Life story of boxer "Irish" Micky Ward and his trainer brother Dick Eklund, chronicling the brothers' early days on the rough streets of Lowell, Massachusetts through Eklund's battle with drugs and Ward's eventual world championship in London.
A rousing page-turner about a boxer on the downside of his career who helps a troubled but talented contender make his way to the top.
Aging and not as quick as he used to be, Amos "Scrap Iron" Fletcher has finally arrived in Las Vegas, capital city of boxing. His years of slugging it out as a sparring partner for heavyweight contenders are about to pay off. But after his first big-league fight ends in defeat-and when he's falsely accused of offering to sell secrets to his sparring partner's opponent-he heads back home to Trenton to figure out his next move.
It's there, at his uncle's boxing gym that he's reunited with TNT, another boxer down on his luck. TNT is a reckless but kindhearted kid who just happens to throw some of the toughest punches Amos has ever seen. TNT's hunger for vindication rekindles Amos's passion for the sport, and he agrees to take the neglected young fighter under his wing.
With a little help from boxing idol Sonny Liston, who's always in the back of his mind, Amos forms a training strategy for TNT and launches a daring gambit to reclaim his own reputation. So begins Amos and TNT's thrilling ascent-guided by Liston's defiant spirit-to the title fight that every boxer dreams about: the Heavyweight Championship of the World.
Was heavyweight champion Joe Louis framed? He's innocent, yet he has something to hide. Private eye Toby Peters agrees to help the champ, but he gets embroiled in a sensational fight scam and a bloody trail of deception.
Winner of the Drue Heinz Literature Prize, this set of interconnected stories center around a retired prize fighter living in Las Vegas. The characters are as unforgettable and intriguing as the dialogue.
A boxer who brings his legs with him comes to the ring with the strength and stamina to make it through every round of a tough fight. In this new collection, winner of the prestigious Drue Heinz Literature Prize, Darrell Spencer delivers fiction with just that kind of power.
Bring Your Legs with You contains nine interconnected stories set in Las Vegas. Featuring various perspectives and narrators, they are filled with unforgettable characters, including Carl T. Plugg, a sharp-dressed, smooth-talking, non-hustling pool shark; Spinoza, the philosophical day laborer with "Department of Big Thoughts" lettered on the door of his pickup; Jacob, an arrogant lawyer who learns too late the dangers of swimming with the sharks; Gus, a man who has never seen his son fight despite his insatiable fascination with the sweet science; and Jane, a woman wary of her ex-husband, but still in love enough to share her bed with him.
Above them all looms Tommy Rooke, retired prizefighter and self-employed roofer. Undefeated in the ring, Rooke walked away from boxing at the top of his game, to the confusion and consternation of his friends and family. As his father, former manager, and various other hangers-on encourage him to stage a comeback, Tommy moves through the gated communities and sun-blasted strip malls of Las Vegas, wrestling with personal choice, the caprices of fate, and the price the gods demand for our sins.
More than a book about boxing, gambling, luck, and broken dreams, Bring Your Legs with You delves deeply into the life of its flawed but intelligent hero, a man deeply devoted to his friends but lost in a violent world. A writer unafraid to show the connections between people, Spencer delivers a hard-hitting collection filled with rich dialogue and spare prose.
Luke Pilgrim, a middleweight champion, was punch-drunk after a bout with Charley Retzer, and he couldn't remember whether that night he had killed Brenda Vane, the girl he had taken home after the party, whose body had been found badly beaten up. Filled with horror he turned sleuth, and started on an unending search, running the terrified gauntlet between what he remembered, and what he might find out.
His girl friend, Sally, flew on from Chicago to help him unravel the hideous mystery. He vaguely remembered a windmill sign, and a bakery trademark, too remote it seemed to ring a bell. But doggedly he followed every hunch, every tip in a winding, heartbreaking probe. The few days amnesia held the secret fate of his life in a vice-like grip.
Staged against the racketeering, merciless background of the prize-ring this is a frightening and menacing tale of a fighter's struggle to prove his own innocence. With barely a clue to tell him how and where to begin, Luke Pilgrim has to find an answer which will lead him to his freedom or brand him as a murderer.
A boxer without a prayer meets a naïve nun who might be his only chance for salvation . . . and victory in the ring.
Times are tough at Mukaida's Gym. Though a promising novice with a surprise win in his debut bout, Kosaku has since adopted a steady regimen of extremely unhealthy eating habits - enough to make his coach ready to permanently throw in the towel.
Will Sister Angela's teachings help Kosaku realize that the road to victory is not paved with bowls of ramen? Or will Kosaku's burgeoning feelings for the young nun undermine his ability to concentrate on training, fighting and binge eating?
VOLUME 2 ~ HUNGRY FOR VICTORY
Four years ago, Kosaku pulled off an astounding upset in his pro test by KO'ing a big-time boxer. More than simply sending his opponent down for the count, Kosaku also managed to mangle this pretty-boy fighter's teeth in the process.
Now this toothless tyrant is ready for a rematch, but can Kosaku drop down an entire weight class to qualify for the bout? It is said that the weight of a fighter's punch comes down to how hard he grips his fist, but will Kosaku ever get a grip on his pre-fight snacking?
VOLUME 3
Kosaku is a professional boxer whose constantly fluctuating weight, and inability to abstain from hearty food, is the bane of his coach's existence. Sister Angela is a young, dedicated and fairly naive nun who catches Kosaku's eye. Can her faith redeem Kosaku's gluttony?
VOLUME 4
The highly anticipated conclusion to Rumiko Takahashi's classic series One-Pound Gospel. Years in the making?
