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Once There Were Giants: The Golden Age of Heavyweight Boxing
A celebration and memorial of the greatest era of heavyweight fighters from 1962 to 1997, as witnessed ringside by an International Boxing Hall of Fame sportswriter.
Once upon a time, of all the memories made in ballparks and arenas from California to New York, there was nothing to rival that magic moment that could grab a heavyweight fight crowd by its collective jugular vein and trigger a tsunami of raw emotion before a single punch had even been thrown.
That’s the way it was when the heavyweight giants danced in the boxing ring during the golden eras of the greats Ali, Frazier, Holmes, and Spinks, to name a few. There will never again be a heavyweight cycle like the one that began when Sonny Liston stopped Floyd Patterson and ended when Mike Tyson bit a slice out of Evander Holyfield’s ear; when no ersatz drama, smoke, mirrors, and noise followed a fighter’s entry into the ring; when the crowds knew that these men were not actors on a stage but rather giants in a ring with a single purpose—to fight other giants.
By the ringside, acclaimed sportswriter Jerry Izenberg watched history as it was being made during those legendary days, witnessing fights like the Thrilla in Manila and the Rumble in the Jungle and preserving them in punchy yet tremendous prose. Delivering both his eyewitness accounts and revelatory back stories of this greatest era of heavyweight boxing, Izenberg invites readers to a place of recollection.
Once There Were Giants is his memorial to this extraordinary time, the likes of which we shall never see again.
Once upon a time, of all the memories made in ballparks and arenas from California to New York, there was nothing to rival that magic moment that could grab a heavyweight fight crowd by its collective jugular vein and trigger a tsunami of raw emotion before a single punch had even been thrown.
That’s the way it was when the heavyweight giants danced in the boxing ring during the golden eras of the greats Ali, Frazier, Holmes, and Spinks, to name a few. There will never again be a heavyweight cycle like the one that began when Sonny Liston stopped Floyd Patterson and ended when Mike Tyson bit a slice out of Evander Holyfield’s ear; when no ersatz drama, smoke, mirrors, and noise followed a fighter’s entry into the ring; when the crowds knew that these men were not actors on a stage but rather giants in a ring with a single purpose—to fight other giants.
By the ringside, acclaimed sportswriter Jerry Izenberg watched history as it was being made during those legendary days, witnessing fights like the Thrilla in Manila and the Rumble in the Jungle and preserving them in punchy yet tremendous prose. Delivering both his eyewitness accounts and revelatory back stories of this greatest era of heavyweight boxing, Izenberg invites readers to a place of recollection.
Once There Were Giants is his memorial to this extraordinary time, the likes of which we shall never see again.
- GenresSportsNonfiction
252 pages, Hardcover
First published February 7, 2017
56 people are currently reading
425 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
January 28, 2020
Gosh this a wonderful book that looks at the heydays of the Heavyweight Boxing scene with wonderful stories about Sonny Liston, Mohammed Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, the Spinks brothers, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and more. I grew up a huge boxing fan and these guys had so many great fights and this book brings those memories rushing back to me!
June 13, 2020
Great boxers in the heavyweight division are names that are recognized by even those who are not fans of the sport. Fighters like Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Joe Frazier, and George Foreman are just a few of the heavyweight champions who have left their mark both in boxing and in the world in general. That era when these and other great heavyweight boxers ruled the sport is chronicled in this terrific book by veteran writer Jerry Izenberg.
There is a passage in the prologue that fits the general theme of the book and also expresses the feelings of not only the author but also many of the readers when Izenberg states that “…there will never again be a heavyweight cycle like the one that began when Sonny Liston stopped Floyd Patterson – and ended when Mike Tyson bit a slice out of Evander Holyfield’s ear.” This covers the 35 year period of 1962-1997 and Izenberg tells many great stories about many great fighters from that era.
