I WANT TO READ A BOOK!!!!

Just a quickie!!

Has any of the fine gents that populate this board read Sam Langford: Boxing's Greatest Uncrowned Champion by Clay Moyle?

Have read a few boxing books but am often surprised at how poorly written they are.

Langford is a fighter that I don’t know an awful lot about but is often mentioned as a great so thought it would make interesting reading, has anyone read it and if so, is it any good?

If anyone could also make any other recomendations of books on fighters from a bygone age that would be much appreciated.

Lots of Love

Sir. Badgerhands

Wait for Rowley or check the boxing book review page.

Think this was one he liked.

Charley Burley and the Black Murderers' Row is also a very good book.

1776 War of independence by David mccullough..............

Proud Americans by Garth Ennis

The rough guide to the USA by Sam Cook..

Post another thread when you've read these..

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:1776 War of independence by David mccullough..............

At least you don't call it a 'revolution' like some of your peers.....

Cheers huw I shall have a looksy.

Not sure what your issue is truss, but hey ho.

Sir. badgerhands wrote:Cheers huw I shall have a looksy.

Not sure what your issue is truss, but hey ho.

Chill out........Bit of fun...

Ray Leonard's biography was a good read..

Then i shall have a look at that also truss.

Have often heard the Harry Greb book is very good, somewhat on the pricey side however.

Thanks for the recommendations chaps.

Have read it Sir Badger and it's a great book, especially if it's still around the £18.00 mark, he's also brought out another about Billy Miske . As has been mentioned Rowley and others have reviewed the majority of the books about today in the review section. Clay is also a member on here and contibuted a lot a year and a bit ago, he has some posts on the review section.

I've almost finished reading David Margolick's 'Beyond Glory: Joe Louis versus Max Schmeling, and a World on the Brink.' And if the final few pages are as good as the rest of it has been, then it might well be rocketing to my number one boxing-related book; it's been absolutely fantastic to read so far. Definitely one to have a look at if you enjoy the way that boxing has fused politics with athletes like no other sport has at various points in history. Will be putting a proper review in the book section soon enough, but for now just take my word for it!

If you want to learn a bit more about the consensus greatest himself, I'd go for Herb Boyd's book on Robinson called 'Pound for Pound.' Most people go with Dave Anderson's book on Sugar Ray, but for me Boyd's one wipes the floor with it; far more honest and doesn't look to airbrush out Robinson's darker moments, be they in the ring or out of it.

I've ploughed through a lot of other biographies in the past couple of years or so, but two which stood out were 'Babyface goes to Hollywood' by Andrew Gallimore (a biography of Jimmy McLarnin) and also 'Tunney' by Jack Kavanaugh.

Oh, and I quite enjoyed 'Jacobs Beach' by Kevin Mitchell, which examines Mob control of Madison Square Garden and big-time boxing in general from the era of prohibition right up until the sixties......But I was just about the only one who did, whereas just about everyone else panned it, so make of that what you will!

Cheers for the tips Galv and Chris.

Will certainly check out the SRR book by Herb Boyd.
Do like "warts an all" books.

Looks like a bit of Amazon shopping is due today (last week at work, so I'm sure I can make time!!)

Many Thanks Chaps.

88Chris05 wrote:

Oh, and I quite enjoyed 'Jacobs Beach' by Kevin Mitchell, which examines Mob control of Madison Square Garden and big-time boxing in general from the era of prohibition right up until the sixties......But I was just about the only one who did, whereas just about everyone else panned it, so make of that what you will!

I also enjoyed the book but don't like to stick up for Chris when the cool kids are around.

Four Kings - About Leonard, Hearns, Hagler and Duran is a really good read. Most guys on here know more than me though but I found it a great read.

Another interesting one is Night Train which is about Sonny Liston.

Loads of interesting information in there only spoiled slightly with the author trying to turn it into a who done it towards the end.

A decent book though and a little lighter than some of the other options.

Gave Night Train a read seveal years back, forgot I'd read that one till you mentioned it. Was good.

Men of Steel, was good if you gents haven't already read it.
It's a history of the MW crown starting back in the days of the original Jack Dempsey (not the HW) and going all the way upto Michael Nunn, bit dated now but still a great read.

