Autobiographies you have read

As I am sure most of you have, I have read a lot of autobiographies about boxers and cannot remember all the details or even the title of the books. So was wondering whose have you read and what was the most distinctive things that you remember about them. The quirkier the better.

Ali – over 500 pages but great read. I was impressed with how hard he trained and I think he said that once the tiredness was setting in on his training session was when he started it properly.

John L Sullivan – strongest man on the planet who drank a lot and fought bare knuckles.

Jack Johnson – Did not give a crap about society and the taboos, just wanted to make money.

Jack Dempsey – A hobo, draft dodger with a picture with nice shoes on, and his restaurant.

Rocky Marciano – Trained 3 months solid to prepare for a fight.

Sugar Ray Robinson – Had an illegitimate child when he was very young.

Joe Louis – showed early signs of mental illness, thought he was getting poisoned in rooms that had air condition. Told never to celebrate over his opponent because it would remind people about Jack Johnson.

Eubanks – on his dads funeral saying he was a wife beater and getting chased outside the funeral. Also gave up winning the fight against Watson in the rematch at the half way point and just took the beating.

Benn – in the army during Northern Ireland, went to celebrity sex parties.

Nice list. De La Hoya's was pretty bad except the part about womanizing. :D

Good thread Master. I got interested in boxing from hearing my father talk about Louis and Marciano when I was growing up. The first boxing Bio I read was about Jack Dempsey, "The Manassa Mauler", I must have read a half dozen more about Dempsey after the first one, it got me hooked on boxing. :)

Terry Marsh !
Mike Tyson
John L Sullivan
Roberto Duran
Joe Calzaghe
And a few others , and many other book's about boxing.:)

I haven't read that many to be honest. I look forward to hearing any recommendations.

I read benn's a few years ago on holiday only boxing book ive read, thought it was a good read

Does anyone have a good recommendation for a Sonny Liston biography?

On my list to read:

The Rise and Fall of Alexis Arguello

Charley Burley: The Life and Hard Times of an Uncrowned Champion
Charey Burley and the Black Murderers Row

Sweet Thunder: The life and Times of Sugar Ray Robinson

The Good Son: The Life of Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini - coming out later this year

Ray Arcel: A Boxing Biography

If there are better books on the above fighters, please let me know. Also, if there any must-read, well-written biographies that are recommended, please too let me know.

Wicked-naz hamed
Awsum read obviously naz was detested early in his career even as an amature and he thrived on it, the way brenden ingle says naz's life is goin to go, to wat actually happens is like he has a crystal ball?!? Thrashin fast cars, not listenin in fights or trainin proper, the night he fights steve robbo in wales is a very gud chapter!!

I have read the Dark Trade and it is about how they manoeuvred and manipulated Tyson from jail to WBC champion without having to face any real opposition making millions in the process and Tyson getting sweet FA from it.

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Originally Posted by Rantcatrat

Does anyone have a good recommendation for a Sonny Liston biography?

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Night Train for Sonny Liston forgot about that one. Really sad the victimisation and police brutality he faced.

Read:

Gentleman Jim Corbett
Joe Calzaghe
Ricky Hatton
Jane Couch
Nigel Benn
Eubank
Roberto Duran
Carl Froch (not particularly interesting)
Ali
Herbie Hide
Johnny Owen - Great read
Paddy and the Prince
Lennox Lewis
Evander Holyfield
Frank Maloney - some funny stuff in that
Barry Mcguigan
Frank Bruno
Reg Gutteridge
Mickey Vann
Ruben Carter
Jack Johnson - very good but feel like you have to read the footnotes which can get very very tedious! lol


Own but still not read (or partially read):

De la Hoya
Dave Charnley
Joe Louis - actually started reading this years ago but will have to start again
Henry Cooper

Not an autobiography but the book war, baby is a good read. All about the Benn vs Mclellan fight.

Most of the books I have read were before I joined thearmy and before I had my little girl. There's so many more I want to read....we can all have dreams! ;D

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Originally Posted by Master

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Originally Posted by Rantcatrat

Does anyone have a good recommendation for a Sonny Liston biography?

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Night Train for Sonny Liston forgot about that one. Really sad the victimisation and police brutality he faced.

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Definitely a book I will have to purchase!

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Originally Posted by Master

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Originally Posted by Rantcatrat

Does anyone have a good recommendation for a Sonny Liston biography?

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Night Train for Sonny Liston forgot about that one. Really sad the victimisation and police brutality he faced.

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Cool. I'll check it out.

Reading Errol Christie at the moment , good read. coming to the point that
i am running out of Boxing books to read , not boasting at all but i have
hundreds of books , some handed down from my grandfather who boxed
for the Army.

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Originally Posted by roberto duran legend

Reading Errol Christie at the moment , good read. coming to the point that
i am running out of Boxing books to read , not boasting at all but i have
hundreds of books , some handed down from my grandfather who boxed
for the Army.

