Boxing: Knockout Writing on the Sweet Science

Blow by blow, no other sport awakens the deepest human instincts of its spectators like boxing. Professional boxers rank among the most celebrated athletes in history, and their epic battles in and out of the ring have always been the most read and talked about sports stories. Tales of champions such as Muhammad Ali, "Smokin'" Joe Frasier, and Sugar Ray Leonard remind us of the rich heritage of the sometimes brutish sport, while at the same time bringing to light the humanness of our heroes. Edited and introduced by sportswriting legend George Plimpton, Boxing transports us into the dressing room of Muhammad Ali, re-creates the shocking death of a boxer in the ring, acquaints us with one of the most memorable fictional fighters ever created, and much more. It is the definitive collection of some of the best writing about this savage-yet-sweet sport, and a must-have for any fan of sports and literature.Includes prose byNorman Mailer, Joyce Carol Oates, Nick Tosches, Roger Kahn, W. C. Heinz, David Remnick, Thomas Heller, Gerald Early, George Plimpton, Pete Hamill, Gay Talese, Paul Gallico, and Jimmy Cannon, among others.A Harvest Original