When In Doubt, Stop the Bout: A Revolutionary Approach to Boxing Safety and Reform

by Mike Silver

“Since the inception of the Marquess of Queensberry rules boxing has understood the need to be safer. While there have been some rule changes through the years, many have been like applying an ‘enswell’ to reduce swelling. In his latest book, When in Doubt Stop the Bout, Mike Silver asks the hard questions and offers serious and innovative solutions that will make the sport safer without diluting its primal appeal. Anyone who cares about boxing and the fighters who put themselves at risk should read this book.”—Teddy Atlas, Hall of Fame trainer and boxing analyst

In When in Doubt, Stop the Bout, renowned boxing historian Mike Silver presents a shocking exposé of the sordid underbelly of professional boxing, and uncovers the sport’s criminally flawed infrastructure and those responsible for it.
From compromised referees to poorly trained ringside physicians to an insidious cartel of “sanctioning organizations” approving dangerous mismatches, Silver lays bare the corruption, the negligence, and the incompetence that has made a dangerous sport even more dangerous.

But aside from unmasking the chaotic mess that afflicts boxing, this book for the first time proposes groundbreaking practical solutions that will mitigate the danger and save lives. Penetrating and persuasive, When in Doubt, Stop the Bout will change forever how you see the sport of boxing.

“Mike Silver is the Sugar Ray Robinson of boxing writers—smooth, smart, powerful, and tough to beat. The good news is that you can step in the ring with him and not get hurt.”—Jonathan Eig, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of A Life and A Life

“Lots of people know boxing, but not many understand Its spirit, its significance, its storied past and probable future. Mike Silver is one of the few. Anything he writes is essential reading for the true fan.”—David Margolick, contributing editor at Vanity Fair and author of Beyond Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling, and a World on the Brink
Praise for The Arc of Boxing

“Lively . . . Silver explored the magic, studied the history.”―Philadelphia Daily News

“If you care about boxing . . . its future, its past, or both . . . then you have to read this book . . . thoroughly researched . . . articulately argued.”―Newsday

“True aficionados, whether they ultimately agree with Silver or not, are sure to enjoy his book for its unmistakable knowledge and passion.”―The Ring

224 pages, Paperback

Published August 26, 2025

Reviews

[Leaf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike Silver is a man who eats, sleeps and breathes boxing. Former Inspector of the New York State Athletic Commission and lifelong fan, this is someone whose word on the sport means something. I was surprised with how thorough and direct this book was. For a sport as barbaric as boxing, Mike somehow finds a way to humanize the participants who the fans have cheered and jeered for so many years. Many of these rule changes I feel will definitely ensure the safety of these participants and may even lead to some increased longevity and more active careers in some fighters. I was surprised to learn about how scummy a lot of the Alphabet organizations could truly be and the effect this plays on mismatches that lead to fighter injury and death. This book is one of the perfect cases of “seeing how the sausage is made” and honestly, has me ready to see some sort of reform in the sport. Would definitely recommend this for lifelong fans of the sport or for someone more interested in how to preserve the warriors in a sport whose main goal is to concuss the opponent.