There is Sonny Liston, whom Izenberg states was the last fighter to be controlled by the Mob, a great account of all three classic fights between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. Noteworthy is that Izenberg believes their third bout, the “Thrilla in Manila”, “…was the greatest fight I ever saw. Hell, I think it was the greatest fight anyone saw.” Many who have seen it will echo that sentiment. Then even more great storytelling is in store for the reader as Izenberg tells about both Spinks brothers who held the crown, Leon and Michael and of course, Mike Tyson and all of the chaos surrounding him.
This book is a breeze to read, especially for fight fans who remember the days when the heavyweight championship was a title that was held in reverence and was held by one man, not by several because of various organizations who claim to be the “one” who can declare the champ. The stories about these fighters, and some of the epic bouts they fought to either gain, lose or defend their championship are ones that boxing fans will treasure for a long time.
I wish to thank Skyhorse Publishing for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
http://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/201...
There is a passage in the prologue that fits the general theme of the book and also expresses the feelings of not only the author but also many of the readers when Izenberg states that “…there will never again be a heavyweight cycle like the one that began when Sonny Liston stopped Floyd Patterson – and ended when Mike Tyson bit a slice out of Evander Holyfield’s ear.” This covers the 35 year period of 1962-1997 and Izenberg tells many great stories about many great fighters from that era.
There is Sonny Liston, whom Izenberg states was the last fighter to be controlled by the Mob, a great account of all three classic fights between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. Noteworthy is that Izenberg believes their third bout, the “Thrilla in Manila”, “…was the greatest fight I ever saw. Hell, I think it was the greatest fight anyone saw.” Many who have seen it will echo that sentiment. Then even more great storytelling is in store for the reader as Izenberg tells about both Spinks brothers who held the crown, Leon and Michael and of course, Mike Tyson and all of the chaos surrounding him.
This book is a breeze to read, especially for fight fans who remember the days when the heavyweight championship was a title that was held in reverence and was held by one man, not by several because of various organizations who claim to be the “one” who can declare the champ. The stories about these fighters, and some of the epic bouts they fought to either gain, lose or defend their championship are ones that boxing fans will treasure for a long time.
I wish to thank Skyhorse Publishing for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
http://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/201...
July 26, 2019
Interesting insider stories but badly in need of an editor.
February 17, 2021
Boxing isn’t my sport but this was a really well-written look at the history of some of the greatest and well-known heavyweight fighters in the last 60 years. Packed with lots of anecdotes and details, the author does a great job explaining why fighters like Ali, Frazier, Foreman, Tyson, and others were giants and legends in their sport (and how they fell, too).
November 21, 2022
If you were a boxing fan in the 60's, 70's and 80's this book should appeal to you. It is a short read. Izenberg focuses on the top heavyweights of that time period. Of course most of the book deals with Ali (as it probably should) starting with when he beat Sonny Liston to win the title for the first time. The book deals with the top heavyweights and gives a little background info on each of them, some more than others. I have a couple of issues with the book - the first is that he repeats himself numerous times in the book, usually from one chapter to the other. (This does make it a quicker read though, because you can skip those 4-5 paragraphs) My other issue is that there were a few other pretty good heavyweights during this time period that he basically ignores until he writes a paragraph or two about them at the end. This book could have been expanded to about twice it's size if he had delved into fighters like Ernie Shavers, Michael Weaver and a few more. I also think he could have done more concerning Larry Holmes. Larry was a very good fighter with one of the best, if not the best, left jab in all of boxing,
April 9, 2023
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: TOUGH GUYS DON’T DANCE… THEY WERE FIGHTING FOR THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OF EACH OTHER!
