Synopsis The French have their flamboyance, the Germans efficiency, but no one likes a scrap quite like the Irish. It's hardly surprising, then, that the boxer should become a source of national pride, not least for those people forced through famine to seek a new life in the new world. John Morrissey, Yankee Sullivan, John C Heenan and Paddy Ryan paved the way for the sport's first superstar, John L Sullivan. His boast that he could 'lick any son of a bitch in the house' tapped into the mood of a people fighting for their place in America's melting pot of immigrants. From the brazen Boston Strong Boy to Gentleman Jim Corbett, legend of the 'Roaring '20s' Jack Dempsey through to James J Braddock, who fought his way from the welfare queue to the heavyweight championship of the world, satisfaction was guaranteed. The "Fighting Irish" also looks at that glorious era of ethnic match-ups when Irishman and Jew traded blows; at racism and the search for the Great White Hope; fighters who united the most divided of communities; and the ultimate price paid by some in the pursuit of ring glory. It's a roller-coaster ride of pride and passion, raw courage and sublime skill.McLarnin, McGuigan, McAuliffe, McCullough, Corbett, Cooney, Conn, Monaghan and Micky Ward - each distinctive, yet linked by the Celtic warrior culture. The "Fighting Irish" is the ultimate tale of trial and tribulation. From the Publisher The Fighting Irish tells the remarkable story of how the Irish and their descendants took the boxing world by storm. Irishmen have enjoyed a unique place in the sport, punching way above their weight and exerting a truly global influence. From the brutal bare-knuckle era to the present day, they've also played their part in many of the most famous - and infamous - moments in ring history. See all Product description
M**T
Five Stars
top man brilliant
D**H
an excellent read
I've been a boxing fan for 2 decades and have always wanted a book that encompasses the history of the Irish in boxing. Well, I picked up this book 2 weeks ago and can happily say that it was everything I hoped it would be. It's easy to read and full of fun information and facts.The book does have a couple flaws, though. No.1, on page 222 the author says that Harry Greb "beat" Mike O'Dowd. In fact, it was O'Dowd who was given the newspaper decision over Greb(one of the few Harry ever lost).No.2, on pages 177-178 the author describes race riots in 1860s New York, painting pictures of lynchings and mutilations in horrific detail. This was fine until he went on to suggest that John L. Sullivan, who was an admitted racist, would have approved of the actions of the murderous mobs! This is outrageous and purely speculation. Sullivan's rhetoric may have been anti-black but his actions sometimes betrayed otherwise. He had great admiration for the great black bantamweight George Dixon and on more than one occasion toured the country with him, dining and drinking with the man they called "Little Chocolate". Hardly the actions of a man who would approve of the murder of innocent black people, don't you think?Other than that bit of silliness, the book was first rate and I highly recommend it.ADDENDUM: After further research I've discovered that the press was split down the middle on the Greb-O'Dowd fight. In fact many of the sportswriters who favored Greb were from O'Dowd's hometown, so it's generally considered that Greb shaded him by a small margin.
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