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My View from the Corner: A Life in Boxing by Angelo Dundee
"Dundee is one of the greatest innovators in the annals of the sweet science…guiding world champions as diverse in gladiatorial gifts and mind-sets as Carmen Basilio, Willie Pastrano, Luis Rodriguez, Sugar Ray Leonard, George Foreman (in his comeback) and, of course, Muhammad Ali…Bert Randolph Sugar has superbly captured Dundee’s unique diction...by the end the reader will know precisely what it is like to listen to the Bill Walsh of boxing hold court on the exotic art of the cornerman.”-- The New York TimesAngelo Dundee has lived a half-century of boxing history. During that period he trained a record-breaking fifteen world champions and countless top contenders--wiping away their sweat and blood and instilling whatever it took to win.My View from the Corner is his story in his own words. It is also the story of the legendary ring warriors he has forged into champions, including all-time greats Muhammad Ali, "Sugar" Ray Leonard, and George Foreman, as well as champs such as Willie Pastrano and Carmen Basilio.But you won't just read about prize fighters. Dundee can't tell his tale without including an amazing cast of characters who could only exist in the larger-than-life world of professional boxing. You'll find engrossing stories involving everyone from sportscaster Howard Cosell to artist LeRoy Nieman to mobster Frank Costello. Muhammad Ali also contributes a foreword of his own--delivering his personal insights on Dundee--the man, the friend, and the boxing trainer.The veteran trainer gives you a ringside seat and the inside scoop into what really happened during such classic sports moments Ali-Liston rematch, which even today many believe was "fixed"The Rumble in the Jungle (Ali vs. Foreman) where Dundee was accused of loosening the ring ropes in order to let Ali perform his now famous "rope-a-dope"The second Leonard-Duran fight known for Duran uttering the infamous "no mas" --Dundee reveals Duran never actually spoke those wordsForeman vs. Moorer where George Foreman made history by becoming the oldest man to win the Heavyweight ChampionshipLeonard vs. Hagler, which ended with one of the most controversial decisions in boxing historyFor the first time, Dundee also candidly discusses his feelings about Ali's conversion to Islam, the mob and its influence on boxing, training Russell Crowe for Cinderella Man (which Dundee also appeared in), the psychology of training fighters, and much more.My View from the Corner is filled with the depth and insight that can only come from a man who truly loves what he does . . . and is unquestionably the best in the world at it.
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First published October 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 23, 2014
I gave this book a higher rating only out of respect to the great trainer, Angelo Dundee.
This was a book that I looked forward to with some interest. Dundee had trained and been around some of the greats and near greats of boxing for most decades and it was with some hope that much of those experiences would be shared within these pages.
This however was not the case. Instead much of what many would already know or what Dundee had already divulged was instead re printed as such in this book and some of the lesser known fighters were over looked or barely mentioned.
It is not a bad book and if some one is interested in the more generic boxing reading then this book is certainly for you. I think this book does belong in any serious boxing library, it however just falls short of delivering that knock out blow as far as delivering a compelling and information rich read.
It instead gets by with a Majority Decision.
60 %
This was a book that I looked forward to with some interest. Dundee had trained and been around some of the greats and near greats of boxing for most decades and it was with some hope that much of those experiences would be shared within these pages.
This however was not the case. Instead much of what many would already know or what Dundee had already divulged was instead re printed as such in this book and some of the lesser known fighters were over looked or barely mentioned.
It is not a bad book and if some one is interested in the more generic boxing reading then this book is certainly for you. I think this book does belong in any serious boxing library, it however just falls short of delivering that knock out blow as far as delivering a compelling and information rich read.
It instead gets by with a Majority Decision.
60 %
January 29, 2010
I liked this in the way I liked Cash's autobio---
It wasn't a memoir. It was a life lived and places been and talk about them. It was drinking around a fire with a good ol' boy. This isn't writing, this is a tale.
It wasn't a memoir. It was a life lived and places been and talk about them. It was drinking around a fire with a good ol' boy. This isn't writing, this is a tale.
May 27, 2023
An interesting, if workmanlike memoir from one of boxing's most famous trailer, My View From the Corner is Angelo Dundee reflecting back on roughly fifty years in the sport.
Dundee, who died in 2012, worked with a who's who of boxing: Sugar Ray Leonard, George Foreman, and most famously, Muhammad Ali. Indeed, Ali dominates this book, and occupies the bulk of it's narrative. There isn't much here that hasn't been told before by other writers, but with someone as famed as Ali, there might not be much left to uncover. That said, it's still interesting to see not only that Ali mattered, but why he was such a controversial figure - and that Dundee was mostly left alone to do his job.
The later chapters on Dundee's time are more interesting: his time with Leonard covered an infamous bout where Roberto Duran said "no mas" and quit (a quote Dundee disputes, by the way) and a brutal fight against Marvin Hagler in 1987. This period ended over money disputes, with Leonard shying away from defending Dundee to his manager - an unflattering portrait painted by Dundee, who elsewhere has nary a bad word to say about anyone he trained.
Co-written with longtime boxing journalist/tv personality Bert Sugar, the book is told generally in a loose and conversational style. Sugar was never known as a prose stylist, and you can see why here: it's written like a long feature for a magazine. True, one in a while they occasionally go into detail, but largely My View... falls back on old stories and drops names from a good 60, 70 years ago. A few stories are repeated, too.
It's not really the kind of book I'd recommend to anyone, except maybe hardcore boxing people, but there are worse ways to spend an afternoon or two. If you go in expecting to hear some familiar stories retold as if over a glass of wine, you'll have a pleasant enough time. But those looking for insight into Ali might want to stick with Thomas Hauser's biography; I'm less sure if anyone's written definitive books on Foreman or Leonard yet.
Dundee, who died in 2012, worked with a who's who of boxing: Sugar Ray Leonard, George Foreman, and most famously, Muhammad Ali. Indeed, Ali dominates this book, and occupies the bulk of it's narrative. There isn't much here that hasn't been told before by other writers, but with someone as famed as Ali, there might not be much left to uncover. That said, it's still interesting to see not only that Ali mattered, but why he was such a controversial figure - and that Dundee was mostly left alone to do his job.
The later chapters on Dundee's time are more interesting: his time with Leonard covered an infamous bout where Roberto Duran said "no mas" and quit (a quote Dundee disputes, by the way) and a brutal fight against Marvin Hagler in 1987. This period ended over money disputes, with Leonard shying away from defending Dundee to his manager - an unflattering portrait painted by Dundee, who elsewhere has nary a bad word to say about anyone he trained.
Co-written with longtime boxing journalist/tv personality Bert Sugar, the book is told generally in a loose and conversational style. Sugar was never known as a prose stylist, and you can see why here: it's written like a long feature for a magazine. True, one in a while they occasionally go into detail, but largely My View... falls back on old stories and drops names from a good 60, 70 years ago. A few stories are repeated, too.
It's not really the kind of book I'd recommend to anyone, except maybe hardcore boxing people, but there are worse ways to spend an afternoon or two. If you go in expecting to hear some familiar stories retold as if over a glass of wine, you'll have a pleasant enough time. But those looking for insight into Ali might want to stick with Thomas Hauser's biography; I'm less sure if anyone's written definitive books on Foreman or Leonard yet.
November 17, 2019
This book often seemed more like a biography of Muhammad Ali than Angelo Dundee. Nothing against Ali, but if I want to read another book about him, there’s about a thousand to choose from. I know the two men were joined at the hip, but I was hoping to get much deeper into the mind of Angelo the man and the Angelo the trainer. Bert Sugar keeps the prose lively and colorful, but Angelo, bless his heart, just wants to talk about his fighters and not himself.
October 15, 2017
Good Boxing Bio
Dundee has seen it all. And he tells all a bout seeing all, in a sanitized version I’m sure, in this well written fast paced recounting of his life and times, and in particular his training of Ali, Leonard and Foreman three legendary fighters of the last fifty years. Highly recommended if you’re a boxing aficionado like myself.
Dundee has seen it all. And he tells all a bout seeing all, in a sanitized version I’m sure, in this well written fast paced recounting of his life and times, and in particular his training of Ali, Leonard and Foreman three legendary fighters of the last fifty years. Highly recommended if you’re a boxing aficionado like myself.
February 27, 2015
"My view from the corner" tells the story of Angelo Dundee. The book gave details on the environment he grew up in. He gave his reasons on how he got inspired to become involved in the boxing world. He worked his way to the top by being fortunate and working with great fighters. Dundee has made a numerous amount of fighters champions from his training. Such boxers like Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard.
From the book there where many things that I liked and only a few that I disliked.For starters I liked how Dundee told his story. Just as the title states I like how boxing was shown from a different perspective. Like how he would meet his fighters and gave a little story about themselves. The only disliked in the book is that it mostly talked about his relationship with Muhammad Ali. Since mostly everyone knows the story of Ali I taught another boxer would have as much detailed about their time with Dundee.
Recommendation for this would be for people who likes sports. It gives a different point of view from a trainer who has earned his stripes making boxers champions. Finally the rating I would give this book is a 4/5 since it gives story behind the lights and the ring during a fight but behind the scenes.
From the book there where many things that I liked and only a few that I disliked.For starters I liked how Dundee told his story. Just as the title states I like how boxing was shown from a different perspective. Like how he would meet his fighters and gave a little story about themselves. The only disliked in the book is that it mostly talked about his relationship with Muhammad Ali. Since mostly everyone knows the story of Ali I taught another boxer would have as much detailed about their time with Dundee.
Recommendation for this would be for people who likes sports. It gives a different point of view from a trainer who has earned his stripes making boxers champions. Finally the rating I would give this book is a 4/5 since it gives story behind the lights and the ring during a fight but behind the scenes.
November 21, 2014
My View from the Corner by Angelo Dundee is a nonfiction book that has to do with boxing. This book is about a great trainer who has trained many professional/Amateur fighters. This was a gym he trained at, that was located in Miami Beach. Called 5th St. Gym. Also, where Muhammad Ali was being trained at as a pro-amateur fighter. He also talked about his career, and how it was a success.
There are so many great events that happen in this book. While I was reading it, such as, training fighters to be the best. Traveling with players to watch them succeed. Also showing his great experience with world champion Muhammad Ali. I also liked seeing the history of boxing. I really enjoyed learning about the new people that was also working with him. Also, I realize a lot of about boxing history. Even though it’s much more to learn about. Boxing excites me in many ways.
Even though, it’s more focus on one fighter, and lack of focus on others. It shows you’re a lot of names. That would make you want to learn more about them. That’s my opinion. Overall, I really enjoyed the book, because of my passion for boxing.
There are so many great events that happen in this book. While I was reading it, such as, training fighters to be the best. Traveling with players to watch them succeed. Also showing his great experience with world champion Muhammad Ali. I also liked seeing the history of boxing. I really enjoyed learning about the new people that was also working with him. Also, I realize a lot of about boxing history. Even though it’s much more to learn about. Boxing excites me in many ways.
Even though, it’s more focus on one fighter, and lack of focus on others. It shows you’re a lot of names. That would make you want to learn more about them. That’s my opinion. Overall, I really enjoyed the book, because of my passion for boxing.
May 21, 2015
The book the view from the corner a life of boxing started of with the narrator talking about how he got where he was at. He talked about traveling the circuit of boxing as a trainer and soon got his hands to train classius clay for a while. At the end he was proud of himself and got a lot of experiences.
The book caught my attention straight from the gate because of the fact that it was talking about boxing. The book really hit home on explaining key details. Also the book was informal about the last of a trainer.
Overall I really liked the book. It was really goo and I would recommend the book to anyone who like sports. Also if your looking for a good read to pass time. The book was definitely a five star book.
The book caught my attention straight from the gate because of the fact that it was talking about boxing. The book really hit home on explaining key details. Also the book was informal about the last of a trainer.
Overall I really liked the book. It was really goo and I would recommend the book to anyone who like sports. Also if your looking for a good read to pass time. The book was definitely a five star book.
January 16, 2008
Dundee (with his co-writer Bert Sugar) has written a great personal history of boxing here. Focusing mainly on his time with Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, and George Foreman, Dundee excels when writing about the fights. The Foreman section is a standout. Some of the phrasing gets a little repetitive by the end, but overall, this is a very entertaining, informative book. I'd recommend it for anyone who likes boxing.
February 4, 2010
Having been a fan of boxing for almost all of my life, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Dundee has been one of my boxing heroes all along, ever since he was Muhammad Ali's trainer. Dundee saved Ali's bacon on a number of occasions: against "Amering Enry," in England and against Sonny Liston fight one, round four, to just name two. Great and fun read!
February 20, 2008
I'm reliving the early days of Muhammed Ali. And getting insights into Angelo Dundee, Muhammed's trainer, and his life-long dedication to his profession of training boxers. (History in my time)
December 13, 2008
Big potential here - Dundee was eyewitness to some of the best fights and fighters in history- is sunk by his fumbling prose and chronic ego flareups. I wish someone else had told this story.
July 5, 2011
The book is very entertaining and informative about Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard, but don't read this if you are thinking for deep thoughts about boxing or the men he trained.
January 19, 2013
Great boxing book with great stories. Anyone into sports, boxing or Hemingway-type stuff should consider it.
October 7, 2016
Good read for boxing fans.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews