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Damage has been shortlisted for the 2021 William Hill Sports Book
of The Year award! "This is the book that boxing has always
needed...It is shattering yet moving, informative yet tender...An
essential read for anyone who cares about boxing and its
courageous, damaged fighters."-Donald McRae, The Guardian "Anyone
who loves boxing-even the sport's most die-hard supporters-must
take a longer and more serious look at the issues that Tris Dixon
writes about with such nuance and humanity in Damage..."-Greg
Bishop, Senior Writer, Sports Illustrated It's an old story-a
fighter gains fame, drives fast cars, makes piles of cash, and
dates beautiful women. Then comes the fall-booze, drugs,
depression, poverty, illness. This dark narrative has been playing
out for a hundred years. Doctors first identified "Punch Drunk
Syndrome" in 1928. It later became known as "Dementia Pugilistica."
Today, we call it CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy). The
secret history of this disease in boxing has never been fully told-
until now. In Damage, Tris Dixon uncovers the difficult truths of
boxing and CTE and chronicles the lives of fighters affected by it.
He interviews some of the sport's biggest names, some lesser-known
journeymen, and highly respected trainers and other figures to try
to understand why no one wants to discuss CTE or take
responsibility for it. Ultimately, Dixon takes aim at what boxing
can do to help the warriors who sacrifice their health seeking
glory in the ring. Will this book finally drive the sport to
address the issue and help fighters get the help they deserve?
Matthew Saad Muhammad was arguably the most exciting fighter of all
time. He was WBC light-heavyweight champion from 1979 to 1981, but
it wasn't what he did that captured the hearts of fight fans, it
was how he did it. Fight after fight was war after war. He would
get beaten up, cut, dropped and virtually knocked out only to
astonishingly rally and score come-from-behind victories. But
through it all there was a shocking backstory. Abandoned by his
birth parents aged just four, Matthew was raised in a Catholic
orphanage and then adopted by a Portuguese family. He fell into a
life of gangs and prison before boxing provided an escape, becoming
a vehicle for him to find his real identity: who was he, and who
were his parents? His rise to stardom was followed by a long, sad
decline as he travelled the world trying to reclaim his former
glories. He spent his final years in a Philadelphia homeless
shelter, plagued by health issues. This is the definitive account
of Matthew's incredible but heart-rending story.
Shortlisted for the 2021 William Hill Sports Book of The Year
award. "This is the book that boxing has always needed...It is
shattering yet moving, informative yet tender...An essential read
for anyone who cares about boxing and its courageous, damaged
fighters."-Donald McRae, The Guardian "Anyone who loves boxing-even
the sport's most die-hard supporters-must take a longer and more
serious look at the issues that Tris Dixon writes about with such
nuance and humanity in Damage..."-Greg Bishop, Senior Writer,
Sports Illustrated It's an old story-a fighter gains fame, drives
fast cars, makes piles of cash, and dates beautiful women. Then
comes the fall-booze, drugs, depression, poverty, illness. This
dark narrative has been playing out for a hundred years. Doctors
first identified "Punch Drunk Syndrome" in 1928. It later became
known as "Dementia Pugilistica." Today, we call it CTE (chronic
traumatic encephalopathy). The secret history of this disease in
boxing has never been fully told- until now. In Damage, Tris Dixon
uncovers the difficult truths of boxing and CTE and chronicles the
lives of fighters affected by it. He interviews some of the sport's
biggest names, some lesser-known journeymen, and highly respected
trainers and other figures to try to understand why no one wants to
discuss CTE or take responsibility for it. Ultimately, Dixon takes
aim at what boxing can do to help the warriors who sacrifice their
health seeking glory in the ring. Will this book finally drive the
sport to address the issue and help fighters get the help they
deserve?
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