Looks like I'm going to have to start adding some of these to my ever growing fathers day list

If you're a fan of warts 'n' all books, badgerhands, then you should give Mark Kram's 'Ghosts of Manila' a go if you haven't already.

Or Ray Leonard's autobiography, for that matter. I'm not sure what the general consensus is for that one, but I thought it was excellent. Ray certainly was a bit of a lad back in his pomp, for sure - I'm not sure anyone else has ever stood up Nelson Mandela!

The Langford book is outstanding, definitely worth a read, would echo the recommendations for Babyface goes to Hollywood and Kavanaugh's Tunney biography. Others I have enjoyed a lot recently are Jersey Joe Walcott by James Curl and Aycock and Scott's biography of Joe Gans which was brilliant.

Both of the last are published by Mcfarland Publishing. I have got a few of their boxing books and am yet to read a bad one, they are expensive though unfortunately.

No Ordinary Joe by Joe Calzaghe I hear is very good too. it gets the Rowley

One day someone is going to buy that book on the back of your constant praising of it adam. Are you happy to have that on your conscience?

Having talked to Enzo Calzaghe last week and had him plug his book, I might have a new favourite!

would you like a signed copy? (seriously - I could most probably get you one!)

Cheers Rowley, they all look just the sort of era I'm interested in.

Keep looking out for a decent book on Ketchel but there doesn't seem much about.

Windy always spoke highly of a book on Harry Greb, but he was obviously as deep in pockets as he was in knowledge as it always seems very expensive.

Adam - How could you!!! The Calzaghe book is godawful, adds about as much to boxing history as the Billy Bluehat and Jennifer Yellowhat kids books. They were slightly better written however

Someone mentioned the boxing book review section earlier, so apologies if this post should have been put on there instead.

david hayes book written by the east side boxing guy is a literature masterclass and comes highly recommended by me

If it's written by someone on Eastside I'm fully expecting a colouring and join the dots section with ample expletives thrown in for good measure?

There is very little on Ketchel. The Killings of Stanley Ketchel by James Carlos Blake is a good read but it has to be remembered it is a work of fiction and not in any way a biography. There is a formal biography of Ketchel, but I have heard it a patchy old affair

Adam D wrote:No Ordinary Joe by Joe Calzaghe I hear is very good too. it gets the Rowley

Question is does this book tarnish his legacy as much as it should?

Obviously you have a few areas where he is compared with Froch, using general evaluations:

Record:
Calzaghe 10 Froch 9 - Calzaghe never lost

Longevity:
Calzaghe 10 Froch 9 - Calzaghe unified and was a champion forever

Ability:
Calzaghe 10 Froch 9 - superior handspeed / skill

Book:
Calzaghe 0 Froch 10 - the fact Froch hasn't written a book means that he wins this one hands down.

Total:
Calzaghe 30 Froch 37

Conclusive proof that Froch should be held in higher esteem than Calzaghe.

Rowley wrote:There is very little on Ketchel. The Killings of Stanley Ketchel by James Carlos Blake is a good read but it has to be remembered it is a work of fiction and not in any way a biography. There is a formal biography of Ketchel, but I have heard it a patchy old affair

I steered clear of the James Carlos book due to it being a work of fiction.

Surprised no-one has written a decent book on him yet, sounded a fascinating character if something of a nightmare outside the ring. When you throw in other fighters from the time like Papke and Johnson who would feature in his story, sounds like a winner to me.

The Calzaghe book only pops up in my memory because of the story about Carl Thomson threatening to squash Prince Naseem in the back of a limo

Sugar Ray Robinson: Sugar Ray (autobiography). Best book I've ever read.

88Chris05 wrote:If you're a fan of warts 'n' all books, badgerhands, then you should give Mark Kram's 'Ghosts of Manila' a go if you haven't already.

Or Ray Leonard's autobiography, for that matter. I'm not sure what the general consensus is for that one, but I thought it was excellent. Ray certainly was a bit of a lad back in his pomp, for sure - I'm not sure anyone else has ever stood up Nelson Mandela!

Would agree with Chris here as well, very interesting book and nice to read something about Ali that shows some of his faults rather than portraying him as some modern day saint.