The Boxing Kings: When American Heavyweights Ruled the Ring

by Paul Beston

For much of the twentieth century, boxing was one of America's most popular sports, and the heavyweight champions were figures known to all. Their exploits were reported regularly in the newspapers--often outside the sports pages--and their fame and wealth dwarfed those of other athletes. Long after their heyday, these icons continue to be synonymous with the "sweet science." In The Boxing Kings: When American Heavyweights Ruled the Ring, Paul Beston profiles these larger-than-life men who held a central place in American culture. Among the figures covered are John L. Sullivan, who made the heavyweight championship a commercial property; Jack Johnson, who became the first black man to claim the title; Jack Dempsey, a sporting symbol of the Roaring Twenties; Joe Louis, whose contributions to racial tolerance and social progress transcended even his greatness in the ring; Rocky Marciano, who became an embodiment of the American Dream; Muhammad Ali, who took on the U.S. government and revolutionized professional sports with his showmanship; and Mike Tyson, a hard-punching dynamo who typified the modern celebrity. This gallery of flawed but sympathetic men also includes comics, dandies, bookworms, divas, ex-cons, workingmen, and even a tough-guy-turned-preacher. As the heavyweight title passed from one claimant to another, their stories opened a window into the larger history of the United States. Boxing fans, sports historians, and those interested in U.S. race relations as it intersects with sports will find this book a fascinating exploration into how engrained boxing once was in America's social and cultural fabric.

Genres: Sports, History, Nonfiction

374 pages, Hardcover

Published September 8, 2017

About the author

Paul Beston, author of The Boxing Kings: When American Heavyweights Ruled the Ring, is the managing editor of City Journal, the quarterly urban-policy magazine published by The Manhattan Institute. His writing has appeared in City Journal, The Wall Street Journal, PopMatters, The American Spectator, The American Conservative, Real Clear Sports, The Millions, The Christian Science Monitor, and others. His piece on Warren Zevon is included in the anthology Da Capo Best Music Writing 2003. He has published boxing essays for The Sweet Science as well as some of the publications above.

Reviews

[Terrance Layhew · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible overview of the history of heavyweight boxing in it’s greatest and most mythic era. Reading the stories of the first generations of boxers is like flipping to the beginnings of Greek myth and reading about the Titians.

Beston’s history present the appeals which brought boxing to prominence and the forces which have lead to it’s decline in popularity in the modern age.

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I’d give it 4.5 stars had that been an option. An engaging & extremely readable, but brief, history of boxing’s once great heavyweight division, from its simpler origins to the more complex modern day era. Beston not only does a good job introducing the key figures in the heavyweight division, but also provides excellent descriptions of key fights, while weaving in the cultural times that surrounded these individuals and their fights.

What I really enjoyed, almost as much as the book itself, was going to YouTube to watch highlights & sometimes entire fights that were in the book. To me, this added another level of enjoyment to the whole experience. If you’re a boxing fan, do yourself a favor & read this book.

[Garhett Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up for some fun light reading. I had no idea how much history I would learn, the involvment of the mob, the racial tension, the nation of Islam. The heavy weight history is an American one. Joe Louis was the MAN.

[J.J. Lair · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought the book would have a different theme than it did. It had several themes. I learned a lot about names I knew but not entirely. The author gives a little bio of each big name, one big win and one sad loss. Each big name is a representative of their times. A lot of early bios had a lot of racism. The things said about Jack Johnson are just wrong and terrible. Dempsey didn’t fight as often as I would think. His flashy lifestyle was symbolic of the Roaring 20s. Joe Louis was a symbol of American might at a time when the world was in or ready for war.
Racism is so prevalent that I thought that would be the theme of the book, but no, it’s a sad part of boxing.
I really liked how he chose to end the book. The symbols used and the final say on the sport tied together well.
This also made me look up some of those fighters and fights on the web.

[Vincent T. Ciaramella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever read a book that you wish didn't end? Well, for me it was this one. Being a boxing nerd and historian, I am always looking for new things to learn about and research. This book has given me some ideas for future projects. Anyone can pick this book up and walk away with an understanding of the American Century in Boxing and the lineage of the title "World Heavy Weight Champion". He gives little bios about each champ (with the exception of a few like Tyson and Ali where he goes into more detail) and chronicles their assertion to the top and their fall. Its enough detail to help the narrative along without bogging it down. Again, I highly recommend this book to anyone. It's a great place to start if your new to the sport or its a fun read for seasoned veteran of boxing history.

[Calhan Nolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boxing holds a special appeal in my eyes; a true remnant of gladiatorial athletic spectacles from history. Beston does a fantastic job of introducing the realm of American Heavyweight boxing to an enthusiast or newcomer to the sport alike.

What's more, the author offers not only a thrilling documentary of the feats occurring in the ring over the last century, but also skillfully explains the evolutions of the cultural temperament during each champion's reign.

Finally, even by the author's own recommendation, reading this book with a computer or smartphone nearby to look up YouTube clips of the most critical moments within these historic bouts really brings the story to life.

