One of the great boxing books (The Fight - Norman Mailer)

Member Name: paulie1975

Product:	The Fight - Norman Mailer
Date:	14/11/09 (72 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great coverage of a great fight and build up

Disadvantages: The writer is a tad self absorbed

The Fight is based on an article the journalist Norman Mailer was asked to write for Esquire magazine on the Heavyweight title right in Zaire, 'The Rumble in the Jungle' between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman.

The fight itself is renowned as one of the great fights of all time between the showman Ali and the young and enormously strong pretender Foreman, Mailer has unrivaled access to both camps and builds respect and friendship with both fighters, this is great as it allows you to see beyond the hype of the fight which is what most of us are aware of.

Anyone who has seen the documentary 'Once we're kings' will be aware of the way the fight transpires with they aggressive young Foreman punching Ali to a standstill and Ali taking a beating from the ropes before tiring the younger man out and finally beating him.

The book follows the fight from the outset from the hype and press conferences to signs before the fight that Ali talks more hype the more scared he is, Foreman comes across as a level headed if slightly aggressive character, but a calm man nonetheless whilst Ali hypes the fight to high heavens and Mailer questions if he is trying to psyche out Foreman or build himself up.

The build up is exciting and very interesting Mailer observes the characters around the fighters and becomes a character himself in the story of this fight.

The writers prose is excellent but at times he does put himself at the centre of the story and could do more to talk about whats happening, the coverage of the fight is awesome but the coverage of Zaire and the torture and unrest around the fight is hardly touched on which is a shame.

This is a classic book in the fact that it totally covers the fight and the build up perfectly, it feels a tad old fashioned but Mailer was a writer of his time a man who really believes in himself and this shows through in his meetings with the boxers as he attempts to physically match them on runs.

This book is available on Amazon for 49p and is awesome value for what is one of the greatest boxing books of all time.

Summary: One of the great boxing books