Four Kings: Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, Duran and the Last Great Era of Boxing

by George Kimball

Roberto Duran, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Thomas "Hit Man" Hearns all formed the pantheon of boxing greats during the late 1970s and early 1980s―before the pay-per-view model, when prize fights were telecast on network television and still captured the nation's attention. Championship bouts during this era were replete with revenge and fury, often pitting one of these storied fighters against another. From training camps to locker rooms, author George Kimball was there to cover every body shot, uppercut, and TKO. Inside stories full of drama, sacrifice, fear, and pain make up this treasury of boxing tales brought to life by one of the sport's greatest writers.

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction, History, Biography, Martial Arts

364 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

The 1986 recipient of the Nat Fleischer Award for Excellence in Boxing Journalism, George Kimball spent a quarter-century as a sports columnist for the Boston Herald before retiring in 2005. A veteran of nearly title bouts, Kimball has covered boxing all over the world since the eras of Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, and was the only journalist to cover every fight of Marvelous Marvin Hagler's middleweight reign from start to finish. For the past decade he has written a weekly 'America at Large' column for The Irish Times. Kimball has received numerous awards for his Boxing, Golf, Baseball, and Olympic coverage, and in retirement, in addition to his Irish Times column, he keeps his hand in the game as a featured columnist for ESPN.com and for the monthly publication Boxing Digest.

“FOUR KINGS: Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, Duran and the Last Great Era of Boxing” was published, to widespread acclaim, by Mainstrean Press in the United Kingdom and by McBooks Press in the United States, and immediately became the best-selling boxing book in both countries.

He is also the author of “American at Large,” a collection of his Irish Times columns, and the co-author, with Eamonn Coghlan, of “Chairman of the Boards,” both published by Dublin’s Red Rock Press, and has traveled frequently to Ireland for the past four decades.

He has two children, Darcy (1984) and Teddy (1988). When he and his wife, Dr. Marge Marash Kimball, were married in 2004, the ceremony was performed by the Reverend George Foreman. The couple lives on the Upper West Side.

Reviews

[Apsalz08 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd been looking for a good book about boxing for awhile now, and the consensus seemed to be that this was one of the best out there. If this is.... well, I won't be coming back to boxing books any time soon. There was nothing wrong with this book. Great factual information, Kimball had access to tell some great stories that I'm sure were not known before it was published, and it is comprehensive. However... oftentimes it felt more like a factual recitation of what happened, without really delving into why or really analyzing things. Also, at certain points he would run a paragraph reciting results of the fighters with one or two lines on the fights. That seemed more like he was trying to mentioning them just to mention them.

Even with my complaints, this was a fun read, and I think I breezed through it in a week. Also, it was nice to have something lighter after reading HST. Overall, if you're a boxing fan and don't know much about this era, then it's worth it. Otherwise, I'd stay away from this.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great , entertaining and factual sports read. I knew the names but I had no idea of the legacy and the marks each of these 4 boxers left on the sport of boxing.

16 world titles among them in about 4 to 5 different weight classes. These rivals fought each other 9 times.

Leonard v. Duran
Leonard v. Duran 2
Leanard v. Hearns
Duran v. Hagler
Duran v. Hearns
Hearns v. Hagler
Leonard v. Hagler
Leonard v. Hearns 2
Leonard v. Duran 3

Great insight on each of these 9 super fights. Stories from each of the fighters, trainers and promoters from the 70s and 80s.

5 stars especially if you are a sports fan.

[Tony McMahon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having written the biography of boxer Errol Christie - who is mentioned in this book - I had to read this hugely well-informed odyssey through the glory years of the sport. The story focuses on four of the best fighters and the interplay between their careers. It's beautifully written, observant and evokes the era perfectly. Recommend!

[James Hartley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good, solid read.
I bought it after reading an obituary of Marvin Hagler's. I was too old to really remember any of the fights (think I might have seen the Minter-Hagler one on TV) but as an armchair boxing fan I've heard and know the names well. This book nicely filled in the gaps and sent me shuffling back to You Tube to catch up on what I'd missed.
The Four Kings time is a great era in boxing in the sense that it provided the link between the Ali-Foreman era and the Tyson-Lewis late eighties and nineties run. I loved the well-drawn pen portraits of each fighter which were anything but hagiographies - none of them came out of the book looking like angels though each had plenty of divine moments.
Duran sounds hilarious and frightening - a proper character, engaged in his own constant fight between the destruction and creation of himself, the world being a sideshow - while Hearns sounds laid-back, fairly (foul-mouthedly) inarticulate but quietly intelligent and probably the most likable of the four. Leonard, the most articulate and extrovert, features prominently but comes across as weirdly insecure while Hagler seems a somewhat bitter, driven, chip-on-the-shoulder man who, even when he was winning, never seemed to be able to please the person who mattered the most: himself. The image of him sitting in his room for hours before fights building up his psyche is intense and harsh. Moreso his inability to accept the judges' decision in his last fight against Leonard - until the end of his life.
As far as the boxing goes, there's everything: headbutts, low blows, knockouts, broken hands and ribs and dodgy cards and weather. Of course there's championships and slips and hooks and jabs and enough knockout punches to please any beered up crowd. The trainers (also era-linking) get their own sideshow subplot and there's a nice, wry running commentary on what the press and boxing writers were saying at the time, which links nicely with other boxing books.
Kimball obviously knows his stuff and if there's any slight criticism from me it's that the book is very (obviously) American-centric: I felt that Duran was made to seem difficult to understand or know simply because he spoke another language or came from somewhere outside the USA. Pretty sure a guy who spoke his mind as freely as Duran did (always quoted in broken English, too) must have articulated his thoughts in easily-translatable Spanish somewhere. How was Hearns, Leonard and Hagler's Spanish? But anyway - it's a small whinge. And the tiny bit of Duran's autobiography which was quoted in the book didn't leave me salivating for more!
Well-recommended!

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author of this book reported on and was at every fight between the four kings. The details leading up to their fights are terrific and the fight descriptions themselves are great. I took the opportunity to read about each fight in detail, then stop and watch each fight to get my own sense of it before going back to the book. Thank you YouTube! A couple fights I had seen in full before and most I had seen highlights of over the years, but they were great to see again. It was a fantastic way to experience the book and get into it even more.

A great read. I now look forward to seeking out each fighter's own autobiography and getting their version of these events and their lives in general.

[foundfoundfound · Rating 1 out of 5]

books on sport ought to be as well written as those on history. they seldom, however, are. hagler, hearns, leonard & duran deserved better than this.

[G.J. Minett]

Once upon a time - many more years ago than I'd care to shout about - there were four kings. Their names were Ray, Marvin, Tommy and Roberto and for a decade or so they achieved the near impossible in putting boxing almost on a par with football in the affection of a generation of sports fans. This superb piece of research, bordering on the obsessive, charts their unstoppable rise to their respective world titles, placing particular emphasis on those glorious occasions when their paths crossed to produce some of the most memorable fights we adicts are ever likely to see in our entire lives. It's a testament to the triumph of the spirit and a tribute to the mind-boggling self-belief of these four individuals, fuelled by their determination to escape from the seemingly inevitable fate their background might have led them to expect.

An absolute must for any sports fan.

[Abraham Renteria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for boxing fans! As someone who was not alive during this era it is interesting to look back on the last great era of boxing and see how much the sport has fallen from grace. The four kings were truly cut from a different cloth. Reading this book got me to rewatch the 9 fights amongst the kings, as well as some other great fights against other opponents that I had never watched. I will say it was a challenge keeping track of all the names mentioned in this book (boxers, promoters, corners, coaches, cut men, referees, commissioners, judges, etc.)

[Jamie Waite · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. Couldn’t do the same nowadays.

Imagine a book on Fury, Joshua, Dubois and Usyk. Be a snooze fest

[Calum · Rating 5 out of 5]

A remarkable book that follows the greatest era of boxing and the unbelievable fights that each of the Four Kings produced. It reminds me just how much I love this sport and makes me realise that we may never see anything like what these fighters showed the world ever again!

[Gisela Hausmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pete Hamill, American journalist and novelist, writes in his Foreword to George Kimball's book "This book is about the last Golden Age of boxing. That is, it is about a time when the matches themselves transcended the squalor of the business side of the sport, and focused only on the men who fought."

This lucky reviewer was privileged to see the end of this era, to watch the last two of the nine super fights these four boxers fought with each other. Thus I was delighted to find this beautiful book, which told me details I had never heard, even though I followed the fighters and the sport closely. "Four Kings: Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, Duran and the Last Great Era of Boxing" radiates the feeling boxing fans had in these glorious days.

Naturally, all of it began with the childhood of the four kings, Duran, Hagler, Hearns, and Leonard. Please note that I listed their names in alphabetical order because I do not want to give preference to any of them; the book makes clear how each of them helped to bring out the best in all others. Kimball tells us how it happened.

Duran came from the very poorest circumstances: "Food was scarce; unable to care for him, his mother literally gave the boy away on several occasions. He (Duran) followed Toti to a boxing gym at the age of eight, and had his first amateur bout a year later."

Hagler was shy: "On his first night Hagler once again watched in silence. On the second, Goody (Petronelli) walked over and asked with a smile, "Hey, kid, do you want to learn how to fight?" "That's what I'm here for," said Marvin. Goody told him to come back the next night and bring along his gear. Gear? All he had was a pair of cutoff jeans and some tennis shoes."

Hearns was skinny, worked hard, and was grateful to be able to participate at out-of-town trips Kronk Recreation Center's Emmanuel Stewart arranged for. Leonard, who among boxers was described as having "choirboy"-looks really sang in a church choir before he started boxing.

The book also tells the stories of their trainers, promoters, and gyms. All of them evolved with their respective fighters. There are also the stories in connection with their names. Ray Charles, after who Leonard was named, sang "America the Beautiful" before the second Leonard-Duran fight, at the Superdome, in New Orleans. Leonard won that fight. Hagler had his name legally changed from Marvin Nathaniel to Marvelous Marvin Hagler. Hearns had gotten his nickname because:"Tommy's like a Hit Man," the manager observed. "He does his business and then gets out of town." And Duran had more colorful descriptions assigned to him and his name, than anybody's mother would like to know.

Kimball's writing style is fast-paced, information-packed, and entertaining.
Fight Hagler vs Duran: "The rows of scar tissue Hagler wore like combat ribbons around his eyebrows could provide an inviting target, even for a boxer more observant of the Marquis of Queensberry rules than Roberto Duran."
Readers, who may not know about the "Queensberry rules for the sport of boxing", (written in the 19th century these are the rules, on which the rules of modern boxing are based), as well as other facts might have a harder time with this book; boxing fans however will be mesmerized by the riveting content Kimball manages to tie together to complete a beautiful picture of the boxers, the sport and the times.

Those, who miss the days when boxing was shown on the networks rather than pay-per-view, when ratings came from who fought who and not from manipulated or hyped stories, and Tommy Hearns (hailing from Detroit) could be "Motor City Cobra" with pride, will love this book.

In a way it is a neat thing that this book was written now. I read it close to my computer and watched some of the fights again on Youtube.

If you are ever looking for a gift for an important man in your life age 55+, who lived through the Golden Era, I recommend to buy this book. The chances to go wrong with "Four Kings" are remote.

Thank you, George Kimball, for this treasure.

Gisela Hausmann - author & blogger

[Robert S · Rating 3 out of 5]

HL Mencken once wrote that he considered news reporting above all else, to be the life of kings. However, there was a time in the world where boxing held the crown. Boxing as a sport has seen better days in terms of popularity and quality of fights. Much like print journalism, boxing has been fighting for survival against newer and more sleek offerings that ultimately it may not be able to compete against.

There was a time when an upcoming boxing fight would not just warrant discussion or ordering it on PPV (over $60 now seems a ridiculous price in the world of Netflix) but it was considered must-see. This is true from the days of Rocky Marciano to Jack Dempsey to Joe Frazier to Muhammad Ali and finally the era of boxing discussed in Four Kings. Boxing is a unique sport in its own way since fighters legacies are not just defined by their own ability but also about who they step into the ring with over the course of their career. Ali is arguably the most popular boxer (if not one of the most popular athletes) in human history and a large part of that boils down to his opponents. He didn't just fight men like Joe Frazier or George Foreman, he went to war with them. For those watching then or now, it seems at times that one or both men might not leave the ring alive (which considering the fighting you're talking about, not a far off proposition).

Boxing has garnered a certain level of unpopularity in some circles due to the brutality of the sport (after all, some die in the ring) but honestly the lack of men like Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, and Duran bring the demise of the sport before anything else. In a world where UFC reaches record high numbers yearly and we seem not even fifteen years away from enacting our own version of Stephen King's The Running Man in our society, violence doesn't seem the downfall of the sport.

Boxing certainly has benefited most in history when it had a strong cast of heavyweights (Ali, Tyson, etc) but some of its greatest fights happened at the weight class right below. The four men in this book put on not just fights but epic battles which will stand the test of time.

Four Kings is a good book to explore the subject, although I would have enjoyed a bit more detail in a number of areas.

[Lance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book on the great class of welterweights in the 80s...Thomas Hearns, Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard. Fans of these boxers will love the bios of the fighters. But what makes this book memorable are the accounts of the nine fights that matched two of these four warriors. Doesn't matter which one you liked best, as all of them are covered here. As a lover of boxing books this one was one of my fav.orites.

[Joe O'Donnell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everything was set up for “Four Kings” to be one of the truly great boxing books. It tells the story of the middleweight boxing division during the 1980s – widely recognised as the last glory era for the sport – where the four titans of Duran, Hagler, Leonard and Hearns fought out nine epic battles against each other over the course of the decade. The late George Kimball was one of the most gifted and lauded boxing writers of his generation, possessed of a Runyonesque turn of phrase and a legendary disdain for authority and flim-flam. So it is puzzling that “Four Kings” is not quite the classic that it ought to be.

For anybody who read George Kimball’s scintillating weekly columns on American columns in The Irish Times, you might be mystified that “Four Kings” doesn’t quite land it’s punches. Kimball’s prose doesn’t zip or ping off the page in the same way as a Hugh McIlvanney or Donald McRae. Kimball’s descriptions of the fights are perfectly serviceable, but the narrative too often gets tangled up in overly-detailed accounts of promotor negotiations, or who was on the undercard of a particular title fight. It is as if the author is determined to cram in every last obscure fact of his undoubted encyclopaedic knowledge of the era, with the unfortunate effect that the narrative and flow of the book is not quite as gripping as it should be.

There is still immense pleasure to be gained from reading “Four Kings” interspersed with watching the YouTube clips of the nine titanic fights between the four middleweight icons of that era. But, when compared to other histories of this era (such as James Lawton’s “A Ringside Affair”), “Four Kings” is more a mildly interesting WBO Middleweight title encounter than the barnstorming Hearns v. Hagler-style epic that it should have been.

[Donald Paulsrud · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you were a boxing fan in the 70's and 80's this book is definitely for you. I is a well written account of the Middleweight division during that time and the 4 legends that dominated that weight class. Marvin Hagler, Tommy Hearns, Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran are absolute legends in the boxing world and deservedly so. This was the great era of boxing where real fighters fought multiple times a year, not this once every 18 months or more like today's "fighters" do. One thing you will get out of this book is that Ray Leonard was a master manipulator who did everything he could to get things in his favor - larger rings so he could get away from the power punchers, more padding in the gloves so he wouldn't get knocked out, etc.... Ray was a very good fighter, but not near as good as the media made him out to be. I lived thru this era and was a huge follower of the boxing world. I have watched the Hagler/Leonard fight over a dozen times and there is no way Leonard won that fight except the powers that be knew that Leonard was more of a cash cow than Hagler so they made sure Leonard won. In my humble opinion the rankings for these 4 legends is #1 - Hagler, #2 Hearns, #3 Leonard and #4 Duran. All were great, but Hagler and Hearns were slightly better than the other two in my opinion If you want the history of the Middleweight division during the Golden Era of boxing, this is the definitive book.

[Ben Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

The rivalry of four men shaped boxing for most of the 1980s. Two bouts between Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran bookended a series of fights involving those two men along with Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns. Together they were known as the Four Kings. The title shared by George Kimball’s book documenting those men and their exploits during that period.

I was turned on to Kimball’s book during an episode of George Groves’ boxing podcast. Kimball was an esteemed sports journalist who reported on each of the fights shared by the members of the four kings. Who better to tell the tale? When I was scouring a bookstore looking to use up some store credit, I saw Four Kings poking out of a clearance bin at me. Like Charlie Bucket finding the golden ticket I snaffled it up and ran all the way home. A points victory for Ben. You won’t bet getting that Everlasting Gobstopper recipe from me Slugworth.

Kimball’s writing is concise but gives enough depth to the story to paint a picture for the reader of what was going on in and around the fights and the fight world at the time of each bout. The four protagonists share equal billing, and their individual characters come to the fore as much as their individual fighting styles did in the ring.

This is one of the best books on boxing that I have read. I’d place it on par with the excellent Dark Trade and A Man’s World, both by Donald McRae. A must read for any boxing fan who wants to know more about the era of the four kings.

[Allan McCabe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having never lived through the era of the Four Kings, I enjoyed reading this book. It was great to learn about each of the boxers and their stories. And the book even inspired me to watch their fights back on YouTube.

The book can be difficult to read at points, as Kimball tries to shoehorn in loads of information that doesn't always seem particularly relevant. He regularly has sentences that span five or six lines and have more commas than vowels. Also, he builds suspense in some chapters by not telling you who's won the fight until you've read a blow-by-blow account. But in other chapters you'll learn the outcome of the fight in the first couple of lines, which is a bit bizarre.

Would recommend to anyone with even a passing interest in boxing, particularly those who've had no exposure to the era in question

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

An ode to the glory days of boxing. Too young to have witnessed the era live, I grew up watching repeats on video and reading old boxing magazines about the likes of Hagler, Hearns, Duran, Leonard & more. The era of the four kings in undoubtedly the most iconic of the sport. An era which boxing purists long to see the likes of again, which is unlikely. Kimball was there for every fight as a boxing writer for the Boston Herald. He graciously recalls the triumphs and descents of each fighter, whilst bringing the reader in for a view into the training regimes, personal lives and mental gymnastics the boxers balanced in their long and illustrious careers. Every boxing fan should read this book and learn about these great warrior showmen, and then go and watch the bouts described in the book, and wish, like me, that you were there to see it.

[Tolkien InMySleep · Rating 3 out of 5]

A magical era in boxing, when champions were household names and they proved themselves by fighting other champions. As the author correctly notes, Hearns may not have been the winner of fights with Hagler and Leonard, but both of them were defined champions by their victories over him. Hagler - Hearns remains the greatest fight I've ever seen, watched in a cinema in Leicester Square in London at nearly 3am. Hearns emerges from the book with the greatest credit, for his sportsmanship and humanity. Leonard, despite Kimball's apparent favouritism, comes across as the least likeable. And I could have done with a lot less of the author in the book - just because you were there, doesn't mean we need to see so much of you!

[Redwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comprehensive account of four boxing legends and their encounters with one another in the ring. This documentary approach is probably better suited for fans than literature buffs. Besides the four key fighters, Kimball dishes out wonderful anecdotes about various other competitors, managers, promoters, trainers, and general interlopers. Specifically, Bob Arum is clowned at length from his unlikely origins as a US tax attorney who saw the receipts for boxing's closed circuit shows to preposterous stunts from on high like trying to order Leonard-Hearns I stopped in the first round upon hearing some people might be viewing it for free in California. This is an essential tome for any fan of the sport as far as I'm concerned.

[James Koenig · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author wrote extensively on the signing of contracts, deliberations, referee selection, judge selection, site selection, contracts, and other related minutiae that in my opinion detracted from the true narrative - the Four Kings and their fights against each other. I skipped over the behind the scenes details and mainly read about the fights and the personalities of the fighters.

I was hoping for a lot more detail on the fighters and their lives in and out of the ring. Unfortunately, there were equal amounts of boring minutiae and actual writing about the fighters.

The book did not reveal any information about the fighters that I did not already know.

Disappointed in this book. It had so much promise, but was ko’ed by the minutiae.

[Will · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Quite possibly the best boxing book around, certainly in the top 5. It certainly helps that the topic is so interesting - the best era in boxing bar none.

I love that the layout is quite simple, talking about the fights in chronological order. This makes it easy to follow and you are kept up to date with where each fighter is in the career at those moments without having to have their boxing record open in-front of you.

The other element I was impressed with was the detail and the stories told around each fight. It really gives an insight as to what it was like for each of the mega fights, but without overloading you with needless information.

Overall a brilliant book that must be read by any boxing fan.

[Rob Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an unrepentant fan of boxing, this book was great. I was still in my teens when these guys were fighting, and for me, this was the golden era. All these fights are available on YouTube, so I watched them all again is I read the book. All of these guys were amazing. I feel for Duran, because he was already a bit past his prime, but still showed up to fight against all these guys. Fun stuff, and George Kimball provides the classic beat writer repartee that suits the subject matter perfectly.

[Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engrossing historical account of arguably the greatest era of boxing.

The book contains in depth insight of each character and their background, the lead up to the fight, the fight itself and discusses the legacy each fight left behind.

Reliving the events in this book is almost bittersweet in a way, as they're no longer a generation of elite fighters today, willing to emulate the four king's legacy and trade leather in the ring. If you are seeking a balanced account of all four legends of the sport then this book is my personal choice

[Lawrence Grandpre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good, straight forward analysis 4 of great fighters. Really old school and straight forward in its style, which is refreshing, but there is something to be said for the modern approach in terms of looking for deeper narratives. There is a story to told on Halger, Hurns, and Leonard representing three distinct forms of complemntary/clashing views of Black masculinity/ Black identitiy which a modern journalist might have persued more, and I think may deserve some analysis. This text is simple and staight forward, for better or worse.

[Jim Castine · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is absolutely packed with information!! a must read for boxing fans, especially those of us too young to enjoy this era when it was happening

some of that information could've been left out. there were times where a tid bit was added and I was waiting to see how it all tied in, but it never did

that withstanding, the information that should be there definitely is


somewhat of a spoiler;


this book recertified my belief that hagler was the best of the four, and I now roll my eyes even harder when SRRs name is mentioned

[Leaf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is much less for a boxing greenhorn and more touted for the aficionado. Being familiar with the 4 Kings or boxing in general will make this a more immersing read. Kimball was present for every single fight between the 4 Kings and is able to recapture the build up, the atmosphere, the animosity and everything in between. There are some little nuggets dropped here and there to make even the most educated fan raise an eyebrow and overall is a beautiful love letter to one of the greatest eras in the history of boxing.

[Shawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who is a lifelong boxing fan and spent his junior high school and teenage years during this time, this book was a great way to take a nostalgic look back at a wonderful time for the sport.
The "kids" these days prefer MMA as their preferred choice of hand-to-hand combat. So with MMA eclipsing the sweet science in terms of popularity, this time of Hagler-Hearns-Leonard-Duran may just truly end up being the very last great era of boxing.

[PAUL · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the very best boxing books I've ever read. Superbly written and riveting. The four boxers portrayed here were some of my favourites of all time. Everyone a true warrior
One thing that puzzled me was the US betting. Many times a favourite is quoted as 3 or 4 to 1. I must assume they mean odds on even though its written as odds against, otherwise in a two-man contest you just simply back both fighters and cannot fail to win.

Great book.

[Michael Owens · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty comprehensive account of these careers. I’d previously read Duran’s book with was (obviously) very biased, but this added an extra layer to my knowledge of these fights with a load of fantastic detail about the ins and outs of the build-up, promotion, and aftermath of each.
It’s fair to everyone, with just the right balance of reverence and criticism afforded to all the key players.
Also, there’s some great one-liners, especially when anyone is talking about Don King