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Think I read the review for that in Boxing Monthly, might have to get myself to Amazon ;)

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Originally Posted by armyash

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Originally Posted by roberto duran legend

Reading Errol Christie at the moment , good read. coming to the point that
i am running out of Boxing books to read , not boasting at all but i have
hundreds of books , some handed down from my grandfather who boxed
for the Army.

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Think I read the review for that in Boxing Monthly, might have to get myself to Amazon ;)

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Its worth buying mate , intresting reading what it was like in the
80,s when i was a kid , Was not so pleasant for poor Errol.
well worth a few quid on Amazon.

This may come as a surprise but Mickey Duffs book is a fantastic
read IMO and only costs a couple of quid on Amazon, just finished
it and it was very intresting.

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Originally Posted by roberto duran legend

Quote:

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Originally Posted by armyash

Quote:

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Originally Posted by roberto duran legend

Reading Errol Christie at the moment , good read. coming to the point that
i am running out of Boxing books to read , not boasting at all but i have
hundreds of books , some handed down from my grandfather who boxed
for the Army.

---

Think I read the review for that in Boxing Monthly, might have to get myself to Amazon ;)

---

Its worth buying mate , intresting reading what it was like in the
80,s when i was a kid , Was not so pleasant for poor Errol.
well worth a few quid on Amazon.

---

Sounds good mate think i'll buy it tomorrow! will let ya know what i think of it!

I have found boxer's biographies and autobiographies, along with boxing reportage and books detailing the cultural and historical heritage this great sport has left us, to be among the most enthralling and well written pieces, I have had the pleasure of reading. The obvious symbolism between the struggle through life and the drama of a fight, it's lengthy preparation, complete with sacrifice, planning , intrigue and the fascinating characters around the fight game, make it a rich subject that even an averagely gifted writer can render unputdownable.

I too have a large and varied boxing library that i am continuing to build on with a weekly visit to a few specific charity bookstores and the occasional treat from amazon. I have said it before I am sure ,but i would recommend Smokin Joe - The Joe Frazier Biography, for an insight into what it was like to be on the receiving end of Ali at his mose base and uneddifying. "Dark Trade" by Doanld McCrae because it is brilliant and brutal, just like the noble art.Anything by Hugh Mcilvanney(check out his writing on football too) because he is a sports writer who could quite effortlessly hold his own with many of last centuries great novelists, he really is that good. If you haven't read anything about the birth of this beautiful art form then "Master of the Ring:The Extraordainary life of Jem Mace Father of Boxing and the First Worldwide Sports star" is well worth a gander.

the 3 best auto-biographies i have read are..
1. Ali by Thomas Hauser

2. Money myth and betrayal , story of tyson's life right up to he got jailed

2. Barry McGuigan , some great stuff especialy when he got barney eastwood to write a $250k note to him saying that if he lost to cruz eastwood would pay him this....this is because barry was injured quite bad and didint want to fight...barry brother guarded the note with his life

Nigel Benns and Oscar De La Hoya books are terrible, do not bother with them,
waste of paper. Utter shite.

Roberto Duran is the best autobiography I have read...loved it.

But for a boxing book then War Baby is an absolute peach and all about Benn v McClellan.

Just started Johnny Tapia book today as it goes.

Holyfield book was shit...got fed up of him preaching about his faith.

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Originally Posted by roberto duran legend

This may come as a surprise but Mickey Duffs book is a fantastic
read IMO and only costs a couple of quid on Amazon, just finished
it and it was very intresting.

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Read Mickey Duffs book as well he wanted the Luton fighter who fought at lightweight to be his 20th champion which never happened.

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Originally Posted by roberto duran legend

Quote:

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Originally Posted by armyash

Quote:

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Originally Posted by roberto duran legend

Reading Errol Christie at the moment , good read. coming to the point that
i am running out of Boxing books to read , not boasting at all but i have
hundreds of books , some handed down from my grandfather who boxed
for the Army.

---

Think I read the review for that in Boxing Monthly, might have to get myself to Amazon ;)

---

Its worth buying mate , intresting reading what it was like in the
80,s when i was a kid , Was not so pleasant for poor Errol.
well worth a few quid on Amazon.

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Remember Errol’s street fight with Mark Kaylor and the match in the ring was a war. :)

Read Primo Carnera who was physically a massive specimen of a man who was controlled by the mob and dumped by them when they had no further use of him. They also had him walk around with smaller men to make it appear that Carnera was even bigger than he was.

In terms of size I guess it is fair to say that he is comparable with Valuev of today. With his freakish size they were going to make some money.

I have said it before on the forum , but Stanley Ketchal book is a must
read absolutely fantastic book, one of the best i have read.

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Originally Posted by roberto duran legend

I have said it before on the forum , but Stanley Ketchal book is a must
read absolutely fantastic book, one of the best i have read.

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Think I read that one too, was he banging the missis of the guy that shot him?

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Originally Posted by Master

Quote:

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Originally Posted by roberto duran legend

I have said it before on the forum , but Stanley Ketchal book is a must
read absolutely fantastic book, one of the best i have read.

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Think I read that one too, was he banging the missis of the guy that shot him?

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Yes old Stanley was a dirty bastard.;D