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It used to be you could stop any passerby on the street and ask them who the Heavyweight Champion of the World was… and they could tell you. I am a Grandpa who grew up loving boxing and could spend hours telling you stories of the great champions from the past… but I… along with probably ninety-eight-percent of the population couldn’t answer that question correctly at this second. The author… sportswriter Jerry Izenberg… has been covering sports for sixty-five years. I am an old-school boxing fan… but I tip my hat to Jerry… because he is definitely “older”… old school than I am… but we certainly agree that the absolute golden age of heavyweight boxing was from 1962-1997. From Sonny Liston… who I got to see work out in person when I was a teenager… through Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield… who I both got to see boxing in person! Jerry also does a great job telling you about his indoctrination into loving boxing back in the days of Joe Louis.
The author does a wonderful job introducing even the casual boxing fan… to the mob ruled boxing “before” the GOLDEN-AGE-OF-HEAVYWEIGHT-BOXERS…. that this book is built around. The “dives”… the mob beatings if fighters and managers didn’t acquiesce to their demands… and that included ownership of a desired boxer… as well as taking the proverbial “dive”. One of the many things I enjoyed in this book was the writing style of the author that is at times reminiscent of the Pulitzer Prize winning childhood favorite of mine… the late Jim Murray. Some of Izenberg’s prose can almost make you hear the “click-click-click” of an old-time typewriter depicted in black and white movies. If you enjoy the beauty of tying words and sentences together to create an image in sports you’ll love Jerry’s writing. One such example regarding the first Liston – Patterson fight… I underlined and went back to three or four times…. Because it made me smile… and think of Jim Murray… here it is:
“It had taken Liston just two minutes and six seconds into the very first round to take the heavyweight championship of the planet. Referee Frank Sikora supported Patterson as his wife rushed into the ring. Liston, meanwhile, stood tall and wide like a building inspector studying what was left of the building whose implosion he had just supervised.”
Along with the author’s writing style… another thing made a big impact on me… compared to most other boxing books I’ve read… in other books almost every quote is from someone other than the author… it’s always as “so and so” recalled. In this book… all the most impactful quotes and observations… are directly from Izenberg. Not only because he was at the fights… but he also was the one who did a high percentage of the interviews over that time period.
This is an enjoyable “old-school” book… but why not a five star rating? One… it’s too short… and two… there are an awful lot of bush league typos/mistakes. I would normally say whoever the editor was should be fired… but on the last page there is a short acknowledgement paragraph where the author actually praises the editor’s professionalism. Perhaps “The Mob” forced that. It is definitely a TKO when it comes to the mistakes.
P.S. the author claims that Billy Conn made the comment “TOUGH GUYS DON’T DANCE” to a mob boss… I read in a different book that it was a mob boss that said it to Rocky Marciano. The author also says that “PRIMO CARNERA HAD THE LARGEST FISTS IN BOXING HISTORY”… I read in another book… that Sonny Liston did. I have no idea who is right… but I’d sure like to know… because I like having my facts right when I talk about boxing.
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It used to be you could stop any passerby on the street and ask them who the Heavyweight Champion of the World was… and they could tell you. I am a Grandpa who grew up loving boxing and could spend hours telling you stories of the great champions from the past… but I… along with probably ninety-eight-percent of the population couldn’t answer that question correctly at this second. The author… sportswriter Jerry Izenberg… has been covering sports for sixty-five years. I am an old-school boxing fan… but I tip my hat to Jerry… because he is definitely “older”… old school than I am… but we certainly agree that the absolute golden age of heavyweight boxing was from 1962-1997. From Sonny Liston… who I got to see work out in person when I was a teenager… through Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield… who I both got to see boxing in person! Jerry also does a great job telling you about his indoctrination into loving boxing back in the days of Joe Louis.
The author does a wonderful job introducing even the casual boxing fan… to the mob ruled boxing “before” the GOLDEN-AGE-OF-HEAVYWEIGHT-BOXERS…. that this book is built around. The “dives”… the mob beatings if fighters and managers didn’t acquiesce to their demands… and that included ownership of a desired boxer… as well as taking the proverbial “dive”. One of the many things I enjoyed in this book was the writing style of the author that is at times reminiscent of the Pulitzer Prize winning childhood favorite of mine… the late Jim Murray. Some of Izenberg’s prose can almost make you hear the “click-click-click” of an old-time typewriter depicted in black and white movies. If you enjoy the beauty of tying words and sentences together to create an image in sports you’ll love Jerry’s writing. One such example regarding the first Liston – Patterson fight… I underlined and went back to three or four times…. Because it made me smile… and think of Jim Murray… here it is:
“It had taken Liston just two minutes and six seconds into the very first round to take the heavyweight championship of the planet. Referee Frank Sikora supported Patterson as his wife rushed into the ring. Liston, meanwhile, stood tall and wide like a building inspector studying what was left of the building whose implosion he had just supervised.”
Along with the author’s writing style… another thing made a big impact on me… compared to most other boxing books I’ve read… in other books almost every quote is from someone other than the author… it’s always as “so and so” recalled. In this book… all the most impactful quotes and observations… are directly from Izenberg. Not only because he was at the fights… but he also was the one who did a high percentage of the interviews over that time period.
This is an enjoyable “old-school” book… but why not a five star rating? One… it’s too short… and two… there are an awful lot of bush league typos/mistakes. I would normally say whoever the editor was should be fired… but on the last page there is a short acknowledgement paragraph where the author actually praises the editor’s professionalism. Perhaps “The Mob” forced that. It is definitely a TKO when it comes to the mistakes.
P.S. the author claims that Billy Conn made the comment “TOUGH GUYS DON’T DANCE” to a mob boss… I read in a different book that it was a mob boss that said it to Rocky Marciano. The author also says that “PRIMO CARNERA HAD THE LARGEST FISTS IN BOXING HISTORY”… I read in another book… that Sonny Liston did. I have no idea who is right… but I’d sure like to know… because I like having my facts right when I talk about boxing.
June 4, 2020
Wow. What an uninspiring book. I've read some pretty good descriptions of boxing matches and the boxing world itself. Jack London and F.X. Toole come to mind. This book captured neither facet of boxing.
First of all, Mr. Izenberg had axes to grind and it clearly showed. I wouldn't care so much, if he didn't spend so much time and energy telling the reader what he thought of everyone. I don't care. I want to know about these "Giants", these men who made the "Golden Age of Heavyweights." I'm not interested in your petty squabbles with the insiders of boxing.
Then we take his attempts at literary eloquence that sometimes made no sense and at other times just fell flat:
"If wishes were horses, he probably would have gotten hoof and mouth disease."
"...moved as though he were trying to cross a great sand desert wearing ice skates."
"Godzilla and Tom Thumb could have stepped on the scale and each would have qualified to fight for the heavyweight title."
"...the calendar intervened and locked the glove into a parade rest as though it were filled with 140 pounds of sand."
"...Spinks knew he owned only a well-splintered chard [yes chard, not shard] of the heavyweight title."
"It wasn't a prize fight at all. Metaphorically, it was a Chinese restaurant menu with columns A and B--and with either fighter you got sweet and sour sauce at no extra cost."
Anyway, you get the point. This is a guy who read one too many gumshoe novels and evidently couldn't afford an editor.
And I really didn't learn anything new by reading this book. That could have been a huge saving grace if there were some insider gems buried in the mass of drivel. There weren't.
Thankfully it was short. That's about the only thing I can say for it.
I'm glad I got it for $.99 on an Amazon deal. It wasn't worth that much, but at least the low price keeps me from getting too irritated about the time and money I wasted. Leave this one on the shelf.
First of all, Mr. Izenberg had axes to grind and it clearly showed. I wouldn't care so much, if he didn't spend so much time and energy telling the reader what he thought of everyone. I don't care. I want to know about these "Giants", these men who made the "Golden Age of Heavyweights." I'm not interested in your petty squabbles with the insiders of boxing.
Then we take his attempts at literary eloquence that sometimes made no sense and at other times just fell flat:
"If wishes were horses, he probably would have gotten hoof and mouth disease."
"...moved as though he were trying to cross a great sand desert wearing ice skates."
"Godzilla and Tom Thumb could have stepped on the scale and each would have qualified to fight for the heavyweight title."
"...the calendar intervened and locked the glove into a parade rest as though it were filled with 140 pounds of sand."
"...Spinks knew he owned only a well-splintered chard [yes chard, not shard] of the heavyweight title."
"It wasn't a prize fight at all. Metaphorically, it was a Chinese restaurant menu with columns A and B--and with either fighter you got sweet and sour sauce at no extra cost."
Anyway, you get the point. This is a guy who read one too many gumshoe novels and evidently couldn't afford an editor.
And I really didn't learn anything new by reading this book. That could have been a huge saving grace if there were some insider gems buried in the mass of drivel. There weren't.
Thankfully it was short. That's about the only thing I can say for it.
I'm glad I got it for $.99 on an Amazon deal. It wasn't worth that much, but at least the low price keeps me from getting too irritated about the time and money I wasted. Leave this one on the shelf.
February 3, 2021
The publication date of 2017 and I am very late with this review. I had received an arc from Skyhorse publishing for an honest review.
This book covers a time in boxing that we will never see again from 1962-1997, the author who himself was a writer from this period and gives you the history of the different fighters as well as the many different fight which were just as big as the fighters themselves.
As a kid growing up in the sixties, I remember sitting with my father watching the Friday night fights on our black and white T.V. then in the late sixties, everything changed with the big fights from Ali. Ali and Frazier, Ali and Norton, Ali and Foreman, fights themselves were given names like the “Thrilla in Manila”, then “Rumble in the Jungle” which was and still is in my option one of the best fights ever.
Ali 32 fighting Foreman 25 and everyone was expecting Foreman who had gone through every opponent and was undefeated. Instead after the first round, Ali let Foreman hit away at him which he later would call rope-a-dope, Ali would later knock out Foreman. A great fight.
The book also goes the both the Spinks brothers including Leon who would knockout Ali but whose career went down afterward, his brothers Michael was not too bad. You then go into Tyson who took the boxing world by storm and really thought he would be the next champ for many years to come only to see him lose later as well. Then you get into Holyfield.
I really enjoyed this book and brought me back to a time when I thought boxing was great and enjoyed watching. With Ali, Frazier, Norton, Foreman, and some of the others from the ’70s which really made the heavyweight division something to watch when they came on. I a good book to relive the golden history. Very much worth the read. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 5 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
This book covers a time in boxing that we will never see again from 1962-1997, the author who himself was a writer from this period and gives you the history of the different fighters as well as the many different fight which were just as big as the fighters themselves.
As a kid growing up in the sixties, I remember sitting with my father watching the Friday night fights on our black and white T.V. then in the late sixties, everything changed with the big fights from Ali. Ali and Frazier, Ali and Norton, Ali and Foreman, fights themselves were given names like the “Thrilla in Manila”, then “Rumble in the Jungle” which was and still is in my option one of the best fights ever.
Ali 32 fighting Foreman 25 and everyone was expecting Foreman who had gone through every opponent and was undefeated. Instead after the first round, Ali let Foreman hit away at him which he later would call rope-a-dope, Ali would later knock out Foreman. A great fight.
The book also goes the both the Spinks brothers including Leon who would knockout Ali but whose career went down afterward, his brothers Michael was not too bad. You then go into Tyson who took the boxing world by storm and really thought he would be the next champ for many years to come only to see him lose later as well. Then you get into Holyfield.
I really enjoyed this book and brought me back to a time when I thought boxing was great and enjoyed watching. With Ali, Frazier, Norton, Foreman, and some of the others from the ’70s which really made the heavyweight division something to watch when they came on. I a good book to relive the golden history. Very much worth the read. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 5 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
December 29, 2017
Good survey of heavyweight boxing history
Very good survey of the heavyweights from Sonny Liston to Evander Holyfield. There are a few historical errors, for example, Chuck Wepner did not knock Ali down with a right to the head, he stepped on his foot and hit him with a right to the body as Ali was falling.
