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Bare Knuckle: Bobby Gunn, 73–0 Undefeated. A Dad. A Dream. A Fight like You’ve Never Seen.
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18 days and 00:38:33
25 copies available
U.S. and Canada only
INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER!
Father. Fighter. Champion. Outlaw.
Hailed as an “exhilarating debut” by Publishers Weekly, Bare Knuckle by former Rolling Stone editor Stayton Bonner (nominated for the Dan Jenkins Medal of Excellence in Sportswriting) takes readers into a previously unknown the underground circuit of illegal bare-knuckle fighting.
Bare Knuckle is the remarkable true tale of Bobby Gunn, the 73–0 undisputed champion of bare-knuckle boxing.
An inspiring underdog story that reads like a real-life Rocky.
Bobby Gunn has been fighting for his existence since a childhood spent living under the hand of his volatile father, and would do anything to give his seven-year-old daughter a better life—including betting on himself in the underground world of bare-knuckle boxing.
In 1984, Gunn was an eleven-year-old boxer in Ontario when his father woke him in the middle of the night to fight grown men in motel parking lots for money, his old man pocketing the cash. From there, Gunn traveled to Las Vegas, Tijuana, and beyond, competing in ringed matches as well as in biker bars and mobster dens on the side, brawling to make ends meet.
But it was only with the birth of his daughter—and his desire to help her avoid his fate—that Gunn entered the big-time world of underground Russian-mob matches of up to $50,000 a night in New York City, hoping to finally raise his family above the fray.
Former Rolling Stone editor Stayton Bonner travels the underground for years with Gunn, the world champion of bare-knuckle boxing with a 73–0 record, shining a light on a secret circuit that’s never before been revealed. Along the way, we explore the fascinating history of this first sport in America, Gunn’s Irish Traveler community—a sect of religious fighters best known through Brad Pitt’s depiction in Snatch—as well as his part in the improbable rise of the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, the first legal revival of the sport.
Bare Knuckle, a tale of triumph, loss, and a father’s love for his family, is a heartbreaking but ultimately inspiring story that will have you rooting until the end.
Father. Fighter. Champion. Outlaw.
Hailed as an “exhilarating debut” by Publishers Weekly, Bare Knuckle by former Rolling Stone editor Stayton Bonner (nominated for the Dan Jenkins Medal of Excellence in Sportswriting) takes readers into a previously unknown the underground circuit of illegal bare-knuckle fighting.
Bare Knuckle is the remarkable true tale of Bobby Gunn, the 73–0 undisputed champion of bare-knuckle boxing.
An inspiring underdog story that reads like a real-life Rocky.
Bobby Gunn has been fighting for his existence since a childhood spent living under the hand of his volatile father, and would do anything to give his seven-year-old daughter a better life—including betting on himself in the underground world of bare-knuckle boxing.
In 1984, Gunn was an eleven-year-old boxer in Ontario when his father woke him in the middle of the night to fight grown men in motel parking lots for money, his old man pocketing the cash. From there, Gunn traveled to Las Vegas, Tijuana, and beyond, competing in ringed matches as well as in biker bars and mobster dens on the side, brawling to make ends meet.
But it was only with the birth of his daughter—and his desire to help her avoid his fate—that Gunn entered the big-time world of underground Russian-mob matches of up to $50,000 a night in New York City, hoping to finally raise his family above the fray.
Former Rolling Stone editor Stayton Bonner travels the underground for years with Gunn, the world champion of bare-knuckle boxing with a 73–0 record, shining a light on a secret circuit that’s never before been revealed. Along the way, we explore the fascinating history of this first sport in America, Gunn’s Irish Traveler community—a sect of religious fighters best known through Brad Pitt’s depiction in Snatch—as well as his part in the improbable rise of the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, the first legal revival of the sport.
Bare Knuckle, a tale of triumph, loss, and a father’s love for his family, is a heartbreaking but ultimately inspiring story that will have you rooting until the end.
388 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 23, 2024
19 people are currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 8, 2022
Brutal as they may be, fighting sports have long been popular not only for spectators but also participants of all races, sizes and socioeconomic statuses. While boxing and mixed martial arts are the more well-known organized fighting sports, bare knuckle fighting has a life of its own. It is popular and lucrative – and underground as it is illegal in most places and is often tied with organized crime. One of the most successful bare knuckle fighters is Bobby Gunn, who never lost a match – at least by the unofficial records kept – and is a completely different person when not fighting. His story is told in this excellent book by Stayton Bonner.
Gunn came from a family of fighters, most notably his father, a successful professional wrestler, who trained him originally to be a boxer. While Bobby had some success in boxing, even winning a cruiserweight championship, his greatest success and fame came in the bare knuckle circuit. Bonner does a terrific job of not only giving the reader the story of Gunn, but also a up-close look at the underground world of bare knuckle fighting. These include the quick-cash bouts that can make a good fighter like Gunn become flush with money quickly, the training ground and fight sights that double as organized crime hangouts, and the sheer brutalness of the sport. The sections that describe some of the fights, especially those stories shared by Gunn, are not for the squeamish as there are many serious injuries suffered by fighters of all skills. It should also be noted that many of these fights are very short. A five-minute brawl between combatants would be considered a very long bout in this world.
As for Gunn himself, his story is as complex as his chosen athletic endeavor. He would hustle for construction jobs, mainly laying down asphalt for driveways and parking lots, in many locations. This is consistent with his upbringing as an Irish Traveler. The Traveler lifestyle, complete with the marginalization and fierce loyalty to their groups separated by ethnicity or religion, is a hard, nomadic one and Bonner brings this lifestyle to the reader just as well as he describes the bare knuckle fighting world. While Gunn eventually settles down (mostly) in New Jersey with his wife and two children for work, he maintains his presence in the fighting world for both underground bare knuckle and in boxing. For the latter, he not only tried an unsuccessful comeback in middle age but he also trained his son as well.
Gunn’s story about his family and personal life is touching. This is especially true when he talks about his daughter and what he will do for her, which was the main reason he kept fighting. Given the world where he earns that kind of money so he can take her to Disney World or to provide her with a good education, it also seems like a contradiction. But then, nothing ever came easy to any Gunn family member and this book is one that describes his life and his professional in a complete and wonderful manner. Even if a reader is not a fan of fighting or combat sports, it is one that most will enjoy for the family bonding. Even if that family is connected with a brutal, mostly illegal sport.
I wish to thank Blackstone Publishing for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
Gunn came from a family of fighters, most notably his father, a successful professional wrestler, who trained him originally to be a boxer. While Bobby had some success in boxing, even winning a cruiserweight championship, his greatest success and fame came in the bare knuckle circuit. Bonner does a terrific job of not only giving the reader the story of Gunn, but also a up-close look at the underground world of bare knuckle fighting. These include the quick-cash bouts that can make a good fighter like Gunn become flush with money quickly, the training ground and fight sights that double as organized crime hangouts, and the sheer brutalness of the sport. The sections that describe some of the fights, especially those stories shared by Gunn, are not for the squeamish as there are many serious injuries suffered by fighters of all skills. It should also be noted that many of these fights are very short. A five-minute brawl between combatants would be considered a very long bout in this world.
As for Gunn himself, his story is as complex as his chosen athletic endeavor. He would hustle for construction jobs, mainly laying down asphalt for driveways and parking lots, in many locations. This is consistent with his upbringing as an Irish Traveler. The Traveler lifestyle, complete with the marginalization and fierce loyalty to their groups separated by ethnicity or religion, is a hard, nomadic one and Bonner brings this lifestyle to the reader just as well as he describes the bare knuckle fighting world. While Gunn eventually settles down (mostly) in New Jersey with his wife and two children for work, he maintains his presence in the fighting world for both underground bare knuckle and in boxing. For the latter, he not only tried an unsuccessful comeback in middle age but he also trained his son as well.
Gunn’s story about his family and personal life is touching. This is especially true when he talks about his daughter and what he will do for her, which was the main reason he kept fighting. Given the world where he earns that kind of money so he can take her to Disney World or to provide her with a good education, it also seems like a contradiction. But then, nothing ever came easy to any Gunn family member and this book is one that describes his life and his professional in a complete and wonderful manner. Even if a reader is not a fan of fighting or combat sports, it is one that most will enjoy for the family bonding. Even if that family is connected with a brutal, mostly illegal sport.
