Pulling No Punches: The Sam Langford Story

by Steven Laffoley

Heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey called Sam Langford "the greatest fighter we've ever had." Champion Jack Johnson called the man from Waymouth, N.S., "the toughest little son of a bitch that ever lived." Celebrated New York boxing writer Hype Igoe said he was "the greatest fighter, pound for pound, who ever lived."

Langford was so good many fighters refused to get in the ring with him.

Yet for all his ferocity, Langford (1883-1956) could not outbox his fate. From his first bout in 1902 until his last 25 years later, he battled boxing's colour barrier that kept him from being a world champion in three weight classes.

But the legend of his 500 fights lives on. In 2013, he was named the greatest fighter of all time by Boxing.com.

This is the story of Sam Langford.

Paperback

First published July 1, 2013

About the author

Steven Laffoley is an award-winning, Halifax, Nova Scotia-based author.

He the author of numerous books of fiction and creative nonfiction:

What's the Point?
Dulse to Donairs
Shadowboxing (second edition)
Unfiltered
Mean Streets
Halifax Nocturne
A Halifax Christmas Carol
The Halifax Poor House Fire
The Blue Tattoo
Pulling No Punches
Shadowboxing
The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Death Ship of Halifax Harbour
Hunting Halifax
Mr. Bush, Angus and Me

His bestselling books have been shortlisted for Evelyn Richardson Nonfiction Award (twice), the Atlantic Independent Booksellers' Choice Award, and the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Crime Nonfiction. His book Shadowboxing won the 2013 Evelyn Richardson Award for Nonfiction.

You can write him at stevenlaffoley@yahoo.ca