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Books > Sport & Leisure > Sports & outdoor recreation > Combat sports & self-defence > Boxing
Rocky Marciano accomplished a feat that eluded legendary champions
like Joe Louis, Jack Dempsey, Muhammad Ali, and Mike Tyson: he
never lost a professional fight. When he retired in 1956, his
record was a perfect 49-0. Unbeaten is the revelatory biography of
one of the greatest heavyweights of all time. Marciano rose from
abject poverty and a life of petty crime to become heavyweight
champion and one of the most famous faces of his era. He dominated
boxing in the decade following the Second World War with a
devastating punch, which he nicknamed the `Suzie Q'. But perfection
came at a price. Pulitzer Prize-winner Mike Stanton tells the story
of Marciano's pursuit of greatness through the era of guys and
dolls, hustlers and gamblers, glamorous celebrities and notorious
mobsters. But boxing had its dark side, particularly at a time when
Mafia mob bosses like Blinky Palermo and Frankie Carbo wielded
immense power behind the scenes. Marciano retired while still in
his prime, weighed down by the mob's influence in the sport he
loved. For the last decade of his life, he wandered America,
disillusioned, untrusting, hiding his money, cheating on his wife,
consorting with the mobsters he had loathed for corrupting his
sport, until his death in a plane crash in 1969, the night before
his 46th birthday. Unbeaten by Mike Stanton is the story of a
remarkable champion, a sport that was rotten to its core, and a
country that may have expected too much from its heroes.
March 2016: following a brutal title fight with Chris Eubank Jr,
former British champion Nick Blackwell ended up fighting for his
life in a coma. That night, victory was no longer important; boxing
was no longer a sport. Elliot Worsell, journalist and lifelong
boxing fan, had been ringside and in the dressing rooms at Wembley,
and what he saw and heard would transform his view of the sport he
loves and force him to question his own complicity. In Dog Rounds,
Worsell goes in search of boxers who have killed in the ring.
Spending time with these pariahs and returning to the venues in
which tragedies occurred, Worsell reveals the extent of the
devastation left behind. In doing so, he uncovers an incredible
story of guilt, forgiveness, obsession and violence.
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.
Want to Double Your Striking and Grappling Power Within Weeks?
Tired of training and still not gaining more power and
explosiveness? What essential quality do all knockout fighters
possess? Simple. They possess the attribute most responsible for
finishing fights quickly and decisively-power. Regardless of your
combat style...you cannot win by knockout or submission unless you
can generate and connect with superior force. Crippling power and
destructive explosiveness are often the difference between winning
and losing a close fight or bout against a highly skilled opponent.
Learn The #1 Power Training System for Martial Arts, MMA, Boxing,
Wrestling, and Self-Defense. Based on scientific training methods
of combat masters, such as Bruce Lee, and champion boxers, MMA
fighters, and wrestlers...Power Training for Combat, MMA, Boxing,
Wrestling, Martial Arts, and Self-Defense provides basic,
intermediate, and advanced teachings and training methods to
maximize power for competition and self-defense. The Combat
PowerSync training system...detailed in this guide...is the most
complete, innovative, and effective method for maximizing total
power for applied combat. Combat PowerSync comprises and utilizes
every element of power fighting and power science. Discover The 8
Keys to Superior Combat Power 1. Knockouts and Submissions:
Knockout power is the great equalizer in a fight because it can
deliver a fast and definitive victory for the well-trained power
fighter. Learn the science and physiology of knockout striking and
power grappling. 2. Combat PowerSync: Developing total fighting
power is the key to maximizing your innate power potential. Combat
PowerSync is the most rapid and effective process for maximizing
your total combat power and ability to finish fights quickly. 3.
Power Principles: Learn the seven fundamental principles of combat
power. With knowledge of these core principles, you will have a
solid starting point for building the foundation of your power
training program. 4. Power Attributes: Discover the most important
attributes for knockout power. You will master the building blocks
of combat power and learn how to close your power gaps 5. Power
Weapons: Learn proven strikes, takedowns, chokes, and locks to
incapacitate an opponent in seconds. Based on science and
statistics-these are the "go-to weapons" for power fighters,
because they deliver consistent knockouts and submissions. 6. Power
Training Tools: Improve your power attributes and skills in the
shortest possible time with the same training tools and equipment
used by combat champions for maximizing knockout and submission
proficiency. 7. Power Training Program: Get a successful jumpstart
on your power development by creating a customized training
program. Using simple and convenient tools-you will learn how to
plan, execute, and adapt your training for continuous power
improvements. 8. Combat Power Inspiration: Gain rare insights into
the power of the greatest knockout strikers and grapplers. Plus,
learn how to increase your power IQ and maintain your training
motivation. Get a Bonus Chapter In addition to a step-by-step guide
on combat power training, you will receive bonus information on how
to avoid knockouts and submissions. Discover 18 solutions for
knockout and submission prevention. Learn drills, exercises, and
tips to avoid or counter power strikes and submissions.
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.
The Ultimate Guide to Boxing Nutrition will teach you how to
increase your RMR (resting metabolic rate) to accelerate your
metabolism and help you change your body for good. Learn how to get
in top shape and reach your ideal weight through smart nutrition so
that you can perform at your very best. Eating complex
carbohydrates, protein, and natural fats in the right amount and
percentages as well as increasing your RMR will make you faster,
more agile, and more resistant. This book will help you to:
-Prevent dehydration. -Prevent getting cramps. -Get tired less.
-Recover faster after competing or training. -Have more energy
before, during, and after competition. By eating right and
improving the way you feed your body you will also reduce injuries
and be less prone to them in the future. Being too thick or too
thin are two common reasons injuries happen and is the main reason
most athletes have trouble reaching their peak performance. Three
nutrition plan options are explained in detail. You can choose
which one is best for you depending on your overall physical
condition. One of the first changes most people who start this
nutrition plan see is endurance. They get less tired and have more
energy. Any athlete who wants to be in the best shape ever needs to
read this book and start making long term changes that will get
them where they want to be. No matter where you are right now or
what you're doing, you can always improve yourself. Joseph Correa
is a certified sports nutritionist and a professional athlete.
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.
Tom Lotta was army lightweight champion 1944-1945. Tom fought 48
times, losing twice on decisions. One of those losses was to Joe
Brown who later became the undisputed lightweight champion of the
world. Tom wrote this book to introduce basic boxing skills that
are concise enough and simple enough for youngsters. This book is
also the official instruction manual for the Canadian Boxing Hall
of Fame.
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.
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."
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