I wish to thank Blackstone Publishing for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
May 8, 2024
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: “GUNN WOULD GO ON TO FIGHT COUNTLESS ROUGH-AND-TUMBLE MATCHES, TAKING THE BOUTS TO INCREASING EXTREMES.””NOBODY TALKS ABOUT IT, BUT I’M BETTER AT ROUGH-AND-TUMBLE THAN FAIR AND SQUARE, RIP HIS BALL SACK OFF, IF HE HAD A RING IN HIS BALLS, RIP IT OUT. GUT HIM, SMASH HIM, TAKE YOUR FINGER, PUT IT IN HIS EYE, AND BITE HIS EAR AND NOSE OFF. CHRIST, I’VE DONE THAT MANY A TIME.” “HE PAUSES. I KNOW THAT SOUNDS GRAPHIC, BUT I’M DOING IT TO SOME ANIMAL WHO’S TRYING TO DO IT TO ME. THAT’S A GUNSLINGER FIGHT, YOU KNOW?”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the life story of the claimed best bare knuckle fighter of all time… Bobby Gunn. The fact that bare knuckle fighting was illegal for over a hundred years… leads to the story dwelling on the clandestine operations involved in even being able to stage and schedule a fight… as much as the normally very short fights themselves.
I have been a boxing enthusiast from the time I was seven-years-old and watched boxing matches with my Dad. I had a relatively active fight life growing up… which was verified to my son when as an adult he attended my high school reunions. Fighting became part of my ability to survive in the military… and real boxing was part of my military punishment to try and get me on the straight and narrow! But the bare knuckle…and almost unfortunately… regulation boxing… that became a not altogether successful part of Gunn’s life work… is laid out in detail.
THIS A BRUTAL STORY… ABOUT A BRUTAL LIFE… IN A BRUTAL SPORT… and unfortunately… Gunn’s life has been brutal since birth.
NOTE: As a voluminous book reviewer with hundreds… upon hundreds… of posted reviews… and over ONE-MILLION VIEWS… I know a writer should not overuse a word or phrase… but when you write a review … and you come upon a rare book… that only one word does it true justice… it would be sacrosanct… to not… use it like a battering ram!
One of the intellectual surprises in this book… which is wonderfully told by first time author… and former senior editor at Rolling Stone… Stayton Bonner… is the history and current day status of “Gypsies”… “Travelers”… that consists of battles within their own people between Christian and Protestant… Irish… Scottish… English… and others. Bare knuckle brawling is inherent in almost every “Traveler” from the moment of birth. Proud parents… not just fathers… literally ball up the fists of their newborns… at birth… for proud pictures. And that is the opening bell… that has no halt till death. The reader… has no real expectation… of being schooled… literally immersed in the history and customs of this ethnic group upon buying this book… and as brutal a life style as it is… it is even more captivating on the written page.
It is almost hard to comprehend that in addition to rampant fighting… and almost deadly drinking… that this set of people are so hard working… in such physically demanding tasks. Many… including Gunn… work in laying asphalt… sealing asphalt… painting silos… painting barns. In Gunn’s case… I literally had to take a deep breath periodically… when he would be working all day in either extreme desert heat… or frigid northeast winter cold… and at the end of the day of non-stop tortuous physical work… would then rush and compete in a bare knuckle brawl… or even a sanctioned boxing (with gloves) match.
Gunn… was almost a human and ethnic contradiction… he didn’t drink… he read the bible… he married outside his religion… and loved his two children…
And at night he would rub elbows… (and fists) with Mafia members… Russian mobsters… Mexican gangs… Polish gangs. He’d get secretive phone calls even an hour before a newly scheduled fight that would be at an auto parts warehouse… or in an empty mall parking lot… in an alley… at a gang kingpin’s mansion. Guns would be put to his head… in one case a mountain lion was paraded around along with innumerable weapons. He not only constantly had the challenge of winning a fight against a heretofore unknown behemoth… but if he did win… would he get out alive with his money?
During his life of hoping to get bare knuckle fighting legally legitimized… there are many people from all walks of life that Gunn becomes involved with… and his hopes and dreams periodically rise… and just as many times those same hopes and dreams… are not only crushed… they’re shattered… sabotaged… and demolished. One kindred spirit in the quest for legalization… is my second favorite character in this story… DAVID FELDMAN… a former fighter… and then promoter… and the strongest advocate… matched with action… for legalizing bare knuckle fighting. Gunn and Feldman become indispensable pieces for each other to attain their goals. The most unbelievable part of Feldman’s story (and I purposely will just give a “smidge” of description… so I don’t give even a hint of a spoiler!) is his twenty-six year quest… to find who caused his Mother to become a quadriplegic.
The one drawback to me… is how towards the last half of the book… how Gunn keeps taking regular boxing fights… always repeating his lifelong dreams… getting older… and more out of shape… that segment of the story gets too repetitive… and is eerily reminiscent of **REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT**… and he’s playing Anthony Quinn’s character.
