Writers on Boxing

Reading List

  • #92: ‘The Big Smoke’ by Adrian Matejka

    #92: ‘The Big Smoke’ by Adrian Matejka

    ‘The Big Smoke’ is Adrian Matejka’s 2013 collection of poetry which tracks, in lyrical form, the life and career of heavyweight champion ‘Papa’ Jack Johnson. There was a period of my life in which I was completely entrenched in poetry. Between 2014 and 2020 I did little else than write poetry and interview/record hundreds of… Read more

  • #91: ‘Death of a Boxer’ by Pete Carvill

    #91: ‘Death of a Boxer’ by Pete Carvill

    ‘Death of a Boxer’ is Pete Carvill’s ode (or rather series of odes) to boxing, a collection of essays outlining his relationship with the sport. The book was published by Biteback Publishing, February 2024. Carvill walks us through what is now a strained association with the noble art, exploring themes of masculinity; the importance of… Read more

  • #90: ‘Headshot’ by Rita Bullwinkel

    #90: ‘Headshot’ by Rita Bullwinkel

    ‘Headshot’ is Rita Bullwinkel’s innovative novel about a group of girl boxers, published by Daunt Books in March 2024. The first thing to say about this book is how interesting the format is: it follows eight boxers (from the quarter-final stage) competing across two days in a fictional amateur tournament in the USA. The book’s… Read more

  • #89: ‘The Constant Sinner’ by Mae West

    #89: ‘The Constant Sinner’ by Mae West

    ‘The Constant Sinner’, published in 1930, is Mae West’s novel whose protagonist, Babe Gordon, grows up around New York’s 1920s professional boxing circuit. The novel opens by introducing us to Babe, who is essentially a teenage prostitute being used by boxing promoters to either sabotage the chances of an opponent, by disrupting their training and… Read more

  • #88: ‘Dancing Shoes is Dead’ by Gavin Evans

    #88: ‘Dancing Shoes is Dead’ by Gavin Evans

    ‘Dancing Shoes is Dead’ is Gavin Evans’ memoir about his life as a political activist and lifelong boxing fan. The book is published by Black Swan. The memoir charts Evans’ life growing up in Apartheid-era South Africa and his early involvement as a committed activist, eventually aligning with the ANC. His political ideals are interwoven… Read more

  • #87: ‘The Saga of Sock’ by John V. Grombach

    #87: ‘The Saga of Sock’ by John V. Grombach

    ‘The Saga of Sock’ by John V. Grombach, published in 1949, was a contemporary attempt to trace the history of boxing from its inception (as stated in this book) in Ancient Greece, through the place it held in the Roman Empire, to its reemergence in Georgian Britain, with the ultimate intention of showing the influence… Read more