Inside the Ropes

by Arthur Mercante

This title presents the memoirs of a respected referee of boxing. It covers the Golden Days of the sport, spanning half a century. It includes thrilling and touching stories about all the great boxers from Dempsey to Ali to Tyson.

Genres: Sports, Biography

248 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2006

Reviews

[Abdulrahman Tingari · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book tells the life of referee of boxing arthur marcante and shares the memories of the greatest fighters in golden era of boxing thats includes floyed patterson, joe frazier, george foreman, joe louis, mike tyson, and of course the fighter of the century muhammed ali clay.

[Mark D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Nice to read about an alternative view (referee) when it comes to the big fights.

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of Mercante's best stories, told in short, easy to read chapters, actually occurred outside the ropes in a diverse and exotic variety of settings. A most endearing man, Mercante uses humor and humility to keep his biography as light on its feet and seemingly effortless as a featherweight sparring match.

My only complaint – aside from the redundant cover – is that Mercante never touched on the Mob influence in boxing that was so prevalent during his early years in the sport. Even if he didn't have direct contact with mobsters, the incorruptible referee most surely had some perspective on the subject that would've been interesting to hear. This omission is puzzling, because Mercante's is not a sugar-coated, sanitized account of boxing. Therefore, the Mob omission seems like a missed opportunity.

Other omissions are appreciated. Mercante's career was way too long to include all, or even most of his fights. By focusing on major, history-making bouts and boxers, Mercante prevents his biography from bogging down and makes it equally accessible to both casual and serious fans.

[Steve Coscia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insight from one of the best boxing referees.