A boxing legend, trailblazer and survivor, Christy Martin continues to be an inspiration to many people. Just pick up a copy of this book and you will quickly add your name to the list. In Fighting for Survival: My Journey Through Boxing Fame, Abuse, Murder, and Resurrection, Christy Martin recounts her harrowing yet inspiring story. Growing up in a small town in West Virginia, Martin felt forced to keep her sexual orientation hidden to please her family and the sports world, eventually agreeing to a sham marriage with coach Jim Martin. While she rose to prominence in the world of boxing, Martin was secretly contending with substance abuse, domestic violence, and an attempted murder by her husband, who left her to die on their bedroom floor. Having spent time with her, and even shared podcasts, Christy Martin remains my inspiration.
The extraordinary story of a female boxer's meteoric rise to become the fighter who legitimized women in combat sports and the personal turmoil she hid from the world.
Boxing legend Christy Martin was a trailblazer in the ring and continues to be an inspiration to female fighters across the globe. She is without a doubt the most important woman in the history of female combat sports. But behind the scenes Martin was in a losing battle, unable to express her true sexual identity and struggling to survive sexual and domestic abuse at the hands of her husband.
Billy Miske: The St. Paul Thunderbolt is Clay Moyle's second biography and a worthy successor to his critically acclaimed tome concerning the life and career of Sam Langford. Miske was one of the most courageous and inspirational figures in boxing history, yet few knew nothing about him until the publication of this book. During a career that was impeded and cut short as a result of his ongoing battle with a terminal illness, Billy fought a number of the greatest fighters who ever lived, including Jack Dillon, Harry Greb and Jack Dempsey. Moyle provides plenty of thrilling details and stories surrounding those fights and those of many other ring legends in this brilliant biography. Miske's courage and perseverance in the face of his impending death, and his personal sacrifice to provide his family with one last Christmas to remember him by, will tug at your heartstrings and leave you with an indelible image of the man. Leave it to the talented Clay Moyle, to provide a first-rate biography of Billy Miske.
Billy Miske: The St. Paul Thunderbolt is Clay Moyle's second biography and a worthy successor to his critically acclaimed tome concerning the life and career of Sam Langford. Hall of Fame boxer Billy Miske was arguably the most courageous and inspirational figure in boxing history, and his story is long overdue. During a career that was impeded and cut short as a result of his ongoing battle with a terminal illness, Billy fought a number of the greatest fighters who ever lived, including the likes of Jack Dillon, Harry Greb and Jack Dempsey. The thrilling details and stories surrounding those…
"Magnificent! Only Roger Zotti can take a subject like British actor Nicol Williamson, stir in some William Shakespeare, add a pinch of Hannibal Lecter, and a touch of Willie Pep, and amuse a reader over one hundred pages. As unpredictable as comedian Robin Williams, Zotti weaves the reader through a labyrinth of sports and cinema history to hand you a perspective you never dreamed of. Providing vignettes as creative and impressive as his depth of field, Zotti entertains from one page to the next. But unlike many authors, Zotti admits his mistakes. Indeed, and you will die laughing when he admits ordering a case of Raid insect repellent instead of a single can. Picking it up once, I never put it down. As the Bard of Avon often quipped, "Brevity is the soul of wit.”
Richard Conte is the male face of film noir, especially for his performance as Mr. Brown, a vicious, impeccably attired gangster in Joseph H. Lewis' The Big Combo (1955).
For example, when Mr. Brown captures Cornel Wilde's police detective Leonard Diamond, he removes the hearing aid from his yes-man and one-time boss McClure (Brian Donlevy), places it in Diamond's ear, and shouts into the receiver. Diamond writes in pain.
Then he gives the receiver to one of his minions, who screams into it. Finally, he places it in front of a radio and turns up the volume. Diamond passes out.…
Holding the world featherweight boxing championship for more than 11 years, Johnny Kilbane's name became synonymous with the title. His accepted record of 51-4-7, with 78 no decisions and two no contests (25 victories by way of knockout), put him in elite company with other members of the International Boxing Hall of Fame. In October 1917--while still World Featherweight Champion--Johnny Kilbane became a lieutenant in the U.S. Army to serve in World War I. Following his career as fighter, he turned to adjudication and transformed himself into a talented and prolific boxing referee. He did so while juggling other responsibilities such as operating a gym, serving in the Ohio Senate, or acting as Clerk of the Cleveland Municipal Court. As dedicated to public service as he was to pugilism, he gained the respect of his peers and his constituents and was admired for his commitment to family. This is his overdue biography and I am honored to have the opportunity to write it.