Great read!

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Traces the long American domination of the heavyweight title of boxing from the late 19th century until the 1990s, Beston weaves together the biographies of individual fighters and the times they represented from the celebrity of John L Sullivan, to the racial rebel of Jack Johnson, to the big name Jack Dempsey, to the long reigning and "Americanized" black fighter in Joe Louis, to the 1950s hardscrapple Rocky Marciano, to the immortal Mohammad Ali, and finally the troubled knock-out king Mike Tyson. Beston shows that the lives of these fighters represented a window into American cultural history.

[Lance · Rating 5 out of 5]

For nearly a century, the title "Heavyweight Champion of the World" was not only prestigious in boxing,, but in America as well. This outstanding book on the men that have held the title makes that point and tells the story of how this title has changed, not always for the better.

While the entire history of the title in the 20th century is covered, Beston concentrates on the stories of the most influential or noteworthy boxers who held the title: Jim Jeffries, Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. What these men meant not only to boxing, but to American society as well, made for excellent listening. Censes:s masterful narration only added to the enjoyment of this book. It is highly recommended for all boxing fans.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lyrical history of the heavyweight boxing champions that spanned the American Century. Especially enjoyed the early chapters on the Great John L., Gentleman Jim, and the Jacks: Johnson and Dempsey. The chapters on Muhammad Ali and his contemporaries were less compelling because they were more familar, and ironcially, were the beginning of the end of boxing as a sports and cultural lodestar. Author Paul Beston rallied in the fifteenth round, however, when telling the story of Mike Tyson, the last heavyweight champion that mattered, though more as spectacle than anything else. Listened to the audiobook, which was very good.

[Carl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book from start to finish. Beston covers the fight game and seamlessly interweaves American history and social movements of the 20th Century. Howard Cosell once said something to the effect that the games are boring, it's the story within the games that makes them interesting. That describes Beston's method perfectly. I listened on Audible. Reader Alexander Cendese is wonderful, making Beston's descriptions of the fights feel as if they are happening in real time. The book is terrific from start to finish.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very solid and comprehensive look into the rise and fall of heavyweight boxing. Filled some gaps in my boxing knowledge, especially about the first wave of champions and the period between Joe Louis and Muhammad Ali. Had to skim a bit through some well-worn stories (namely Tyson and Ali) but even those sections were worth visiting.

[Aldo Napoli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for any lover of combat sports. Links all the great heavyweights and goes through the rise and fall of heavyweight boxing in America.

[Tore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good account of heavyweight boxing since the modern beginnings.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable and readable book covering exactly what it promises to.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great boxing writing of “old school” boxers.

[Seth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for any fan or amateur boxer. Cannot recommend it highly enough. Full of surprises and intimate details of the champions whose lives are shadows in the public consciousness.

[Dave Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great find. It chronicles the history of the heavyweight championship, largely held by American boxers in the 20th century, against the backdrop of the changes in the country through the century. I thought it achieved its objectives as both a cultural history and a history of the sport. The author brings you ringside for all of the great fights of the century: Johnson-Willard, Dempsey-Tunney, Louis-Schmeling, the Ali-Frazier trilogy, Tyson at his most dominant and most desperate. Bouts are described in vivid detail, and the societal parallels are on point and not cliches. King of the World will always be my favorite boxing book for its ability to capture a singular moment in time, but for a survey of the sport, I think it would be hard to do better than this book.

[James Koenig · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is without question the best book on boxing I have ever read, and I’ve read quite a few. Author Paul Beston masterfully elucidates the lineage of the heavyweight boxing champions from John L. Sullivan to Lennox Lewis. Each heavyweight title fight is given the spotlight in over a century of boxing history, as well as a brief, yet meaningful, biography of each champion. Beston also gives a historical backdrop of world events and how these events impacted boxing and the ring combatants.
All in all, it is an epic work, and should be considered a quintessential volume in boxing literature. It’s a brilliant work that is a must-read for every boxing fan.

[Glen Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fine history of heavyweight boxing

The Boxing Kings serves as a survey course in heavyweight title history. Well researched and with a complete bibliography, Beston tells the story of the heavyweight championship by telling the stories of heavyweight champions. Chapters are categorized by Beston's choice of major title-holders, but each reign is fully described, and includes the "lesser" champions so as to provide a complete continuum from Sullivan to today. Easy to read and quite informational, even for someone with a good understanding of boxing history.

[Jason McCracken · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great introduction to the history of heavyweight boxing. It’s really well written and has some great quotes. My only real criticism is that it focuses a little too much on the early champs then pretty much skims through everyone after Liston other than Ali and Tyson.

Fans of Jack London might want to skip the Jack Johnston chapter 😬

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-researched history of heavyweights

Great read! This is a great starting point for aspiring boxing historians. No stone is left unturned in this memorable history.

[Timothy Trout · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Introduction to the Lineage of Boxing

This book was a great introduction to the lineage of boxing as well as an epitaph for the sports decline.