Also, Tyson did not really land any crunching punches on Bruce Seldon, he took a dive after Tyson missed,
There were a few other errors also, and some possible errors in judgment, I was surprised he had Frazier ahead in the scoring in the second fight with Ali.
He also doesn’t do Lennox Lewis justice, he belongs in the storied history of the giants.
One of the best chapters in the book was the prelude where he talked about how the mob controlled boxing on and off for the first 60 years of the 20th century.
Izenberg Is a very good writer, his conversations with Mike Tyson were fascinated also. Recommended. I give it four and a half stars because of the errors in history, otherwise it would be five.
Very good survey of the heavyweights from Sonny Liston to Evander Holyfield. There are a few historical errors, for example, Chuck Wepner did not knock Ali down with a right to the head, he stepped on his foot and hit him with a right to the body as Ali was falling.
Also, Tyson did not really land any crunching punches on Bruce Seldon, he took a dive after Tyson missed,
There were a few other errors also, and some possible errors in judgment, I was surprised he had Frazier ahead in the scoring in the second fight with Ali.
He also doesn’t do Lennox Lewis justice, he belongs in the storied history of the giants.
One of the best chapters in the book was the prelude where he talked about how the mob controlled boxing on and off for the first 60 years of the 20th century.
Izenberg Is a very good writer, his conversations with Mike Tyson were fascinated also. Recommended. I give it four and a half stars because of the errors in history, otherwise it would be five.
December 26, 2023
Once There Were Giants was a short, fun, and informative read for me, personally. I was alive for the Tyson era and remember the Foreman comeback. I also have some knowledge, thanks to documentaries and YouTube, on Ali. The rest of the fighters, or content of this book, were new to me. Writer Jerry Izenberg provided me a good overview of the heavyweight era from the '60s to '97, which was mostly about Ali.
If you are a longtime boxing fan, this might be a good read for nostalgia or to provide you with a few details you may not have known. You might also think "this is nothing new," as some reviewers have written. I still say it is worth reading for all interested in the history of boxing or sports fans in general.
If you are a longtime boxing fan, this might be a good read for nostalgia or to provide you with a few details you may not have known. You might also think "this is nothing new," as some reviewers have written. I still say it is worth reading for all interested in the history of boxing or sports fans in general.
October 25, 2019
Cant even find the words. This is sooo excellent. He got it. He lived it.i.did too. I caught the 2nd half of the golden age. Wat a journey he takes us on. All i can say is THANK YOU. This book meant alot to me. Im very happy i read it.
Cant even find the words. This is so good. Mr. Izenberg really nailed it. He lived it. I did too. I caught the 2nd half of the Golden era beginning with Larry Holmes. What a journey he takes us on. All I can say is THANK YOU. This was amazing. Im so happy I read this. I actually feel sad that I am done reading it. This book meant alot to me.
Cant even find the words. This is so good. Mr. Izenberg really nailed it. He lived it. I did too. I caught the 2nd half of the Golden era beginning with Larry Holmes. What a journey he takes us on. All I can say is THANK YOU. This was amazing. Im so happy I read this. I actually feel sad that I am done reading it. This book meant alot to me.
March 1, 2020
There was a book called "The Sweet Science" that was filled with wonderful stories and anecdotes from the boxing world. This book tries to be that book and fall short. Still, for a fan who lived through the era written about, I found it interesting.
I was able to read this through Amazon Prime books and I think boxing fans should bother to take a look at it if they have Prime. If you are looking for boxing literature, try to find a copy of "The Sweet Science" or "The Professional" at your local library.