One of the superb writing characteristics of the author… is some of his street-level analogies… such as:
“IN AN ADJOINING ROOM, HIS OPPONENT BLARES RAP MUSIC, THE WALL SHAKING LIKE AN ANGRY HEARTBEAT.”
FINAL NOTE: Because of the illegality of the bare knuckle fights… the author makes clear… that some names are pseudonyms… to protect the “lawbreakers”… and the large amount of cash they collected… and also never gives exact locations where these illegal bouts took place. I feel a quote from one of those phony name protected fighters… is the perfect way to end this review”
“GUNN IS A LEGEND,” “WHEN YOU’RE DEAD AND GONE, WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE ANY MONEY, YOU ONLY HAVE YOUR NAME… AND BOBBY IS WITHOUT QUESTION THE GREATEST BARE KNUCKLE FIGHTER I’VE EVER SEEN.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the life story of the claimed best bare knuckle fighter of all time… Bobby Gunn. The fact that bare knuckle fighting was illegal for over a hundred years… leads to the story dwelling on the clandestine operations involved in even being able to stage and schedule a fight… as much as the normally very short fights themselves.
I have been a boxing enthusiast from the time I was seven-years-old and watched boxing matches with my Dad. I had a relatively active fight life growing up… which was verified to my son when as an adult he attended my high school reunions. Fighting became part of my ability to survive in the military… and real boxing was part of my military punishment to try and get me on the straight and narrow! But the bare knuckle…and almost unfortunately… regulation boxing… that became a not altogether successful part of Gunn’s life work… is laid out in detail.
THIS A BRUTAL STORY… ABOUT A BRUTAL LIFE… IN A BRUTAL SPORT… and unfortunately… Gunn’s life has been brutal since birth.
NOTE: As a voluminous book reviewer with hundreds… upon hundreds… of posted reviews… and over ONE-MILLION VIEWS… I know a writer should not overuse a word or phrase… but when you write a review … and you come upon a rare book… that only one word does it true justice… it would be sacrosanct… to not… use it like a battering ram!
One of the intellectual surprises in this book… which is wonderfully told by first time author… and former senior editor at Rolling Stone… Stayton Bonner… is the history and current day status of “Gypsies”… “Travelers”… that consists of battles within their own people between Christian and Protestant… Irish… Scottish… English… and others. Bare knuckle brawling is inherent in almost every “Traveler” from the moment of birth. Proud parents… not just fathers… literally ball up the fists of their newborns… at birth… for proud pictures. And that is the opening bell… that has no halt till death. The reader… has no real expectation… of being schooled… literally immersed in the history and customs of this ethnic group upon buying this book… and as brutal a life style as it is… it is even more captivating on the written page.
It is almost hard to comprehend that in addition to rampant fighting… and almost deadly drinking… that this set of people are so hard working… in such physically demanding tasks. Many… including Gunn… work in laying asphalt… sealing asphalt… painting silos… painting barns. In Gunn’s case… I literally had to take a deep breath periodically… when he would be working all day in either extreme desert heat… or frigid northeast winter cold… and at the end of the day of non-stop tortuous physical work… would then rush and compete in a bare knuckle brawl… or even a sanctioned boxing (with gloves) match.
Gunn… was almost a human and ethnic contradiction… he didn’t drink… he read the bible… he married outside his religion… and loved his two children…
And at night he would rub elbows… (and fists) with Mafia members… Russian mobsters… Mexican gangs… Polish gangs. He’d get secretive phone calls even an hour before a newly scheduled fight that would be at an auto parts warehouse… or in an empty mall parking lot… in an alley… at a gang kingpin’s mansion. Guns would be put to his head… in one case a mountain lion was paraded around along with innumerable weapons. He not only constantly had the challenge of winning a fight against a heretofore unknown behemoth… but if he did win… would he get out alive with his money?
During his life of hoping to get bare knuckle fighting legally legitimized… there are many people from all walks of life that Gunn becomes involved with… and his hopes and dreams periodically rise… and just as many times those same hopes and dreams… are not only crushed… they’re shattered… sabotaged… and demolished. One kindred spirit in the quest for legalization… is my second favorite character in this story… DAVID FELDMAN… a former fighter… and then promoter… and the strongest advocate… matched with action… for legalizing bare knuckle fighting. Gunn and Feldman become indispensable pieces for each other to attain their goals. The most unbelievable part of Feldman’s story (and I purposely will just give a “smidge” of description… so I don’t give even a hint of a spoiler!) is his twenty-six year quest… to find who caused his Mother to become a quadriplegic.
