Randy Gordon has spent over 40 years in the world of professional boxing, as a broadcaster, ring announcer, New York State's athletic commissioner, editor of The Ring magazine, and host of SiriusXM Radio's At the Fights. No one else has ever seen the sport from so many different angles and from such lofty seats. In Glove Affair: My Lifelong Journey in the World of Professional Boxing, Gordon recounts never-before-heard stories of the boxing industry and offers insights into some of its most famous figures, including Hall-of-Famers Bert Sugar, Alexis Arguello, Bob Arum, and Mike Tyson. With the perspective only an insider can offer, Gordon also reflects on his times with Muhammad Ali-including the champ's mind-dazzling magic tricks and his thoughts on the "Thrilla' in Manila"-and provides a glimpse into the boxing commissioner's office with stories of a wild and fiery hearing and a commission employee's betrayal of the agency. From his days as a wheelchair bound, severely injured boy in 1959 to the most-widely-listened-to boxing talk show host on the radio, Gordon recalls his life story with passion, humor, and love. More than just another book on the Sweet Science, Glove Affair is a journey through the world of boxing through the eyes of a man who has seen it all.

"Al Bernstein has seen cable television sports grow up. In 30 Years, 30 Undeniable Truths he looks at his time in the industry through a prism that is unique to him. This book gives the reader an insight into the sometimes absurd world of television sports. There is a 31st undeniable truth: Al Bernstein is a truly funny man." —Barry Tompkins, Sportscaster for HBO, ESPN, FOX and SHOWTIME "Al Bernstein came into boxing during one of its greatest eras—the 1980s. Boxing was like a flower blossoming at that time. Al was right there for it. This book is so well written that it captures that feeling and as a reader I felt like he took me back to that time. Al is still at the top of his game as a broadcaster and this book shows why he has come so far and why he has announced more boxing than anybody else." —Emanuel Steward, Hall of Fame trainer, manager, and broadcaster "Like a conversation with Al. Funny, perceptive and refreshing." —Dave Farrar, author of THE PERFECT PUNTER, and British boxing commentator "From rodeo cowboy to nightclub singer to consummate boxing analyst, Al Bernstein's life is full of surprise, humor, and humanity. He takes us into the boxing world in a very exceptional way that I find mesmerizing. Terrific writing, it's clear Al has a nimble mind and very, very fast hands."—Garry Shandling, Emmy award winning comedian/actor For just over 30 years Al Bernstein has been one of the most recognizable and respected sportscasters in America. In those three decades, the "voice of boxing" reported the funny, poignant, and bizarre events that helped shape sports television, ESPN, boxing, Las Vegas, and SHOWTIME. With an eclectic cast of characters that includes every big name in boxing, including Marvin Hagler, Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, as well as such names in the entertainment world as Rodney Dangerfield, Sylvester Stallone, Russell Crowe, and Jerry Lewis, Bernstein's memoir will have you in stitches.

On October 30, 1974, in Kinshasa, Zaire, at the virtual center of Africa, two boxers were paid five million dollars apiece to confront each other in an epic match. One was Muhammad Ali, who vowed to reclaim the championship he had lost. The other was George Foreman, who was as taciturn as Ali was voluble and who kept his hands in his pockets "the way a hunter lays his rifle back into its velvet case." Observing them both was Norman Mailer, whose grasp of the titanic battle's feints and stratagems-and sensitivity to their deeper symbolism-made his 1975 book The Fight a masterpiece of sportswriting. Whether analyzing the fighters' moves, interpreting their characters, or weighing their competing claims on the African and American souls, Mailer was a commentator of unparalleled acumen-and surely one of the few intrepid enough to accompany Ali on a late-night run through the bush. Through The Fight he restores our tarnished notions of heroism to a blinding gleam, and establishes himself as a champion in his own right. Over four decades after its original publication, this edition of The Fight has been introduced and abridged by Mailer scholar J. Michael Lennon and illustrated for the first time with principal photography by the two men who captured Ali and Foreman in the ring and in private like no one else: Neil Leifer and Howard L. Bingham. Widely considered to be the greatest sports photographer of his generation, Neil Leifer's vibrant color coverage dominates from ringside. It also serves as a living testimony to the pageantry, sheer physical power, and deep psychological interplay of the fighters, their camps, and their controversial host, Zaire's President Mobutu Sese Seko. Behind the scenes, meanwhile, Howard Bingham was Ali's constant companion, documenting his every move from the moment he stepped off the plane in Zaire, his daily training regime, right through to the dressing room tension as he prepared to face Foreman once and for all. Together with pictures from other photojournalists, reproductions of Mailer's original manuscript pages, and additional visual documentation of the media frenzy surrounding the "Rumble in the Jungle," the result is a dazzling tribute to The Champ and a vivid document of one of the most epic, adrenaline-laced events in sporting history.

Darren and Gary Barker were the Fabulous Barker Boys. As amateurs, Darren won a Commonwealth Games gold medal while Gary, four years younger, won a Junior Olympic Games title.Then sadly, cruelly, Gary's life was cut short in a car accident when he was just 19, devastating the Barker family. Darren could not face boxing again.Inspired, however, by a brilliant therapist and mentored by a sympathetic trainer in Tony Sims, who had his own story of tragedy and loss, Darren got back into the ring and worked his way up to a world title shot. After first losing to the legendary Argentine, Sergio Martinez, and undergoing two hip operations, Darren finally returned to Atlantic City to wrest the IBF world title from the Australian Daniel Geale. A DAZZLING DARKNESS is written in collaboration with Ian Ridley, Sports Journalist of the Year in the British Press Awards 2007 and author of the best-selling Addicted, the autobiography of the former Arsenal and England captain Tony Adams. It is story of triumph out of tragedy, hope from despair, achievement from adversity.

IT WAS past three o'clock in the morning when Joe Calzaghe experienced the sweetest validation of his professional life. Victory over Jeff Lacy, a 28-year-old American compared to a young Mike Tyson because of his power and "take-no-prisoners attitude", left no one in doubt about the world super middleweight champion's talent. For years, Calzaghe's virtuosity remained a legend of the Welsh valleys. His defeat in 1997 of Chris Eubank brought him to prominence, winning for him the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) super middleweight title. But despite a record number of defences of the belt, his career lacked a defining contest. A long line of challengers and ex-titleholders were disposed of but the biggest names in American boxing avoided the ultimate showdown he craved. Hand injuries further obscured the true level of his aptitude for an art he began to learn from his father, Enzo, at the age of eight when - inspired by Sugar Ray Leonard - a rolled-up carpet in the family home in Newbridge became a makeshift heavy bag. This is the story of Calzaghe's extraordinary life, from his humble beginnings in his hometown of Newbridge, to his ascent to personal greatness, becoming the first super middleweight boxer to win the prized belt awarded by The Ring, the bible of boxing, in the division's near 20-year history. One of Britain's foremost sporting champions, a warrior and working-class hero, this is the story of the triumphs and trials that made Calzaghe a legend.

On a hot summer's night, in June 1985, in one of the most emotionally charged fights of all time, Barry McGuigan beat Eusebio Pedroza to become the featherweight champion of the world. An epic battle that lasted a full 15 rounds, it remains one of sport's greatest moments - watched by 27,000 spectators ringside and by a further 20 million on television around the world. Raised in the border town of Clones, Co. Monaghan, at the height of the troubles, Barry McGuigan united people across sectarian and religious divides during a difficult time in the country's political history. A Catholic, Barry married his Protestant childhood sweetheart, Sandra in 1981. An Irishman, he fought for the British title, wearing boxing shorts in the colours of the United Nation's Flag of Peace - and in place of a national anthem his musician father, Pat McGuigan would often sing a heartfelt rendition of 'Danny Boy' before a fight. Engaging and intelligent, McGuigan is a renowned and revered figure in the boxing world and beyond. In this candid autobiography, The Clones Cyclone shares his stories of extraordinary professional triumph and devastating personal tragedy.

Advanced Boxing utilizes the latest research in sports science and combat sports to focus on developing every aspect of a boxer's fighting to the most advanced extent. The focus of the book is on training a boxer to win competition fights. Sondhi and Thompson review the basics of boxing in order to provide the tools to begin an advanced boxing programme, focusing on specific development goals. They outline the best contemporary training methods, concentrating on yielding the most effective outcomes for the training boxer. Topics covered include: a 12-month training plan for considerably advancing a boxer's development; useful tips, lists and tables to help organize a training programme, and to maximize training effectiveness; the vitally important aspects of psychology, physiology, nutrition and coaching in a boxer's development; contemporary training methods based on the latest sports science thinking, and outlines new techniques for pad-holding, and finally, it focuses on turning a boxer into a winning athlete.

In "Scientific Boxing and Self Defence," Canadian Heavyweight Boxing Champion Tommy Burns shows the reader the techniques that made him a success. "Scientific Boxing and Self Defence" includes details on the scientific basis of boxing, ring strategy and tactics, diet, and proper training and conditioning.

Thomas Hauser has become "must reading" in the boxing community, and his latest book demonstrates why. Boxing Is . . . brings together all of Hauser's 2009 articles. In them, Hauser illuminates the behind-the-scenes stories of the year's most memorable personalities and events. He takes us from Manny Pacquiao's dressing room in the tense moments before 2009's biggest fight to an in-depth portrait of the incomparable Sugar Ray Robinson, all the while continuing to show why his annual collections, avidly anticipated by fans and critics alike, have become, according to columnist Bart Barry, "an essential part of boxing's official record and the chronicles of this era most likely to endure."

"The Text Book of Boxing" is one of the most important boxing books of all time. First published in 1914 and written by England's finest fighter, "The Text Book of Boxing" is a master class in the manly art of pugilism. This boxing manual contains over 40 photographs and detailed instructions on the proper execution of boxing techniques for both offense and defense. ***** This deluxe edition contains a newspaper report of the 1909 fight between Jim Driscoll and Abe Attell. ***** "Peerless" Jim Driscoll was born in Cardiff, Wales in 1881 and began his boxing career in 1901. He is considered by many to be the best pound-for-pound fighter of all time. During his illustrious boxing career, he earned the title of featherweight champion of the world and won the coveted Lonsdale Belt. ***** "Driscoll was the king of all boxers. From Driscoll, by a close study of his ways, I learned the wisdom of always leading with the left hand; he taught me much about stance, and how to time my blows so that they would have all the weight of my body behind them." Georges Carpentier

In 1892, "Gentleman" James J. Corbett defeated John L. Sullivan to become the heavyweight champion of the world. Using his own "scientific boxing" techniques, Corbett delivered a blistering lesson to the previously unbeatable Sullivan, ending the fight with a knockout in the 21st round. With Corbett's win, a new era in boxing began. ***** Corbett is considered by many to be the "father of modern boxing" for being the first person to apply scientific principles to the art of pugilism. In "Scientific Boxing," the creator of such boxing innovations as the "left hook" distills his scientific methodology into an accessible manual of boxing techniques. This classic book contains sections on fundamental boxing techniques, fouling techniques, and the various boxing rules of his time. ***** This deluxe edition of "Scientific Boxing" contains additional photos and an added account of the fight between Corbett and Sullivan. ***** James J. Corbett (1866-1933) held the title of heavyweight champion from 1892 to 1897. He was the first to win the title under the Marquis of Queensberry rules. College educated, Corbett was also an actor, writer, and boxing coach. ***** "Corbett marked the turning point in ring history, replacing mauling sluggers with the new school of faster, scientific boxers." Bob Burrill, "Who's Who in Boxing"

Seven young women, all murdered in the most disgusting manner imaginable. Unimaginable, in fact: a first of its kind, and never before explicitly revealed. All the victims were prostitutes. All were dumped naked after having been stored by their killer as sex toys. Some of them were mothers. Each was someone's daughter. And for more than fifty years the author has lived with the haunting secret that he was once suspected by Scotland Yard of being a serial killer more depraved and dangerous than Jack the Ripper. In the killing-spree that lasted more than a year, the author had a mole deep inside Scotland Yard's Murder Squad, similar to "Deep Throat" of Watergate scandal, who was drip-feeding him the step-by-step ploys to snare the monster who brought terror to the streets of West London. Hundreds of police women, posing as prostitutes, flooded the red-light districts, hoping to be selected by the killer - more hopeful, though, that the back-up would swoop to the rescue in time. At one point, Scotland Yard feared that a prostitute, missing for more than a fortnight, had become the eighth victim and appealed to the public for help. It took the author just eleven hours to track her down and hand her alive and well to the Murder Squad. When the killings stopped, the most senior member of the Murder Squad claimed that the serial killer had committed suicide and an innocent man was named in a deceitful cover-up. The author fingers the real serial killer, a celebrity and national treasure who died in circumstances arguably even more bizarre than the manner in which he murdered his victims.

Hands are the most accessible, effective and natural tool available for use in self defence situations. This manual takes the reader step by step through the moves and techniques required to become competent in real punching. These moves can be used to compliment other forms of martial arts, or used alone in close-range self defence. Topics covered include sparring, stances, the jab, the cross, footwork, defences, "cheeky" shots and hooks.

When Muhammad Ali died, many mourned the life of the greatest sportsman the world had ever seen. In Redemption Song, Mike Marqusee argues that Ali was not just a boxer but a remarkable political figure in a decade of tumultuous change. Playful, popular, always confrontational, Ali refashioned the role of a political activist and was central, alongside figures such as Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, to the black liberation and the anti-war movements. Marqusee shows that sport and politics were always intertwined, and this is the reason why Ali remained an international beacon of hope, long after he had left the ring.

In 1974 in Kinshasa, Zaire, two African American boxers were paid five million dollars apiece to fight each other. One was Muhammad Ali, the aging but irrepressible "professor of boxing." The other was George Foreman, who was as taciturn as Ali was voluble. Observing them was Norman Mailer, a commentator of unparalleled energy, acumen, and audacity. Whether he is analyzing the fighters' moves, interpreting their characters, or weighing their competing claims on the African and American souls, Mailer's grasp of the titanic battle's feints and stratagems--and his sensitivity to their deeper symbolism--makes this book a masterpiece of the literature of sport.
Praise for "The Fight"
" "
"Exquisitely refined and attenuated . . . a] sensitive portrait of an extraordinary athlete and man, and a pugilistic drama fully as exciting as the reality on which it is based."--"The New York Times"
"One of the defining texts of sports journalism. Not only does Mailer recall the violent combat with a scholar's eye . . . he also makes the whole act of reporting seem as exciting as what's occurring in the ring."--"GQ"
"Stylistically, Mailer was the greatest boxing writer of all time."--Chuck Klosterman, "Esquire"
"One of Mailer's finest books."--Louis Menand, "The New Yorker"
Praise for Norman Mailer
" Norman Mailer] loomed over American letters longer and larger than any other writer of his generation."--"The New York Times"
"A writer of the greatest and most reckless talent."--"The New Yorker"
"Mailer is indispensable, an American treasure."--"The Washington Post"
"A devastatingly alive and original creative mind."--"Life"
"Mailer is fierce, courageous, and reckless and nearly everything he writes has sections of headlong brilliance."--"The New York Review of Books"
"The largest mind and imagination in modern] American literature . . . Unlike just about every American writer since Henry James, Mailer has managed to grow and become richer in wisdom with each new book."--"Chicago Tribune"
"Mailer is a master of his craft. His language carries you through the story like a leaf on a stream."--"The Cincinnati Post"

Jock McAvoy was influenced by his poor 1930s background. A ferocious fighter, a special kind of person who fought hard to give his family a better standard of living. Many older boxing journalists believe that the romance of the ring and its hungry exponents rest, almost entirely, in the years gone by. The 1930s were, without doubt, the greatest period in British boxing history. On the social side, this period was hard and desolate: there was no welfare state, conditions of employment for this generation were oppressive, everyone worked for wages that allowed no margin for illness. If a man didn't work, he and his family went hungry. Man was at his best when up against it and thousands fought to put food on the table for their families. "McAvoy: Portrait of a Fighting Legend" lays not only a man but an era to rest.

Gleason's Gym is the last remaining institution of New York's Golden Age of boxing. Jake LaMotta, Muhammad Ali, Hector Camacho, Mike Tyson--the alumni of Gleason's are a roster of boxing greats. Founded in the Bronx in 1937, Gleason's moved in the mid-1980s to what has since become one of New York's wealthiest residential areas--Brooklyn's DUMBO. Gleason's has also transformed, opening its doors to new members, particularly women and white-collar men. "Come Out Swinging" is Lucia Trimbur's nuanced insider's account of a place that was once the domain of poor and working-class men of color but is now shared by rich and poor, male and female, black and white, and young and old.

"Come Out Swinging" chronicles the everyday world of the gym. Its diverse members train, fight, talk, and socialize together. We meet amateurs for whom boxing is a full-time, unpaid job. We get to know the trainers who act as their father figures and mentors. We are introduced to women who empower themselves physically and mentally. And we encounter the male urban professionals who pay handsomely to learn to box, and to access a form of masculinity missing from their office-bound lives. Ultimately, "Come Out Swinging" reveals how Gleason's meets the needs of a variety of people who, despite their differences, are connected through discipline and sport.

While humans have used their hands to engage in combat since the dawn of man, boxing originated in Ancient Greece as an Olympic event. It is one of the most popular, controversial and misunderstood sports in the world. For its advocates, it is a heroic expression of unfettered individualism. For its critics, it is a depraved and ruthless physical and commercial exploitation of mostly poor young men. This Companion offers engaging and informative essays about the social impact and historical importance of the sport of boxing. It includes a comprehensive chronology of the sport, listing all the important events and personalities. Essays examine topics such as women in boxing, boxing and the rise of television, boxing in Africa, boxing and literature, and boxing and Hollywood films. A unique book for scholars and fans alike, this Companion explores the sport from its inception in Ancient Greece to the death of its most celebrated figure, Muhammad Ali.

Although dramatic head kicks and garrote-tight submissions may get most of the airplay in highlight reels, the stats show that punching combinations and knockouts reap more MMA victories than any other fighting technique. This boxing primer not only covers the basics, including stance, footwork, punches, and combinations, it takes these boxing skills and views them through an MMA prism that addresses the realities of the mixed martial arts game. While there are some must-know fistic skills for MMA, there are also more than a few boxing tactics that will get you smashed in MMA. "Boxing for MMA" builds on the good and tosses the bad, discussing the differences in strategy and tactics when it comes to facing likely MMA scenarios. Matchups covered include Boxing vs. Wrestling, Boxing vs. Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing vs. Muay Thai, Boxing vs. the Slugger, Dirty Boxing Inside the Clinch, and Boxing off of the Fence. All the techniques are illustrated in hundreds of action-sequence images, making this guide the go-to resource for blending boxing skills into your fighting arsenal.

'A riveting read about an amazing man' THE SUN Legendary boxer Muhammad Ali visited Michael Parkinson's chat show sofa four times, culminating in an iconic interview in 1971. Muhammad Ali: A Memoir is a fresh, revealing and personal account of the life of the most important and enduring cultural figures of our age. An icon of boxing who has inspired the biggest names in boxing, from Mike Tyson to Anthony Joshua, this is the story of boxing's biggest star. Muhammad Ali was God's Gift to the interviewer. Funny, articulate, outspoken with a fascinating life story, unparalleled talent and controversial views. These 4 interviews charted Ali's life, revealing significant phases at different times, charting the rise and fall of this kaleidoscope of a man. In Muhammad Ali: A Memoir Sir Michael Parkinson will bring his award-winning journalistic talents to bear on this extraordinary man. The book will mix personal recollections of the times they met with selected transcripts of the famous and, in the case of the 1974 meeting, infamous interviews all brought together and contextualised by a sober and honest assessment of the life and times of a figure that, it is certain, we will never see the like of again.