I was able to read this through Amazon Prime books and I think boxing fans should bother to take a look at it if they have Prime. If you are looking for boxing literature, try to find a copy of "The Sweet Science" or "The Professional" at your local library.
June 24, 2020
This is a hard book to review. It’s a bunch of cool stories, colorfully told, by an old newspaper reporter who was around for much of it. Definitely filled with more than a little opinion and “kids these days,” and some, uh... unconventional takes on historical goings-on...
I dunno. It felt like he couldn’t quite decide what he was trying to do. Still, it was fun and entertaining. Not the best, but worth the sale price I paid for it, for sure.
I dunno. It felt like he couldn’t quite decide what he was trying to do. Still, it was fun and entertaining. Not the best, but worth the sale price I paid for it, for sure.
March 12, 2017
A nice breezy read on the golden age of boxing. Funny biting commentary especially the part about the mobster inviting world class boxing champions as his guests for dinner "This must be a Friday night because New York mobsters always reserved Saturdays for their wives". Actually felt at times I watching the boxing matches when reading. Great read for boxing fans
August 3, 2018
Great book, written by someone who has pretty much seen everything boxing has to offer.
A few typos (always annoys me) and I would have liked to see a bit more on the Tyson era (particularly in the early years) but otherwise hard to fault. Would recommend this to anyone with even a passing interest in boxing.
A few typos (always annoys me) and I would have liked to see a bit more on the Tyson era (particularly in the early years) but otherwise hard to fault. Would recommend this to anyone with even a passing interest in boxing.
June 3, 2020
I’ve always enjoyed boxing, especially the 70’s era - though I was too young to watch the actual fights live. What I liked especially about this book were the details around the boxers who I didn’t know so well - Sonny Liston and Earnie Shavers to name two. I do think that Lennox Lewis deserved to be in there.
January 15, 2018
This is a great gift idea for the sports fan. Boxing’s greatest heavyweight fighters all have a chapter in this easy to read book that contains essentially short stories. An enjoyable read for young and old.
November 30, 2019
I've always loved Jerry Izenberg and this book was fun and interesting to read. However, it could have been edited more thoroughly as there are numerous historical inaccuracies. Nevertheless, I would recommend this book to any boxing fan. And yes, they were giants!
March 28, 2020
Golden Giants Indeed
Fascinating recollection from the days of heavyweight glory. More than just retelling stories of the fights, but reflections of the time when boxing was a major sport. A fond memory for those of us who grew up with these warriors.
Fascinating recollection from the days of heavyweight glory. More than just retelling stories of the fights, but reflections of the time when boxing was a major sport. A fond memory for those of us who grew up with these warriors.
June 6, 2020
This is a great history of the golden age of heavyweight boxing. Mr. Izenberg has many years of reporting on boxing. He uses his closeness with various boxers to relate a lot of inside information on this era of boxing.
May 12, 2017
This was light reading on a sport of which I have read very few books.
June 28, 2018
A fast and entertaining read full of memorable characters.
January 9, 2020
Izenberg has written highly enjoyable book on the heavy weight boxing division. There is enough history to substantiate his claim " The golden Age...".
January 16, 2020
2 1/2 stars, almost 3. It's a stroll down memory lane with one of boxing's best writers. Not very detailed or organized though.
May 20, 2020
4/5: A fun and brief history of the golden age of boxing.
June 12, 2020
Heavyweight hilarity.
June 26, 2020
Magnificent
This has to be one of the best sport books ever. A truly magnificent read, about some of the greatest heavyweights of all time . And the greatest .
This has to be one of the best sport books ever. A truly magnificent read, about some of the greatest heavyweights of all time . And the greatest .
September 11, 2020
I remember the final fight discussed in 1997. I was just 13 going on 14 and lived in the town where the fight took place. It's too bad the sport was, and still is rigged.
December 6, 2023
What a great book. I loved this period of heavy weight boxers. Very much recommended for boxing fans!
September 18, 2025
This got me hype 🥊
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews