Writers on Boxing

Reading List

  • #71: ‘Corey Fah Does Social Mobility’ by Isabel Waidner

    #71: ‘Corey Fah Does Social Mobility’ by Isabel Waidner

    ‘Corey Fah Does Social Mobility’ is Isabel Waidner’s fourth novel, and is published by Hamilton Hamish. It’s a bank holiday weekend here in the UK and as a work-free-three-day-treat I thought I’d put down the boxing books (for the first time in two years) and indulge in my previous obsession: Experimental fiction. I’ve been following… Read more

  • #70: ‘No Middle Ground’ by Sanjeev Shetty

    #70: ‘No Middle Ground’ by Sanjeev Shetty

    ‘No Middle Ground – Eubank, Benn, Watson and the Last Golden Era of British Boxing’ is Sanjeev Shetty’s attempt to document the influential period of British boxing from the late 1980s through to the 1990s, which was dominated by a number of talented middleweights. I don’t put too much thought into the order in which… Read more

  • #69: ‘Rope Burns – One Man’s Reluctant Obsession with Boxing’ by Ian Probert

    #69: ‘Rope Burns – One Man’s Reluctant Obsession with Boxing’ by Ian Probert

    ‘Rope Burns’ is Ian Probert’s story of a life stalked, shadowed and punctuated by professional boxing. Probert describes himself as a reluctant boxing fan and this book is an attempt to avoid writing about boxing; so much so that if it weren’t for the ‘Rules of Boxing’ which end each chapter, you might wonder during… Read more

  • #68: ‘Boxing – A Cultural History’ by Kasia Boddy

    #68: ‘Boxing – A Cultural History’ by Kasia Boddy

    ‘Boxing – A Cultural History’ is Kasia Boddy’s comprehensive attempt to document boxing’s influence over, and its own responses to, the many cultures it has existed in. It is published by Reaktion Books. First off, I have to say that this blog isn’t really an adequate space in which to attempt any form of response… Read more

  • #67: ‘Born To Box – The Extraordinary Story of Nipper Pat Daly’ by Alex Daley

    #67: ‘Born To Box – The Extraordinary Story of Nipper Pat Daly’ by Alex Daley

    ‘Born To Box’ is Alex Daley’s affectionate portrait of his grandfather, ‘Nipper’ Pat Daly, published by Pitch Publishing. If you were to come across the life and career of ‘Nipper’ Pat Daly on the TV or in the cinema, you’d dismiss it as ludicrous and beyond farcical. Nipper made his pro boxing debut in 1923… Read more

  • #66: ‘Knock Out! – The True Story of Emile Griffith’ by Reinhard Kleist

    #66: ‘Knock Out! – The True Story of Emile Griffith’ by Reinhard Kleist

    ‘Knock Out!’ is a graphic novel written and illustrated by Reinhard Kleist. Kleist also authored ‘The Boxer’, which I have covered previously, in post #11. Emile Griffith is the boxer I have covered most in this blog and probably the one sports person I’ll never get bored reading, thinking and writing about. I’m sure there… Read more