David Hudson

Boxing in America

An Autopsy

• Gebundenes Buch

Produktbeschreibung

This book presents a sweeping view of boxing in the United States and the influence of the sport on American culture. Boxing has long been a popular fixture of American sport and culture, despite its decidedly seedy side (the fact that numerous boxing champions acquired their skills in prison or reform schools, the corruption and greed of certain boxing promoters, and the involvement of the mob in fixing the outcome of many big fights). Yet boxing remains an iconic and widely popular spectator sport, even in light of its decline as a result of the recent burgeoning interest in mixed martial arts (MMA) contests. What had made this sport so enthralling to our nation for such a long period of time? This book contains much more than simple documentation of the significant dates, people, and bouts in the history of American boxing. It reveals why boxing became one of America's leading spectator sports at the turn of the century and examines the factors that have swayed the public's perception of it, thereby affecting its popularity. In Boxing in America, the author provides a compelling view of not only the pugilist sport, but also of our country, our sources of entertainment, and ourselves.

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Produktdetails

• Verlag: Praeger
• Seitenzahl: 216
• Erscheinungstermin: 21. Juni 2012
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 240mm x 161mm x 16mm
• Gewicht: 495g
• ISBN-13: 9780313379727
• ISBN-10: 0313379726
• Artikelnr.: 30883264

Autorenporträt

David L. Hudson Jr. is an award-winning professor at Belmont University College of Law, USA, where he teaches constitutional law and First Amendment law.

Inhaltsangabe

The sport of boxing possesses a primal power that seeps into one's soul.
Perhaps it appeals to innate violent instincts. Perhaps it compels
attention because of its naked drama. Two men-or women-attempt to batter
each other senseless, to render the opponent unconscious. For whatever
reason, it creates addicts out of its aficionados, who crave another high.
Think of the epic "Thrilla in Manila"-the fatalistic, fistic encounter
between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier that concluded their trilogy. Consider
"Irish" Micky Ward and the late Arturo Gatti, who waged their own
trilogy-albeit on a lesser plane. Think of Jose Luis Castillo and the late
warrior Diego Corrales, who beat each other senseless. No doubt, boxing
suffers from certain woes. Some wish that it would be abolished as barbaric
baseness. The medical community and others urge its abolition, the
underworld has seized it as its own, and the greedy have sought to exploit
its participants. For all its warts, boxing remains a beautiful art when
practiced at its finest. There remains no more superbly conditioned athlete
than a top-flight professional boxer. The best boxers-those who have
mastered the science of pugilism-possess an uncanny, almost unnatural power
over others. But, at its heart, the sport of boxing attracts-or
demands-attention because of its brutal simplicity. It has inspired the
best of writers to tap deep into their creativity. Consider that Ernest
Hemingway, Jack London, Norman Mailer, and Joyce Carol Oates have committed
their considerable literary talents to writing about the sport. Boxing in
America: An Autopsy takes a panoramic view of the sport of boxing by
covering different fighters, different eras, and different subjects. Much
of the book focuses on the dominant heavyweight champions of certain time
periods. There are many great fighters in the lighter weight classes, but
the heavyweight champions have garnered the most attention and the most
acclaim. Just as the United States Supreme Court is known by the last name
of the Chief Justice-the Warren Court after Chief Justice Earl
Warren-boxing often is known by the holder of the heavyweight crown. We
speak of the age of Louis, the age of Ali, or the age of Tyson. John L.
Sullivan-the last bare-knuckle heavyweight champion-dominates the
discussion in chapter 1. The bravado, charisma, and natural punching power
catapulted the "Boston Strong Boy" to fame and fortune. He became a bona
fide American sports hero. Chapter 2 focuses on as compelling and divisive
a subject that the United States of America ever has grappled with-the
specter of race and racism. For many years, an abject color bar prevented
the top black fighters from receiving their "just due"-to quote former
heavyweight champion Larry Holmes. The centerpiece of chapter 2 focuses on
the life of Jack Johnson, the colorful, controversial champion who inspired
visceral hatred from white America. Johnson cast a long shadow over the
sport of boxing, long enough that it took years for another African
American to receive a shot at the heavyweight crown. Chapter 3 looks at a
man who became a genuine American hero-Joseph Louis Barrow, better known as
Joe Louis. The "Brown Bomber" held the heavyweight championship for more
than a decade, defending his title an astonishing 25 times. Louis started a
trend that continued for many years-of African Americans dominating boxing
in the heavyweight division. A prominent exception was an Italian American
from Brockton, Massachusetts, named Rocky Marciano (covered in chapter 4).
"The Rock" never lost a professional fight, compiling a record of 49-0. He
personified the 1950s, when America felt good about itself, a golden age of
sorts. The 1960s were a different, more volatile time in U.S. history. The
civil rights movement and the Vietnam War created a vortex of social
activism unmatched in modern U.S. history. Out of this mix came a
loquacious lightning rod named at birth as Cassius Marcellus Clay, covered
in chapter 5. He converted to Islam, changed his name to Muhammad Ali, and
became a vilified figure. This hated figure later became the most
recognizable-and perhaps most beloved-figure on the planet. He truly was
incomparable. Turning from the incomparable to the improbable, there
perhaps is no greater comeback in the sport of boxing than that of a former
champion in the 1970s who returned to the ring amid cries of ridicule in
the late 1980s as an overweight preacher. This former sullen monster of a
man literally transformed himself into a different person and regained the
heavyweight title in the most improbable fashion at age 45. Chapter 6 tells
the inspiring story of "Big" George Foreman. Chapter 7 then tells the
incredible story of "Iron" Mike Tyson-a compelling if tragic figure in the
sport of boxing. After examining several ages of boxing through the prism
of heavyweight greats, the book turns to other serious topics. Much of the
book focuses on dominant champions and top contenders. But the lifeblood of
the sport, the club fighters who ply their trade without fanfare, are
called journeymen. They travel to other fighters' hometowns on short notice
against long odds. Most of the time, journeymen lose either legitimately or
by hometown decisions. But sometimes they reach up and grab the brass ring.
Prospects and champions start their career by facing these fighters.
Chapter 8 highlights some of the more unusual journeymen of recent vintage
in American boxing. Chapter 9 focuses on the most controversial aspect of
boxing: death in the ring. Boxing inflicts punishment on its combatants in
most brutal fashion. While a precious few boxers have become
nonagenarians-former champion Max Schmeling lived to age 99-many have not
survived brutal ring encounters. The images of a beaten Benny "Kid" Paret
slumped in the corner still horrify those who saw it. Too other pugilists
have met the same tragic end. Boxing and prison have had a unique
relationship for many years. In prison, an inmate literally must fight to
survive; the same stark phenomenon takes place in the boxing ring. Many
prominent fighters learned boxing behind bars. A few even fought
professionally as prison inmates. Chapter 10 focuses on one of the most
mystifying characters in all of boxing history-Charles "Sonny" Liston.
Finally, the book concludes with chapter 11, "The Future of Boxing and the
Threat of Mixed Martial Arts." Boxing has taken a beating in recent years,
while another sport-mixed martial arts-has attracted greater crowds and
generated more fight cards. Mixed martial arts-particularly at the highest
level in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)-have mastered the art of
putting on competitive cards, matching the best fighters against each
other, and avoiding the promotional tug-of-wars that sometimes afflict
boxing. I am one of those souls addicted to the sport of boxing, loving it
with every sinew in my body. Whether writing books about the sport or
judging professional boxing bouts, I believe there is no more compelling
drama in all of sports than a competitive boxing match.