHONY JOSHUA 'A gripping and essential read. She continues to turn her own immense personal achievements into positive change for others and make a mark not only in her sport, but also in the world' CAMILLA THURLOW 'A force for good ... Ali is tough, self-possessed, funny and unafraid to tell it how it is' FINANCIAL TIMES 'Ali radiates energy ... her ruthless refusal to quit has propelled her to the top of the sporting and fashion world' TELEGRAPH 'Is there anything Somali-born boxing champion Ramla Ali can't do?' VOGUE 'Here is a woman so determined and driven to meet her goals, 'hero' doesn't seem inappropriate' STYLIST 'Ramla Ali is an unstoppable force' ELLE

This book constitutes the first full volume dedicated to an academic analysis of the sport of boxing as depicted in British film. Through close textual analysis, production and reception histories and readings that establish social, cultural and political contexts, the book explores the ways in which prizefighters, amateur boxers, managers and supporters (from Regency gentry to East End gangsters) are represented on the British screen. Exploring a complex and controversial sport, it addresses not only the pain-versus-reward dilemma that boxing necessarily engenders, but also the frequently censorious attitude of those in authority, with boxing's social development facilitating a wider study around issues of class, gender and race, latterly contesting the whole notion of 'Britishness'. Varying in scope from Northern circuit comedies to London-based 'ladsploitation' films, from auteur entries by Alfred Hitchcock to programme fillers by E.J. Fancey, the boxing film also serves as a prism through which one can trace major historical shifts in the British film industry.