Boxers who you want to write an autobiography

Bit of a different one here. For me, there is one boxer whose autobiography I would love to read, when the time comes. Bernard Hopkins. You know he will give you some very interesting perspective on the man, who hasn't always been a fav of mine but who is fascinating man.

Also, waht Bio's can you guys recommend. Anyone read Froch's?

I have read Froch's sean, is ok, he does come across as very whiny about the Kessler fight unfortunately and like a lot of guys who write them whilst still active a lot of the stuff that could be genuinely interesting such as his split with Hennessy is not covered. Worth a read but pretty run of the mill stuff to be honest.

Would love Tyson to write one if he was honest and open about everything. Hopkins is another good shout. Would also love Naz to do a proper honest biography, between quitting so early, the split with ingle, prison and comeback rumours there is plenty to go at.

Of the modern boxers I have read recently Johnny Nelson's is surprisingly better than you would expect, Ray Leonard's is amzing in its honesty as is Bomber Graham's which is worth a read

Johnny Tapia would be an interesting read.

I am reading Errol Christies at the moment which I have to say is really excellent. I will review it on Jeff's thread when I finish.

I urge the entire board to steer clear of Oscar De La Hoyas book though. Sanitised and vomit inducing nonsense.

Just finished the Graham one, Rowley, and you're absolutely right - it makes absolutely no attempt to airbrush anything, does it? Interesting right the way through, I thought. Must confess, I bought Froch's and, as of yet, haven't managed to finish it. Big admirer of Carl, of course, but 'run of the mill', as you said, is probably the kindest words you could find for his book.

As for the question of the article, I think an autobiography by Matthew Saad Muhammad would be fantastic. Horrible childhood, a wildy exciting professional career, a tragic fall back to the bottom afterwards and then a gradual recovery, including outreach work with the same disadvantaged youths as he once was.

Alma, have you read the Duran biography 'Hands of Stone' by Christian Guidice? Think reaction amongst some 606v2 users was lukewarm, but I thought it was a good read.

rowley wrote:I have read Froch's sean, is ok, he does come across as very whiny about the Kessler fight unfortunately and like a lot of guys who write them whilst still active a lot of the stuff that could be genuinely interesting such as his split with Hennessy is not covered. Worth a read but pretty run of the mill stuff to be honest.

Would love Tyson to write one if he was honest and open about everything. Hopkins is another good shout. Would also love Naz to do a proper honest biography, between quitting so early, the split with ingle, prison and comeback rumours there is plenty to go at.

Of the modern boxers I have read recently Johnny Nelson's is surprisingly better than you would expect, Ray Leonard's is amzing in its honesty as is Bomber Graham's which is worth a read

Thanks for that on Froch, I can totally see it being like that. Kind of wish he had waited until retirment too, just because he is bound to be more honest about everythign than now.

Bhops should be the sort of Bio that just writes itself, hilly streets, prison, his sneaky tactics int he ring, and all he achieved. Naz i would love, but he is too hungry to have time to write haha.

SRL is getting a lot fo credit for his honesty.

Whats Eubank's like guys, I hear it is great?

Mind the windows Tino. wrote:Johnny Tapia would be an interesting read.

I am reading Errol Christies at the moment which I have to say is really excellent. I will review it on Jeff's thread when I finish.

I urge the entire board to steer clear of Oscar De La Hoyas book though. Sanitised and vomit inducing nonsense.

Oscars is that bad?

Tina, have got Tapia's book Ma Vida Loca, is as bonkers as you could wish to read, definitely in the couldn't make it up category, for all the mental stuff he has done he still comes across as a genuinely likeable guy.

Agree on DLH Tina, is right up there with Calzaghe's as the worst I have read.

Eubank's in another good read Sean, is particularly good about stuff like his mindset before fights and in training camps, but as you would perhaps expect from Eubank it does go off on some strange tangents, there is a chapter about a homeless bloke he moved into his home with his family but if you like the man you will like the book

rowley wrote:Tina, have got Tapia's book Ma Vida Loca, is as bonkers as you could wish to read, definitely in the couldn't make it up category, for all the mental stuff he has done he still comes across as a genuinely likeable guy.

Agree on DLH Tina, is right up there with Calzaghe's as the worst I have read.

Ahh, ok. Perhaps I should have looked it up as I didn't realise he had already published one. I may have to look out for it then.

Yes, sean, Oscar's book is purile garbage. By all means judge for yourself, but I could only get to the end out of morbid curiosity and a determination not to be beaten by such a bad book. Shame really as he was/is a real hero of mine. I wish I hadn't read it to be honest!

I have never read Joes effort, jeff. But if it is on a level with Oscar's, I will give it a miss.

rowley wrote:Eubank's in another good read Sean, is particularly good about stuff like his mindset before fights and in training camps, but as you would perhaps expect from Eubank it does go off on some strange tangents, there is a chapter about a homeless bloke he moved into his home with his family but if you like the man you will like the book

I love the man. Looking for it online, but not easy to find. Living in Canada don't help much either

Joe's suffers from the same problem Froch's does, as it was written when he was still active and still with Warren the things in his career which would be of genuine interest such as his split with Warren, the court case and his thoughts on his level of opposition and failure to secure the big fights are not covered so you get page and page of write ups about fights you don't care about, watching Calzaghe Starie was painful enough, reading about it just compounds the pain.

Mayweather's would be fascinating if he was actually going to be honest.

Valero's Conscience wrote:Mayweather's would be fascinating if he was actually going to be honest.

You think? If his verbal communication is anything to go by, I sincerely hope he pays for a brilliant ghostwriter. I am yet to hear him say a single interesting thing.

rowley wrote:Joe's suffers from the same problem Froch's does, as it was written when he was still active and still with Warren the things in his career which would be of genuine interest such as his split with Warren, the court case and his thoughts on his level of opposition and failure to secure the big fights are not covered so you get page and page of write ups about fights you don't care about, watching Calzaghe Starie was painful enough, reading about it just compounds the pain.

Yeah, that is a lot of stuff i would want to know about that isn't covered. Cashed in when he was a massive public figure, but by the sounds of it the quality suffered. I expect pure honesty from an autobiography about the topics that are covered. Otherwise, why write one.

Duran would be very interesting because of the cultural element as well as the fights.

Jane Couch anyone??? Haha, is there anyone madder than her in boxing?

Not autobiographies obviously but this is my current list of boxers in general I would like to see biographies of who to the best of my knowledge do not have readily available books available:

Abe Attell
Max Baer
Benny Leonard
Ezzard Charles
Jess Willard
Jim Driscoll
Jimmy Wilde

rowley wrote:Not autobiographies obviously but this is my current list of boxers in general I would like to see biographies of who to the best of my knowledge do not have readily available books available:

Ezzard Charles

That is criminal.

It is shocking isn't it tina, is also having a ruinous effect on my quest to have a biography of every heavyweight champion up until the point it becomes impossible.

rowley wrote:It is shocking isn't it tina, is also having a ruinous effect on my quest to have a biography of every heavyweight champion up until the point it becomes impossible.

Cant wait for the Francesco Damiani one.

Mind the windows Tino. wrote:

rowley wrote:It is shocking isn't it tina, is also having a ruinous effect on my quest to have a biography of every heavyweight champion up until the point it becomes impossible.

Cant wait for the Francesco Damiani one.

Think it is probably prudent to consider Holmes as a sensible place to end, as you say struggle to imagine anyone is writing a Damiani book, and if they do I have no desire to read it.

Mind the windows Tino. wrote:

Valero's Conscience wrote:Mayweather's would be fascinating if he was actually going to be honest.

You think? If his verbal communication is anything to go by, I sincerely hope he pays for a brilliant ghostwriter. I am yet to hear him say a single interesting thing.

I think ghostwriters help most celebrities in their autobiographies so i'm not worried there. I can imagine his childhood was interesting and with the things regarding his dad, the olympics, some of the fighters he's faced and his own personal life I think it would make an interesting read but I doubt he's be honest with anything that dents his ego.

Mayweather would be interesting, no doubt. Be full of failed attempts at Oscar Wildesque idioms though, haha