The Life And Times Of Stanley Christodoulou

Sports fans and boxing enthusiasts alike will love this compelling study of the resurgence of boxing in the early 1980s - and the four 'greats' who effected that change. Four Kings captures the contests, fighters and the period with a wonderful perception and vividly conjures up those by-gone smoky and raucous ringside nights in Vegas... 'Thrilling, insightful and often humourous' - The Independent 'A flawless and singular account of fights that remain potent and important decades after the final bell' - Irish Times 'A fascinating read' - ***** Reader review 'Very rarely is a non-fiction book so riveting it's almost impossible to put down but this is one of those books' - ***** Reader review 'Beautifully written and absolutely fascinating' - ***** Reader review 'Outstanding' - ***** Reader review ***************************************************************************** By the late 1970s, boxing had lapsed into a moribund state and interest in it was on the wane. In 1980, however, the sport was resuscitated by a riveting series of bouts involving an improbably dissimilar quartet: Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvellous Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns and Roberto Duran. Like Ali and Frazier, Dempsey and Tunney, Robinson and LaMotta, the 'Four Kings of the Ring' brought out the best in each other, producing unprecedented multi-million-dollar gates along the way. Each of the nine bouts between the four men was memorable in its own way and at least two of them - Leonard-Hearns in 1981 and Hagler-Hearns in 1985 - are commonly included on any list of the greatest fights of all time. The controversial outcome of another - the 1987 Leonard-Hagler fight - remains the subject of heated debates amongst fans to this day. In Four Kings, award-winning journalist George Kimball documents the remarkable effect they had on the sport and argues that we will never see their likes again. Leonard, Hagler, Hearns and Duran didn't set out to save boxing from itself in the post-Ali era, but somehow they managed to do so.

The FOXSports columnist and author of Pistol presents the story of the 1980s champion fighter, describing how he fulfilled a promise to his war-injured father and rose to the status of a national hero before a fateful match against a doomed Korean challenger that ruined his image and ended his career.

Many tales have been told of boxers who have risen up against the odds to achieve success in their lives. None, however, has been as dramatic and had such a profoundly inspirational influence on the people who shared the dream as the true life story of the man they call The Rose of Soweto. Dingaan Thobela, The Rose of Soweto, has been described as the most naturally talented boxer ever to come out of South Africa. Growing up in Chiawelo under the watchful eye of his grandmother, this is the story of how a skinny boy from Soweto overcame adversity to become one of the greatest boxers to lace up a pair of gloves. Starting his career as a raw 17-year-old with a passion for boxing, Dingaan Thobela would go on to become a two-time lightweight world champion by the age of 26. Fame and fortune followed, but the fairy tale that his life had become was not to last. After relinquishing his WBO title and losing his WBA title, he was to endure seven years of mixed fortunes and bitter disappointments until he found himself on the verge of being consigned to history books. Written off in the media and no longer able to make the weight to fight in the lightweight division, it looked as if The Rose of Soweto had no other option but to fade away quietly. His long-held dream of winning a third world title seemed an impossible one. Yet, Dingaan refused to give it up. He would not be denied. This is the story of how one man went about proving that no matter where you come from, no matter what your background and social standing you can triumph in the face of adversity. And then he proved it all over again. In doing so he would not only regain his crown as the champion of the people and once again be hailed as a unifying symbol in a racially divided nation, but he would also confirm his place alongside the greatest stars that boxing has ever produced.

The infamous boxing match between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield on June 28, 1997, was like none other in the sport's history, and this insightful account of the anticipation, the gruesome fight itself, and the ongoing aftermath of that one night reveals just how much of an impact it really made. The rivals met for a rematch that would never be finished, as Tyson earned a disqualification and infamy that followed in the third round by biting off a portion of Holyfield's ear. Through nearly 100 interviews, including with the famed fighters themselves, and extensive research of past interviews, books, and transcripts, this exploration of the sensational events surrounding the fight provides a behind-the-scenes, past and present look at the bout.

An iconic figure--a shining light.