Shadow Box: An Amateur in the Ring

by George Plimpton, Mike Lupica (Foreword)

George Plimpton makes his riskiest foray into participatory journalism--stepping into the ring against a champion boxer--in SHADOW BOX, now repackaged and including a foreword from Mike Lupica and photographs from the Plimpton archives.
Stepping into the ring against light-heavyweight champion Archie Moore, George Plimpton pauses to wonder what ever induced him to become a participatory journalist. Bloodied but unbowed, he holds his own in the bout--and lives to tell, in this timeless book on boxing and its devotees, among them Ali, Joe Frazier, Ernest Hemingway, and Norman Mailer.
SHADOW BOX is one of Plimpton's most engaging studies of professional sport, told through the eyes of an inquisitive and astute amateur. From the gym, the locker room, ringside, and even in the harsh glare of the ring itself, Plimpton documents what it is like to be a boxer, an artist of mayhem.

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction, Literature, Autobiography, Journalism

360 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

George Ames Plimpton was an American journalist, writer, editor, actor, and gamesman. He is widely known for his sports writing and for helping to found The Paris Review.

He was the grandson of George A. Plimpton.

Reviews

[Max · Rating 5 out of 5]

A now funny, now poignant, now breathtaking book, less about boxing in itself than about boxing as a lens through which to view the world.

Here's the book in Plimpton's own words:

"What do you want to know such things for?" [he asked.] "I thought you were writing a book about boxing."

"I am," I replied. "But a lot of other stuff seems to creep in. It's mostly about people taking matters into their own hands—gangsters, mercenaries, jealous lovers, outraged wrtiers. I've developed a near-vigilante, antibureaucratic attitude I don't like at all. Maybe it has to do with how ineffectual we were with Ali when he had his title removed—those feeble efforts we made, as custodians, to press for his rights."

"And what does that have to do with death fancies?" Peter asked.

Read for the portraits of Ali and Bundini Brown, and Hemmingway, Marianne Moore. Read also for the shocking cameos of Plimpton's own absurd upper class existence, which he doesn't flaunt so much as... doesn't excuse or apologize for the way a modern writer would. That feels refreshing.

Also, if you're looking for a book with charm—this is the one. Plimpton's a great, wry, cheerful, honest guide, and he brings us on a slow associative journey, rather than a Gripping Narrative Rollercoaster of Journalistic THRILLS! I love it for that unapologetic loping pace, and for the care he's taken. A book to savor before bed.

[LAPL Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

From “A Poem on the Annihilation of Ernie Terrell” by Muhammad Ali and Marianne Moore

" . . .
He is claiming to be the real heavyweight champ
But when the fight starts he will look like a tramp
He has been talking too much about me and making me sore
After I am through with him he will not be able to challenge Mrs. Moore."

George Plimpton’s classic of participatory journalism, Shadow box, has recently come back in print. In the wake of Muhammad Ali’s recent death, Plimpton’s boxing tome takes on an extra poignancy. Plimpton’s foray into boxing begins with a pathetic three-round bout against Archie Moore, the former light heavyweight champion of the world, in a New York boxing gym. Plimpton is pummeled mercilessly by the champ. After the fight, Plimpton decides to spend the rest of his pugilistic journalism career on the other side of the ropes.

Plimpton recounts meetings with two literary boxing aficionados, Ernest Hemingway and Norman Mailer. Recalling a visit to Hemingway in Key West with Tennessee Williams, Plimpton is taken by Hemingway’s notorious belligerence. Plimpton discusses Norman Mailer’s regular two-minute sparring sessions with light heavyweight champion Jose Torres. Both celebrity authors tried to create an aura of machismo with their boxing exploits.

The second half of Shadow box is primarily about the rise of Muhammad Ali on the boxing landscape. Plimpton covered the first fight with Sonny Liston in 1964, when the scrappy, histrionic Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) was given no chance by established sports writers against the stoic, bruiser Liston. Liston quit after six rounds, and Ali became the heavyweight champion of the world. In 1967, Plimpton arranged a meeting with the poet Marianne Moore and Ali at the New York saloon, Toots Shor’s , and the two masters of verbal communication composed a sonnet together. Moore was overwhelmed by the social adeptness of the champ, and they quickly became friends.

In the late 1960s, George Plimpton defended Muhammad Ali against charges of draft dodging, and covered his first comeback fight in 1970 after his boxing suspension was lifted. Ali was later vindicated by the US Supreme Court when his draft refusal conviction was overturned on religious grounds. Plimpton was in New York for the epic Ali-Frazier bout in 1971, a rare loss for “The Greatest of All Time.” Ali beat the odds again in 1974, reclaiming his heavyweight championship against the heavier George Foreman by using the “rope-a-dope” strategy. Plimpton, along with Mailer and Hunter S. Thompson, was in Kinshasa, Zaire for two months covering the fight. Ali was still the heavyweight champion of the world when the book went to press in 1977.

Reviewed by David B., Librarian, InfoNow

[David Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great author on any subject (in the mould of George Orwell), George Plimpton, editor of the Paris Review, takes us into the world of professional boxing. His first foray is an exercise in "participatory journalism", in which he organizes a fight between himself and Archie Moore, then Light Heavyweight champion of the world. For most of the book, however, Plimpton follows Muhammed Ali through some of the most significant events of his career: the defeat of Sonny Liston, the loss of his title over the controversy surrounding refusing to be drafted to fight in Vietnam, and, over many chapters, the "Rumble in the Jungle" fight against George Foreman in Zaire.

Along the way we encounter many of the greats of the boxing world of that era. But, in what makes this book truly unique, we also encounter the likes of Ernest Hemingway, Marianne Moore, and Norman Mailer. Shadow Box is literary sportswriting unlike anything else I have ever read.

"I thought you were writing a book about boxing?"

"I am," I replied. "But a lot of other stuff seems to creep in."

[Rob Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this on top of Norman Mailer's The Fight. I had not realized that this book was also, for the most part, an account of Ali-Foreman "The Rumble In The Jungle" in Kinshasa, Zaire. Mano a mano, you'd think Mailer would win by a knockout (ouch!), but Norman's book, as with a lot of his non-fiction, is mostly about Norman. Not to say the subject matter isn't highly entertaining. What I wouldn't have guessed was the depth of George's relationship with Ali (at least from George's perspective). George brings out the heroism in Ali that I, having grown up the son of Viet Nam vet, was blind to for a long time. The commitment, the perseverance, the toughness, the talent, and maybe more than anything the joy. Ali-- the Greatest. Four stars only because of the misplaced chapter on author's death fantasies.

[Ted · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book feels like an afterthought, and the subject matter is scattered and only vaguely unified. But the work is fantastic, and would've been better served had it been marketed as a collection of essays. The Lyons Press has published a number of GP's books, perhaps in reprint I don't know, but when I see one of them anywhere with their poorly designed covers, I want to stop what I'm doing and sit down and read.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ali chapters are the best. Shrewd yet not bitchy insights into fellow journalists Hunter Thompson and Norman Mailer.

[Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably the epitome of 20th century long reportage style. Plimpton is a charming and somewhat baffled east coast patrician wading into the shady, non-white world of boxing and sending back semi-insightful, semi-befuddled reports in a sardonic, half-grinning style.

It's not going to shake the world, but it is a wonderful look at Plimpton who inserts himself wholly as a character in his storirs in the same way, though in a completely opposite characterization, as Hunter S. Thompson (who makes an extended appearance).

The book primarily follows Muhammad Ali, and there are some great stories showing his greatness, cruelty, humour, and humanity. And there is some great self-depictions of Plimpton as the consummate outsider, completely baffled by Malcom X and gamely trying to wrap his head around this world.

If you want an immersion in the 60s and 70s, a weirdly out of place and much too long meditation on death, and an almost stereotype of the Tom Wolfe reportage, I can think of no better or more entertaining example.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant book which moves through two succinct parts: the first is yet another Plimpton excursion into the realm of 'participatory journalism', this time training for a few rounds with Archie Moore.

The second part is even more fascinating as its essentially about Muhammad Ali and his being exiled from boxing, thru his stunning defeat of George Foreman in Zaire ('The Rumble in the Jungle') in 1974. Its a great look at Ali's life and profession at that time, and the societal impact he had, particularly on writers (if you look closely at the famous picture of Foreman heading to the canvas after Ali's punch, at ringside you'll see Norman Mailer and Plimpton sitting next to each other, mouths agape).

Dramatic, funny, moving, its Plimpton at his best.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

great book if you like boxing. he touches on many sides of the sport and also diverges into stories that have nothing to do with boxing at all. Hemingway is just as much of a main character as Muhammad Ali. however, the book flows very well and does not seem scatterbrained. I really enjoy Plimpton's writing. He is a mildly highbrow, but in a compassionate and at times very funny way. There is a lot of dialogue and many great little stories that only somebody who was in the middle of the boxing and literary world of the 60's and 70's would know. all in all a great book.

[Neal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot think of any other book that I've deliberately delayed finishing. Plimpton's writing is delightful, and it's clear that he enjoys participating in the subject he covers. Anyone interested in the major heavyweight boxers of the past half-century - Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, etc - as well as American writers will enjoy. Beyond a book about sports, Plimpton's meditations on life, death, and the role of writers in society are worth the read.

[Itasca Community Library]

Nick says:

This is a treat for boxing fans especially fans of Muhammad Ali. Plimpton offers an inside look into the scenes and pageantry that accompanied Ali and his team. The narrative ranges from Ali’s first world championship in his infamous bout with the menacing Sonny Liston all the way through his anticipated match-up against the even more intimidating George Foreman that took place in Africa.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a treat for boxing fans especially fans of Muhammad Ali. Plimpton offers an inside look into the scenes and pageantry that accompanied Ali and his team. The narrative ranges from Ali’s first world championship in his infamous bout with the menacing Sonny Liston all the way through his anticipated match-up against the even more intimidating George Foreman that took place in Africa.

[Harriett Milnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like George Plimpton's writing. I thought Bogey Man was one of the funniest books I had ever read. Shadow Box is not as full of hilarious parts, but it does have the added adventure of an up close look at Muhammad Ali and the fight against George Foreman. Ernest Hemingway, Normal Mailer, and Hunter Thompson also appear in this book.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

On election night in Zaire, George Plimpton taught Ernest Hemingway how to thumb wrestle. You can't make shit like that up.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it while I was in New York. Right book for the right time and place - may have prjeduced my opninion.

[Gene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah, what a fantastic book. Plimpton's a lovely teller of anecdotes with a keen eye for lore. One of the most pleasurable of recent reads.

[Frederic Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another early role model of mine.

[Theodoros Dounas]

Excellent. Marvellous account of boxing as an amateur sport plus the description of rumble in the jungle makes for an excellent second voice to the film 'when we were kings'

[RK Byers · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely splendid. the best thing I’ve read from Plimpton by a landslide.

[Francisco Manuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading Shadow Box by George Plimpton feels less like reading a sports book and more like sitting across from an old friend. A friend whose stories sound exaggerated at first, but gradually win you over through their detail, humor, and strange authenticity.

Plimpton’s great gift is his conversational style. He is relaxed, self-deprecating, and quietly intelligent. He never writes at the reader; instead, he invites you along, and that invitation makes Shadow Box a genuine pleasure to read.

The book’s delight does not come from boxing itself but from the worlds Plimpton moves between and stitches together. On one side is the brutal, intimate world of boxing gyms, locker rooms, and rings, populated by figures like Archie Moore, Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, and Joe Frazier. Plimpton places the reader right beside himself. We listen as old-timers swap stories and legends. We absorb the mythology and psychology of boxing from the inside. His most famous stunt (stepping into the ring with Archie Moore) serves less as a macho experiment than as an entry point into fear, vulnerability, and the strange artistry of violence.

Yet Shadow Box is just as much about the world Plimpton brings with him as the one he enters. He never sheds his identity as a literary insider. The book is filled with cocktail parties, gossip, debates, and encounters with writers like Ernest Hemingway and Norman Mailer. These moments create a fascinating contrast between two cultures: boxing and literature—both obsessed with masculinity, courage, and reputation.

What ultimately makes Shadow Box one of Plimpton’s best works is his ability to transform access into insight. His portrait of Ali feels intimate without ever becoming intrusive. He captures the anxiety surrounding Ali’s exile from boxing, the surreal spectacle of the “Rumble in the Jungle,” and the strange emotional letdown that follows even the greatest sporting moments. Plimpton understands that being a witness, whether to history or to greatness, carries its own quiet sadness: joy fades, memory slips, and all that remains is the attempt to hold onto it through words.

Shadow Box is curious, humane, and deeply alive because it is written by a man who stepped into extraordinary situations not to prove himself, but to understand them. In doing so, Plimpton produced not just essential boxing literature, but a lasting meditation on fear, courage, and the fleeting nature of experience itself.

[Steven Sandberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plimpton is best known for his participatory journalism (at which he is excellent), but "Shadow Box" shows what else set him apart from other sports writers: his ability to tell stories and capture the moment. He uses his connections well to gain access to Ali, Foreman, Frazier and others, and he does a great job of being a fly on the wall when he needs to be (like seeing Ali prep in the locker room) or inserting himself with just the right question or comment that allow his subjects to give more insight. Great work.

[Steve Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't do justice to how good this book is. The access that Plimpton had to Muhammad Ali is incredible but at the same time, it is so much more than a a book about Ali. It begins with his experience of sharing a ring with Archie Moore which is a wonderful tale. He is a magnificent story teller. One of the best boxing books I have read.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate Plimpton's books more for the digressions and asides than for the participatory journalism.

[Ryan Coulter · Rating 4 out of 5]

its bleak

[Matt Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hope to eventually make my way through all of the George Plimpton participatory sports canon. So far I've only read this one and Paper Lion, which might be one of my favorite books ever, even if it is about the fucking Detroit Lions. GP's boxing outing here is just as entertaining, if much less focused, going off on discursive tangents about Muhammad Ali's social importance and a few amusing true crime anecdotes loosely related to boxing. Super enjoyable.

[Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

i read this for the anecdotes of HST. GP is pretty square but fuck it it was ok

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

better than just 5 stars would indicate.