Boxing in America - An Autopsy -POD Title-

Informationen zum Autor 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. Klappentext 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. Zusammenfassung This book presents a sweeping view of boxing in the United States and the influence of the sport on American culture. Inhaltsverzeichnis 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 pun...

Product details

• Authors: David Hudson, David L. Hudson
• Publisher: Praeger Publications
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 21.06.2012
• EAN: 9780313379727
• ISBN: 978-0-313-37972-7
• Dimensions: 162 mm x 242 mm x 20 mm
• Subject: Guides > Sport