?This is a book of poetry. I got it from a hooker in 1963. She was a beautiful woman?gorgeous. We?d just sit and discuss the book over tea??
I asked professional fighters to finish this sentence: ?MY FAVORITE BOOK IS?? Their responses were fascinating and illuminating; sometimes surprising and sometimes just plain funny.
If the adage, ?We are what we eat? is true, then ?We are what we read? might also be true.
Read the responses of these tough guys, (and tough girls), and peek into the soul of a prizefighter.
1. Muhammad Ali??The Greatest?…?The Louisville Lip?…?Gaseous Cassius?
o Considered one of the greatest heavyweights of all time o Won the Light Heavyweight Gold Medal for the United States at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, Italy o National AAU Light Heavyweight champion in 1959 and 1960 o Named Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year for 1963, 1974, 1975 and 1978 o Named Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of the Year for 1965, 1974 and 1975 o Won the Boxing Writers? Association of America James J. Walker Memorial Award for 1984 o Proclaimed the ?Fighter of the Decade? (1970s) by The Ring magazine o Named ?Athlete of the Century? by GQ magazine o Named Sports Illustrated?s ?Sportsman of the 20th Century? o Named BBC?s ?Sports Personality of the Century? o Ali was so popular that when he lost his first fight with Joe Frazier, his loss indirectly led to four deaths. During the bout itself in New York, two spectators died of heart attacks. In Malaysia, Abdul Ghani Bachik was reported to have leaped up from his chair while watching the fight on paid television and shouted, ?My God, Cassius Clay has fallen!? He then suffered a fatal heart attack. In Milan, Italy, Erio Borghisiani was found dead in front of his television, hours after viewing the fight on paid television. o Won 56 (KO 37) + lost 5 (KO 1) + drawn 0 = 61
Muhammad Ali?s Favorite Book: ?The Koran?
?The Koran is my double favorite book?My favorite movie: ?Shane?…My favorite song: ?I Can?t Stand It? by James Brown?My favorite singer: Elvis?My favorite fighter: Jack Johnson?My favorite food: Lamb chops (and bean pie)…My favorite candy: Baby Ruth?and that?s the truth!?
2. ?Smokin? Joe Frazier?World Heavyweight Champion (1970-73)
o Named The Ring magazine ?Progress of the Year Fighter? for 1966 o Named Ring Magazine ?Fighter of the Year? for 1967, 1970 and 1971 o New York State World Heavyweight Champion (1968-70) o Defeated Muhammad Ali (W 15) o Defeated George Chuvalo (TKO 4) o Defeated Oscar Bonavena (2x) (SD 10) & (W 15) o Defeated Eddie Machen (TKO 10) o Defeated Doug Jones (TKO 4) o Defeated Buster Mathis (TKO 11) o Defeated Jerry Quarry (2x) (TKO 7) & (TKO 5) o Defeated Jimmy Ellis (TKO 5) o Defeated Joe Bugner (W 12) o Won the Heavyweight Gold Medal for the United States at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo o Won 32 (KO 27) + Lost 4 (KO 3) + Draw 1 = 37
?Smokin? Joe Frazier?s Favorite Book: ?Tarzan? by Edgar Rice Burroughs
?My favorite book was ?Tarzan? by Edgar Rice Burroughs! I liked the fact Tarzan was always on the side of the right thing to be done, and even when fighting the animals he did not kill them.?
3. George Chuvalo?Canadian Heavyweight Champion from 1958 to 1977
o Canadian Amateur Champion 1956 o Fought ?1965 Fight of the Year? Ring Magazine o Fought Muhammad Ali (twice) & Ernie Terrell for titles o Defeated Yvonne Durelle (KO 12) o Defeated Bob Cleroux (W 12) o Defeated Willi Besmanoff (3x)(TKO 3)(TKO 3)(TKO 4) o Defeated Jerry Quarry (KO 7) o Defeated Manuel Ramos (TKO 5) o Defeated ?Big Cat? Cleveland Williams (W 10) o Acted in numerous movies o Inducted into World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1997
George Chuvalo?s Favorite Book: ?The Prophet? by Khalil Gibran
?This is a book of poetry. The words are about love, friendship, beauty, honesty, morality and courage. The words are like they?re coming out of God?s mouth. Sometimes you need to read it twice to fully digest it. I got it from a hooker in 1963?Henry Hanks? lady friend. She was a beautiful woman?gorgeous. I didn?t do anything with her. We?d just sit and discuss the book over tea at Glenn?s Pharmacy, at the corner of Woodward and Alexandrian Streets, the main drag in Detroit.?
4. Boone ?Boom Boom? Kirkman?Rugged Heavyweight Contender in 1970s
o 1964 Northwest Heavyweight Champion o 1965 National AAU Heavyweight Champion o Defeated Doug Jones (TKO 6) o Defeated Eddie Machen (TKO 3) o Defeated Jimmy Ellis (SD 10) o Defeated Jose ?King? Roman (W 10) o Defeated Ron Stander (KO 7) o Defeated Amos ?Big Train? Lincoln (KO 2) o Defeated Jack O?Halloran (W 10) o After retiring from the ring, Kirkman enjoyed a successful career working for the Boeing Company. o Won 36 (KO 25) + Lost 6 (KO 5) = 42
Boone ?Boom Boom? Kirkman?s Favorite Book: ?Somebody Up There Likes Me? by Rocky Graziano & Rowland Barber
?I started boxing because of all those medals and the pigskin leather-sleeved jackets I saw the fighters wearing when my dad brought me to The Golden Gloves. And I was mesmerized by reading the book?Somebody Up There Likes Me? about Rocky Graziano. There was just something special about boxing.?
5. George Logan?Tough Heavyweight Contender in 1960s
o Birth Date Aug. 19, 1936 o Defeated Ezzard Charles (KO 8) o Defeated Willi Besmanoff (W 10) o Defeated Pete Rademacher (KO 2) o Defeated Alejandro Lavorante (SD 10) o Logan became a Boise, Idaho policeman after his career ended, and was a popular officer with kids on the streets. o Won 25 (KO 16) + lost 9 (KO 4) + drawn 2 = 36
George Logan?s Favorite Book: ?The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn? by Mark Twain
?I have dyslexia so reading was difficult. Back then, no one knew anything about dyslexia or things like that, so I struggled. But I graduated ?cause I worked hard. My favorite book? Me? Ha! ?Huck Finn.? I liked that book. Probably read it back in 5th grade.?
6. Scott ?The Fighting Frenchman? Ledoux?Durable Heavyweight Contender in the 1970s
o Upper Midwest Golden Glove Champion in 1968 and 1973 o Defeated Marty Monroe (W 10) o Defeated Terry Daniels (KO 6) o Defeated Ron Stander (W 10) o Defeated Larry Middleton (W 10) o Defeated James J. Beattie (TKO 3) o Ledoux claims to have fought or sparred with eleven former world champions. o In retirement, Ledoux worked as a boxing analyst for ESPN2?s ESPN Tuesday Night Fights o In November 2004 he was elected county commissioner of Anoka, Minnesota o In July 2006 he became the head of the newly recreated Minnesota State Boxing Commission
Scott ?The Fighting Frenchman? Ledoux?s Favorite Book: ?The Call of the Wild? by Jack London
?I loved how the author got me?when I read it in the 5th or 6th grade?into the mind of a wolf! How many times do you get the chance to crawl into the mind of a wild animal? That?s a pretty neat trick! Well, London was definitely one of our great American writers. This book has always stayed with me. It?s classic.?
7. Vito Antuofermo?WBA & WBC Middleweight Champion June 30,1979 ? March 16, 1960 (Defeated Hugo Corro)
o European BU Light Middleweight Champion, 1976 o Defeated Emile Griffith (UD 10) o Defeated Eugene Hart (KO 5) o Defeated Eckhard Dagge (W 15) o Won the 1970 147 lb. New York Golden Gloves Sub-Novice Championship o In 1971 Antuofermo was defeated by future light heavyweight champion Eddie (Mustafa Muhammad) Gregory in the 147 lb. NYC Open division finals o Professional Actor ? Appeared in ?The Godfather 3? and ?The Sopranos? (as Bobby Zanone) o Owns a successful landscaping company in Long Island o Won 50 (KO 21) + lost 7 (KO 5) + drawn 2 = 59
Vito Antuofermo?s Favorite Book: ?Confessions of a Fighter? by Peter Wood
?I?m not a reader, but this book was brilliant! It?s about The New York Golden Gloves?the best damn tournament going! Wood writes like I used to fight?with blood, guts and courage.?
8. Stephen B. Acunto?Boxing Historian & College Professor
o Boxed exhibitions with champions Henry Armstrong, Tony Canzoneri, Jimmy McLarnin,and Lou Ambers o Member of the NYS Athletic Commission since 1945 o Head boxing coach at Westchester Community College o Founder of AAIB ? American Association for the Improvement of Boxing (with Rocky Marciano) o Inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1988 o Author of ?Champions?Boxing Guide? (also published in Spanish)
Stephen B. Acunto?s Favorite Book: ?A Man Must Fight? by Gene Tunney
?Man has fought from the beginning of time?he will fight till the end of time. Tunney?s autobiography is as rare as it is wonderful. Only 550 copies were printed in the first edition, but I?ll always remember the impact?like a punch?this book has had upon me.?
9. Yvonne Tara Caples?IFBA Jr. Flyweight World Champion (July 2003 ? Nov. 2004)
o Lost her bid for WBC Female light flyweight title 2005 o 1999 National Golden Gloves Champion o Holds two masters degrees o Former teacher at Silverado High School, California o Won 7 (KO 1) + lost 11 (KO 1) + drawn 2 = 21
Yvonne Tara Caples?s Favorite Book: ?Their Eyes Were Watching God? by Zora Neale Hurston
?This book is a wonderful story of a mulatto woman?s amazing journey through life and her personal journey to discover who she is. Any reader can identify with this incredible woman. It?s touching, well written, and relates to us all.?
10. Reggie Jones?Slick New Jersey Middleweight in the 1970s
o Represented America at the 1972 Summer Olympics in the light middleweight division (Eliminated by Valeri Tregubov of the Soviet Union) o Won the bronze medal at the 1971 Pan American Games o Two-time Virginia Golden Gloves Middleweight Champion o Pro record: 16 wins, 9 losses and 1 draw
Reggie Jones?s Favorite Book: ?Ray Charles? by Carin T. Ford
?I was 15 years old when I read this remarkable book about Ray Charles. His personal story really touched me. Ray, before becoming blind, was a kid who loved to run. He ran everywhere, just like any healthy kid. But then he was diagnosed with some physical ailment. His mother said she?d take him to the doctor, but she never did. So he went blind. Poor kid. He was a victim of motherly neglect, poverty and lack of education. Shame. Although he became a success, his life journey was bumpy with heroin addiction and a lot of other rough things.?
11. Chuck Walker?1975 National AAU Light Middleweight Champion
o The 156-pound representative for the United States at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games o Defeated Cecil Pettigrew (UD 10) o Fought Everett Martin (Draw 10) o After quitting boxing, Walker worked as a professional tap dancer o As of 2006, he is a film director and producer o Wrote the screenplay for ?The Man Who Came Back? (2008 Cannes Film Festival) o Pro Record: won 7 (KO 3) + lost 1 (KO 1) + drawn 1 = 9
Chuck Walker?s Favorite Book: ?Treasure Island? by Robert Louis Stevenson
?This book just caught my fancy. I musta been 7 or 8 years old when I picked it up. Somehow, reading ?Treasure Island? might just have stimulated my movie career. Maybe it?s all about adventure?being a prizefighter, then a tap dancer, then a movie producer, and then a writer. However, the usual type of books I normally read are autobiographies. People in the arts, successful movie stars. I enjoy learning about other people?s adventures. Reading is learning.?
12. Thomas Hauser?Author
o Thomas Hauser has written more than 30 books. His boxing books include: o ?The Lost Legacy of Muhammad Ali? o ?A Year at the Fights? o ?Chaos, Corruption, Courage and Glory? o ?A Year In Boxing? o ?The Greatest Sport of All? o ?The View From Ringside? o ?The Black Lights? o ?A Beautiful Sickness? o ?Muhammad Ali: In Perspective? o ?Straight Writes and Jabs?An Insider?s Look at Another Year in Boxing?
Thomas Hauser?s Favorite Book: ?The Grapes of Wrath?
?I?m partial to Mark Twain. But my favorite book is John Steinbeck?s ?The Grapes of Wrath.? It?s beautifully written, captures a range of human emotions, and speaks directly to the social issues of its time in a way that makes it as relevant today as it was in 1939 when it was first published.?
13. Buck ?Tombstone? Smith?Prolific Oklahoma City Battler
o Fought Julio Cesar Chavez, Mark Breland & Buddy McGirt o Smith has more wins than any fighter since Archie Moore and Willie Pep retired in the 1960s. o Won 179 (KO 120) + Lost 19 (KO 8) + Drawn 2 = 224
Buck ?Tombstone? Smith?s Favorite Book: ?Little Platinum Book of CHA-CHING!? by Jeffrey Gitmer
?Jeffrey Gitomer?s ?Little Platinum Book of CHA-CHING!? is full of powerful and clever principles for personal and business success.?
14. Bob Duffy? Boxing Promoter
o Ring Promotions
Bob Duffy?s Favorite Book: ?Rich Man, Poor Man? by Irwin Shaw
?What a fantastic period piece situated after WW2. I read it 30 years ago but still remember it well. It brought me to Greenwich Village, to Hollywood, and to the Mediterranean. This is a timeless classic.?
15. Emanuel Steward?Boxer, Trainer & Commentator for HBO Boxing
o Inductee of International Boxing Hall of Fame & World Boxing Hall of Fame o Compiled a record of 95 wins and 3 losses as an amateur boxer o Won the 1963 national Golden Gloves tournament in the bantamweight division o Head Coach at Kronk Gym o HBO boxing commentator o Has trained 41 world champions, including Tommy Hearns, Michael Moorer, o Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Tony Tucker & Wladimir Klitschko o Other world champions who have trained or sought Steward?s guidance at some point of their career are: o Hilmer Kenty & Milton McCrory o Mike McCallum & Dennis Andries o Jimmy Paul & Duane Thomas o John David Jackson & Steve McCrory o Gerald McClellan & Wilfredo Benitez o Julio C?sar Ch?vez & Oscar De La Hoya o James Toney & Jermain Taylor o Kermit Cintron & Andy Lee o Naseem Hamed
Emanuel Steward?s Favorite Book: ?The Other Side of Midnight? by Sidney Sheldon
?I couldn?t put it down. I remember I had to go to the gym, but I just had to finish it?it was that good! It was about two guys?one white, the other black?and how their lives grew closer together despite problems. I enjoyed ?Animal Farm? too. There are so many books I?ve enjoyed, but these days, I?m reading more business contracts than books. I might be reading as many books as I used to, but I do read 3-4 newspapers a day?two Detroit papers, the USA Today, a New York paper, and a Las Vegas paper. It?s my job as a human being to know what?s going on in the world.?
(This is the seventh of a 10-part series)
Peek Into the Soul of a Prizefighter?Part One Peek Into the Soul of a Prizefighter?Part Two Peek Into the Soul of a Prizefighter?Part Three Peek Into the Soul of a Prizefighter?Part Four Peek Into the Soul of a Prizefighter?Part Five Peek Into the Soul of a Prizefighter?Part Six Peek Into the Soul of a Prizefighter?Part Seven
Peter Wood is a 1971 NYC Golden Gloves Middleweight Finalist in Madison Square Garden;. Middleweight Alternate for The Maccabean Games in Tel Aviv, Israel, and author of two books: Confessions of a Fighter , and A Clenched Fist?The Making of a Golden Gloves Champion , published by Ringside Books. He has written a guest column for the New York Times, and has published articles in Ring Magazine, America Magazine, Chicken Soup for the Soul , and has been anthologized in Sporting Classics.