There's a new face around Mukaida's gym--a wannabe teenage pugilist who'll do anything to prove he's got what it takes to be a fighter... So why is he always sucker punching coach Mukaida?
Can Kosaku bounce back from a bout with food poisoning in time to correct this young tough's bad attitude?
Later, Kosaku strikes a bargain with Sister Angela. If he wins his next big eight-round fight, she'll agree to spend Christmas with him. Sounds simple enough, so why is the Mother Abbess forbidding Kosaku from punching his opponent's midsection? Could it have something to do with the Mexican fighter's religious tattoo?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Author and artist Rumiko Takahashi, the world's most popular and prolific female manga creator, has a large, devoted international fan base. Over 100 million copies of her work, such as Urusei Yatsura, Maison Ikkoku, Ranma 1/2 and Mermaid Saga--all available from VIZ Media--have been sold worldwide. Takahashi's works have been the basis for four long-running animated series and over eight animated movies.
Rocky: The Ultimate Guide is the official companion book to the Rocky series.
Published in 2006 by DK Publishing with the cooperation of Sylvester Stallone and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
The coffee table book covers all six films in detail, with synopses, behind-the-scenes stories and full color photos. We learn more about the series' major characters like Rocky, Paulie, Adrian and all of Rocky's colorful opponents through interesting character profiles. Every one of Rocky's major fights, from his first with Apollo Creed to his final with Mason "The Line" Dixon, are covered round for round.
The book is 144 pages and was written by entertainment journalist Edward Gross, with a foreword by Sylvester Stallone.
The Rocky II novelization was written by Sylvester Stallone and published in 1979. There are some added details of the Rocky II story apparent in the novel but absent from the movie.
There is a minor character in the novel named Chink Weber, who hails from Jersey. This bears a striking resemblance to Chuck Wepner, the only boxer to knockout Muhammad Ali. Wepner also hails from New Jersey and it is in this fight that Sylvester Stallone found his inspiration for the first Rocky movie. We also learn of Rocky's minor criminal offences. There is more detail of Paulie's involvement with Rocky's previous employer, Tony Gazzo.
'A slum fairy tale . . . funny, unpretentious and relentlessly upbeat . . . its only message – endure, reach your potential, be a man . . . I can't recall such excitement about a movie since, maybe, Giant and James Dean!' ~ Time magazine.
'An oasis of upbeat expectations. Hardened cinema cynics have actually been seen standing up and cheering!' ~ New York magazine.
'One of the best boxing movies ever made – maybe the best' ~ Pete Hamill.
. . . IS A BOOK
That - like the movie - will have you laughing, crying and cheering out loud!
He came from nowhere to within a heartbeat of victory . . .
Then, suddenly, success was more difficult to live with than failure – and the downward path began.
He remembered once more the struggle from the streets, the agony, the rejection and the pain.
But would he have the chance to fight back? The chance to love and live again?
Undefeated galactic heavyweight champion Korak the Cutter has defeated all challengers, destroying everyone in his path, but the wins aren't as easy as they used to be. After a decade of perfect fighting, his age is catching up with him. For a Quyth Warrior, that means he's slowing down, and speed is the name of the game in mixed martial arts.
At this late stage in his career, he faces a nightmare savage and unpredictable Chiyal "The Heretic" North. As crime lords and promoters try to fix the fight, and as managers cling to dreams of lost glory, Korak and Chiyal must find their way into the octagon to decide once and for all who is the greatest of all time.
Co-written with Parsec Award-winning author Matt Wallace, TITLE FIGHT delivers a scifi/mma one-two knockout. Now get your bitch ass in the ring, and let's settle this.
The 2006 release of Rocky Balboa reunites the world with its favorite boxing hero. Sylvester Stallone allows long-time Rocky fans to once again pull for their underdog champion and renew their affection for the Italian Stallion’s unwavering passion to win. Balboa brings this epic boxing flick into a modern day ring.
The circle of life in the boxing world begins to turn in Rocky V as Rocky’s son decides to become a boxer. Financial disaster, family turmoil, and loyalty issues become as much of a battle for America’s favorite movie boxer as all of his boxing challenges combined. Following the Balboa family into its second generation proves to be another crowd pleaser.
Rocky IV brings an interesting twist to the boxing ring when the Italian Stallion fights blow to blow with a fabricated Russian athlete. Rocky is forced to revisit his roots and regain his love for the sport and his passion to win.
Chapter three of the Rocky series introduces Mr. T as Clubby Lane, a ruthless boxing tyrant. Rocky enjoys his wealth and fame in Rocky III, but cannot resist the temptation of a good fight. With amazing performances by Burgess Meredith, Carl Weathers, and Hulk Hogan, America continues to love Rocky movies.
The boxing world continues to tempt heavy weight champion Rocky Balboa in this sequel despite success, injury, and adversity. Relentless taunting from Apollo Creed proves to be more than Rocky can withstand. Reminiscent of the original, Rocky II packs a powerful punch and renews America’s affection for the Italian Stallion.
Sylvester Stallone’s original screenplay became a timeless boxing epic. The Italian Stallion’s journey to fame made fans of the fiercest critics. The title song to the Rocky soundtrack became a sound synonymous with victory and the will to win. Winning the heart of America along with the boxing title, the Rocky movie is an all time favorite.
From the creative mind of Rod Sterling came this 1962 boxing favorite. Featuring legendary actors Jackie Gleason, Mickey Rooney, and Anthony Quinn, this classic film is remembered as much for its intense portrayal of its characters as it is for its dynamic boxing scenes.
