Are today's boxers better than their predecessors, or is modern boxing a shadow of its former self? Boxing historians discuss the socioeconomic and demographic changes that have affected the quality, prominence and popularity of the sport over the past century. Among the interviewees are world-renowned scholars, some of the sport's premier trainers, and former amateur and professional world champions. Chapters cover such topics as the ongoing deterioration of boxers' skills, their endurance, the decline in the number of fights and the psychological readiness of championship-caliber boxers. The strengths and weaknesses of today's superstars are analyzed and compared to those of such past greats as Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson, Jack Dempsey and Jake LaMotta.
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"Compelling arguments...unmistakable knowledge and passion." --The Ring Magazine
"If you care about boxing--it's future, it's past or both--then you have to read this book...thoroughly researched...articulately argued." --Newsday.com
"I loved everything about this book...should be required reading...very interesting...highly recommend it." --cyberboxingzone.com
"Lively...Silver explored the magic, studied the history." --Philadelphia Daily News
"If you care about boxing--it's future, it's past or both--then you have to read this book...thoroughly researched...articulately argued." --Newsday.com
"I loved everything about this book...should be required reading...very interesting...highly recommend it." --cyberboxingzone.com
"Lively...Silver explored the magic, studied the history." --Philadelphia Daily News
About the Author
Mike Silver is a former boxing promoter and inspector with the New York State Athletic Commission whose many articles on boxing have appeared in the New York Times, Ring magazine, Boxing Monthly and ESPN and Seconds Out websites.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Powerful critique on the shameful state of modern boxing,
This review is from: The Arc of Boxing: The Rise and Decline of the Sweet Science (Hardcover)
The basic premise of The Arc Of Boxing is this - once a upon a time there was a Golden Age in Boxing which was analogous to the Renaissance period in art and music. During that period there was perfection and beauty and artistry in the Manly Art. Modern Boxing, by contrast, is a joke and an embarrassement to what was once termed "The Sweet Science". Old curmudgeon stuff, for sure, but unlike your average barroom debater, Silver and his team of trainers, fighters and assorted pros explain to you in detail just exactly why they feel modern boxing is a travesty.
The arguments presented in this book are both solid and compelling. They will make you think much deeper about what Boxing is and how it has veered off course. Silver and his team delve into intricate detail as to why the "Golden Age" really was golden - more fighters, more fights, tougher competition and much more. Backing up the weighty arguments, though, are what I consider to be the book's strongest characteristic - the technical detail. The old school trainers tell you exactly how the old timers were trained and what's missing today. For example, there are six different ways to block a left jab, yet only one is taught nowadays as modern trainers aren't even aware of the other five. Another example is the use of punch pads in gyms, dismissed here as little more than a gimmick as they give way too easily thereby not allowing a fighter to develop his punching power. Yet another example is the poor stance that modern boxers are taught which results in the delivery of weak "arm punches" instead of strong punches based on the ability to utilise one's full body strength, an outgrowth of posturing oneself correctly. There's literally tons of stuff like this and it is truly invaluable. Insider knowledge like this has really changed the way I percieve the fight films of Louis, Robinson, Moore, Pep, Gavilan, Carter etc. I feel that I can now appreciate the intelligence, craftsmanship and improvisatory talents of the old greats to a far greater degree than before. These attributes also become glaringly amiss now when I watch the modern "greats". There are also two killer chapters that absolutely EVERYONE who professess an interest in boxing must read. The first is "The Bigger They Are, The Harder They Fall" - a powerful indictment of the misguided notion that yesterday's smaller heavyweights would be no match for today's ogres. This chapter demolishes all such nonsense once and for all. The second is "Boxing's Death By Alphabet" - a lament on the rise of the phony sanctioning organisations, again argued with such robust clarity that surely no one who truly cares about this game could disagree with. The retort to all this, however, is obvious. If I were a modern trainer, I'd say to Silver "Why should I care about this stuff? My guy's winning all the time and we're making a big ton of money". And there's the problem. Even if you accept that Boxing has become "dumbed down" (which I do), the point is that a lot of the old skills are probably no longer relevant to the modern game. Boxing has mutated into something that older generations find hard to relate to (I'm one). The modern version of the game may be a pale imitation of the real thing but it is what it is which makes me question the usefulness of a work like this other than to reminisce dreamily over obsolete skills and talents that may never be called upon again. So ultimately as a polemic it's something of a cul-de-sac. But as a piece of boxing literature, it's first rate - supremely executed and passionately heartfelt. I believe this will become a classic in years to come.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Understanding modern boxing,
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This review is from: The Arc of Boxing: The Rise and Decline of the Sweet Science (Hardcover)
To understand what boxing has become, you need to know where it has been. With great detail and expert analysis, Silver carefully breaks down why the golden agers of boxing (1920s thru the 1950s) were much better than any group of boxers since. Some of the many reasons include: During that era there were many, many more boxing gyms, fight clubs, and registered pro boxers than today and significantly more than the decades that followed (60s thru to today). You don't have to be a sport scientist to know more competition equals a better crop of athletes. Boxing as a sport did not progress like other sports, like football, basketball, track, soccer etc. It de-volved. He breaks all of this down. This book completely changed how I understand boxing as a fan and as a boxer.
If you care about boxing at all, read this book.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The truth will make you...sad,
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This review is from: The Arc of Boxing: The Rise and Decline of the Sweet Science (Hardcover)
This jeremiad against contemporary professional boxing is a clean body blow to devoted boxing fans like myself. Except for the courageous boxers, no area is spared from incisive, merciless, and (for the most part) convincing criticism. Still, it is clear that this book is a labor of love for boxing expert Mr. Silver.
It is full of observations from leading trainers, commentators, and even the celebrated ballet dancer and impresario Edwin Vallela. Boxing fans like myself will learn a great deal, if only (what we call in my field) "Socratic ignorance," knowing that we know nothing of real importance. It deserves a still wider audience, for it addresses a decline in decency, intelligence, and values that has produced so much cynicism into our political life, and into so many areas of our culture.
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