The one drawback to me… is how towards the last half of the book… how Gunn keeps taking regular boxing fights… always repeating his lifelong dreams… getting older… and more out of shape… that segment of the story gets too repetitive… and is eerily reminiscent of **REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT**… and he’s playing Anthony Quinn’s character.
One of the superb writing characteristics of the author… is some of his street-level analogies… such as:
“IN AN ADJOINING ROOM, HIS OPPONENT BLARES RAP MUSIC, THE WALL SHAKING LIKE AN ANGRY HEARTBEAT.”
FINAL NOTE: Because of the illegality of the bare knuckle fights… the author makes clear… that some names are pseudonyms… to protect the “lawbreakers”… and the large amount of cash they collected… and also never gives exact locations where these illegal bouts took place. I feel a quote from one of those phony name protected fighters… is the perfect way to end this review”
“GUNN IS A LEGEND,” “WHEN YOU’RE DEAD AND GONE, WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE ANY MONEY, YOU ONLY HAVE YOUR NAME… AND BOBBY IS WITHOUT QUESTION THE GREATEST BARE KNUCKLE FIGHTER I’VE EVER SEEN.”
August 7, 2024
I recently read Bare Knuckle: The Story of Bobby Gunn by Stayton Bonner, which I discovered through a podcast interview he did with Mathew McKay on the Art of Manliness.
I finished the book between June 26, 2024, and August 1, 2024. The book spans 308 pages and is published by Black Stone Publishing.
Bobby Gunn, a champion of bare-knuckle boxing, might initially evoke images of the 19th-century Wild West and legends like John L. Sullivan. However, Gunn was born in 1973, and his life begins during his Traveler family move from Niagara Falls to Tampa, Florida in search of seasonal work. Bonner skillfully intertwines Gunn’s personal biography with the broader history of the Travelers, the evolution of bare-knuckle boxing, and a social commentary on a segment of America that remains largely unseen and mythic. The narrative also explores Gunn’s personal struggles with identity, self-respect, and the values and weaknesses that define him: discipline, honor, resilience, faith, family commitment, love, generosity, mercy, but also shame, addiction, violence, and, as Winston Churchill described, the “Black Dog” of depression.
Two aspects of Bonner’s work are particularly noteworthy. First, his ability to gain access to and earn the trust of Gunn and his community is impressive. Second, Bonner refrains from portraying Gunn as a conventional hero. While there are admirable and compelling qualities in Gunn, Bonner's portrayal does not romanticize his life or make it seem enviable. Instead, the book fosters a deep respect and understanding of both Gunn and his community without idealizing their experiences.
Would I recommend this book? Absolutely. In my rating system, it’s a 4/4: very worthwhile and I’m glad I read it. However, if you are sensitive to graphic descriptions of violence, this book may not be for you.
I finished the book between June 26, 2024, and August 1, 2024. The book spans 308 pages and is published by Black Stone Publishing.
Bobby Gunn, a champion of bare-knuckle boxing, might initially evoke images of the 19th-century Wild West and legends like John L. Sullivan. However, Gunn was born in 1973, and his life begins during his Traveler family move from Niagara Falls to Tampa, Florida in search of seasonal work. Bonner skillfully intertwines Gunn’s personal biography with the broader history of the Travelers, the evolution of bare-knuckle boxing, and a social commentary on a segment of America that remains largely unseen and mythic. The narrative also explores Gunn’s personal struggles with identity, self-respect, and the values and weaknesses that define him: discipline, honor, resilience, faith, family commitment, love, generosity, mercy, but also shame, addiction, violence, and, as Winston Churchill described, the “Black Dog” of depression.
Two aspects of Bonner’s work are particularly noteworthy. First, his ability to gain access to and earn the trust of Gunn and his community is impressive. Second, Bonner refrains from portraying Gunn as a conventional hero. While there are admirable and compelling qualities in Gunn, Bonner's portrayal does not romanticize his life or make it seem enviable. Instead, the book fosters a deep respect and understanding of both Gunn and his community without idealizing their experiences.
Would I recommend this book? Absolutely. In my rating system, it’s a 4/4: very worthwhile and I’m glad I read it. However, if you are sensitive to graphic descriptions of violence, this book may not be for you.
January 26, 2025
“Bare Knuckle” is easily the most fascinating book I have read in a long, long time! It chronicles the highest highs and the lowest lows of Bobby Gunn, the acknowledged king of bare-knuckle fighting, and his efforts to legitimize the sport. His is a truly remarkable story of family, faith, and his struggle to be understood, if not accepted, by a world that has little idea of the values and customs of the insular society into which he was born. Gunn’s story is one of a man with tremendous courage, love of his God and his family, and the heart of a lion.
Perhaps some of the reasons I found this book fascinating is because of the first-person accounts of the underground world of bare-knuckle boxing as told by Gunn, fighters, trainers, promoters, and others, and because many of the events described took place in and around northern NJ (where I happen to live).
It also provides some insight into the world of the Travelers (sometimes referred to as “gypsies”), the very private people who travel the country seeking work, most often in asphalt paving and house painting. It’s quite possible that if you a homeowner, you have been approached by one of these clean-cut, well-spoken men offering to do this or other kinds of work. As I understand it, bare-knuckle fighting is a matter of pride and honor among these very private people. It’s little wonder that they dominate this (sometimes legal) sport.
An inspirational and entertaining read!
Perhaps some of the reasons I found this book fascinating is because of the first-person accounts of the underground world of bare-knuckle boxing as told by Gunn, fighters, trainers, promoters, and others, and because many of the events described took place in and around northern NJ (where I happen to live).
It also provides some insight into the world of the Travelers (sometimes referred to as “gypsies”), the very private people who travel the country seeking work, most often in asphalt paving and house painting. It’s quite possible that if you a homeowner, you have been approached by one of these clean-cut, well-spoken men offering to do this or other kinds of work. As I understand it, bare-knuckle fighting is a matter of pride and honor among these very private people. It’s little wonder that they dominate this (sometimes legal) sport.
An inspirational and entertaining read!
August 6, 2024
Brutal as it may be, boxing without gloves puts more emphasis on body shots and pressure points. Hitting the skull with fists will lead to broken bones in the hand. The author describes Bobby Gunn's techniques with twist punches to the body and pin-point hit to specific points. This is the way many of us in the martial arts train for self-defense. Pressure testing for most people in bare knuckle is not going to happen, but we can learn from those that do.
Bobby's family's story is really fascinating. All have had a tough life, an Itinerant lifestyle, with little formal education. The training is truely hard core. I recommend the read to all my martial arts friends.
Bobby's family's story is really fascinating. All have had a tough life, an Itinerant lifestyle, with little formal education. The training is truely hard core. I recommend the read to all my martial arts friends.
October 20, 2024
An exciting description of the world of bare knuckle boxing and a partial portrait of a legend of the sport, the book is definitely worth a read. The epilogue was a bit ominous and I was left with the feeling that there was more to Bobby Gunn than the author would share with us. I understand that the Bonner was walking a tightrope and had to balance gaining trust from his informants with sharing insights about them. And although the author has a real talent to bring people, scenes and fights to life, there simply wasn't enough in the book to create a completely immersive reading experience, or a critical look at either Bobby Gunn's world or bare knuckle fighting as a scene.
May 2, 2024
I listened to an interview with Bobby Gunn, a bare-knuckle fighter and Stayton Bonner the writer of the biography, on the Jordan Harbinger Podcast. When they started discussing Gunn's life, an Irish traveler who is 73-0 undefeated in bare-knuckle underground boxing, I was hooked and had to read the book.
Bare Knuckle is equally interesting and heartbreaking since Gunn is a sweet, kind man but was raised to be a beast. I wondered how life would have turned out if he had been raised with a bit more kindness and received more education.
I recommend this book to anyone... it's fascinating!
Bare Knuckle is equally interesting and heartbreaking since Gunn is a sweet, kind man but was raised to be a beast. I wondered how life would have turned out if he had been raised with a bit more kindness and received more education.
I recommend this book to anyone... it's fascinating!
April 29, 2024
Such an amazing look into the life of Bare Knuckle King Bobby Gunn!
June 8, 2024
Surprisingly excellent. Outlines the life and times of Bobby Gunn and bareknuckled fighting. Loved it!
April 26, 2024
What about Ritch
It was ok but I expected him to fight Ritch. I know this is s true story and it just didn't happen so I wish the author never mentioned him.
It was ok but I expected him to fight Ritch. I know this is s true story and it just didn't happen so I wish the author never mentioned him.
May 5, 2024
Entertaining and informative. A short history of bare knuckle fighting, an update on Traveler Communities and of course the story of THE GREAT BOBBY GUNN!!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews