Best Boxing Books Reviewed and Rated For Informative Content

Life-changing Autobiography
This is undeniable one to put on your must-read list if you’re a boxer or a fan of boxing. We recommend this book even if you have never entered the ring. Undisputed Truths will really light something new in you and grow your love for the sport of boxing. This book really represents on of the greatest boxer in boxing and what obstacles he had to go through. You’ll truly feel inspired and grow more determination and will power than you’ve ever had before

Topic of Poverty
We all hear about those who are privileged enough to put to use what they’re given, but Tyson’s story starts in a dysfunctional household where he had nothing. Stories like these convince us that there’s more to success than just money. Anyone with Tyson’s mental attitude and determination could break free of whatever financial chains they think are confining them. Tyson’s honesty and the sordid story leaves no details out.

Cost and Value
This is a book you can buy for the cost of an everyday lunch. Although the hardcover will cost you a bit more than necessary, anyone can get the paperback at an astoundingly low price. We can’t recommend this book enough to anyone— no matter what your age or life situation, and whether you box or not. This is a life changing book for a value that’s affordable for anyone.

Uncovered Documents
This story of Muhammad Ali really touches on a lot of key components of being a great boxer. Ali wasn’t only one of the most respected boxers in the world, he came to a city filled with segregation called Lousiville. Reading this will shed a new light on not only the sport of boxing but also the rules and politics of it too. This is by far one of the best biographies written about Muhammad Ali.

2018 PEN/ESPN Award
This prestigious award was given to this biography not long ago to praise the ingenious in crafting a vivid, up-close tale of one of boxing’s greats. According to T.J Stiles, the author of books such as The First Tycoon, “Ali will fascinate you from beginning to end.”

Cost and Value
Ali, being newly published and only recently awarded by both PEN and Times Sports for Biography of the Year, will certainly be listed at a higher price than usual. Even so, we recommend anyone who’s a big fan of one of the greatest men that ever lived to add this book to their collection, without a second of doubt.

Techniques
Many techniques not covered in boxing are brought to light in Championship Fighting. Not only does Dempsey reveal useful methods that have brought him to championship boxing, he shows the reader how techniques such as aggressive punches and proper defense should be applied.

Teach Yourself
There’s no excuse to not pick up boxing because you don’t live near a gym or you don’t have enough time and money. This book is completely affordable to anyone and it covers all the basic fundamentals along with advanced techniques to the “rawest beginner” so they can get a firm starting point on their journey.

Cost and Value
It won’t cost you much, that’s for sure. The paperback and hardback versions of this book are all extremely affordable and provide more than necessary for anyone wanting to increase both their knowledge and collection in boxing. Championship Fighting is a book that will certainly keep you entertained while helping you reach your maximum potential.

Mailer’s View
During the fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, a restless commentator named Norman Mailer observed and told the story with compelling energy and unparalleled audacity. He, the author, was there to analyze every move and thought leading up to the fight along with the fight itself, and he perfectly describes it in his book The Fight. Mailer has become known for one of the most influential men in the twentieth century, winning a Pulitzer for his novel The Executioner’s Song.

Proper Memoir
Although this book is mostly about the two audacious fighters, Ali and Foreman, it also acts as a proper memoir for Norman Mailer, a man who also left his stamp in both the world and in boxing. Mailer, who was sent to cover the great fight in 1974, uses his engaging writing to perfectly sum the fight from his own view—making it as if the reader experiences the fight in-person.

Cost and Value
The price for such a well-established and noteworthy book will certainly be a bit more than usual. Norman Mailer is an author who has changed the world for the better, and we’re so very lucky that boxing has gotten one of his better works. This literary memoir about two refined men that were driven to fight like gods is, according to the New York Times, “as exciting as the reality in which it was based.”

Accurate Information
Kimball, who was a veteran sports journalist at the time, witnessed first-hand the compelling and majesty that went on in the rivalries between the four fighters. His accounts of the fight are told as “riveting” and “palpably rendered” by sport journals such as ESPN and Sports Illustrated. In an era where the best boxing occurred, many have tried to past down the tale to our generation, but only men like Kimball have done it accurately and cunningly.

Nat Fleischer Award
Kimball is also the recipient of the Nat Fleischer Award for Excellence in Boxing Journalism—given in 1985. His contribution to the sport has been remembered by the Boxing Writers Association of America and he will forever go down as one of the best reporters, covering nearly 400 world-title fights.

Cost and Value
This is definitely a pricey book, but it gives such a thrilling and compelling take about an era of boxing that had four super fighters that the price should be overlooked. From childhood to their end, Kimball highlights the most important events from a first-person perspective. His book, Four Kings, has been called one of the finest sports books ever written. It does, however, have a great volume of information that may not all appeal to an audience of non-boxing fans.

Best American Sports Book
Sports Illustrated was prompted to name The Sweet Science as The best American Sports Book of all time, quite an established feat. Through a plethora of praise, The Sweet Science has lived up to its expectations as being a book that can change lives.

Liebling’s Style
Liebling brings something to the table in terms of prose that not all writers can muster. His vivid description of the life and fights in The Sweet Science is widely regarded as a “human take” on the professionalism of boxing. Although his writing may be too wordy for some, his rendering of details is what brings this book to life and makes it an enjoyable read.

Cost and Value
The book is naturally moderately priced, with the hardcover ranging a fair bit above what we think is realistic. It is, however, a thick book that’ll keep you invested for a good amount of time, but we don’t think the cover is elegant enough to justify a hardcover buy.

Well-researched Biography
Not only is this biography engaging and will keep you up at night, it is well-researched by Geoffrey C. Ward. Ward creates a vivid picture of Johnson, from his morality to his personality. Ward gets it all right through vigorous research and engrossing textual detail to project a deep and colorful portrayal of Jack Johnson’s tale.

Individualism
Not only is Johnson, one of boxing’s legends, discussed in this biography. It also keenly touches on the topics of individualism, racism, and morality as Jack battles through forced prison and even exile. You’ll get much more out of Unforgivable Blackness than you think, and it’s a book that’ll leave you both speechless and wanting more.

Cost and Value
Although the paperback can be expensive, that’s no reason to turn down a chance to relive the history of a legend in boxing. Because it provides an excellent and engrossing portrayal of not only Johnson but also African American life, this book is worth every penny.

First-Person Interviews
Joe Layden, who’s not only a best-seller but an award-winning journalist, took the time to interview members of Tyson and Douglas’s family, their children, and even the referee. He also covered professional boxing during the height of Tyson’s reign and knows everything there is to know about the historic tale of tragedy and redemption. His full-access to interviews with fighters and research has allowed him to meticulously recreate Tyson’s era.

Douglas v. Tyson
This historic fight that may go down as one of the biggest comebacks in boxing history is covered excessively in The Last Great Fight. All the way to the 10th round, Douglas and Tyson both fought courageously until only one would stand. The narrative structure that surrounds the fight is what showcases Layden’s ability to highlight one of the most intensive moments in modern sport.

Cost and Value
The cost of The Last Great Fight ranges a bit more expensive than other books. Unless you’re specifically interested in the story of Tyson and Douglas, we would recommend saving money and checking out other books that cover a wider range of the history of boxing.

Fifteen Perspectives
Although the book surrounds Ali, it also mainly focuses on the other fighters—the fifteen who have shown bravery and courage to step into the ring with the unstoppable force. Brunt characterizes all the experiences, lives, and mindsets of these individuals to create a different take on an athlete who’s already had hundreds of books written on him. Stephen Brunt has creatively inspired a unique approach to Ali’s legacy, and we’re all enthralled by the product.

Insightful Chapters
Although the book is divided for every fighter, you’ll find that there’s insight in many of the chapters and there will be some fighters whom you’ll relate to more than others. There may be some fighters that you’ll hate, and some that you’ll love. These are the benefits of having fifteen unique perspectives to reflect an interesting approach to Muhammad Ali.

Cost and Value
As said by many other reviewers, this book is a true masterpiece. However, unless you’re a diehard boxing fan who has followed the sport for generations, we wouldn’t recommend starting with it. It’s a great book for the price of adding it to your collection, but if you don’t know any of the names or what they signify, you may get bored quick.

Literary Memoirs
It’s rare to find a boxing book cover so many fighters in a series of well-written literary memoirs that capture every little detail about their lives. Dark Trade successfully emulates the background story of the sport with thrilling ringside tales and strong ambitions. All the fighters captured by McRae are given the same amount of attention as they pursue the noble art of boxing.

William Hill Sports Book of the Year
The efforts of Donald McRae are properly awarded as this book won many prizes including Book of the Year from William Hill. These accomplishments are signified by the book’s heavy attention to accurate information and unusual detail. The author’s tremendous amount of research paid off nicely in his finished product, as Dark Trade is definitely one of the staples in modern boxing literature.

Cost and Value
Because of the limited availability in this book, its price can be seen as excruciatingly expensive, but we still think you should consider adding this one to your collection, as it does well to portray the entire history of boxing from cover to cover. The stories you read here will change your view on professional boxing as well as the fighters whose stories were brought to light.