(Forgive me) Four-King Enjoyable Read, 20 Oct 2008
I share the first reviewer's scoring for this book, although not his affection for the brutal end of the sport. Rather, the history of boxing (like that of its poorer cousin, pro wrestliing, and its travelling companion, the mafia) fascinates me for sociological reasons. I agree that the author has omitted to choose his preference, but he's hinted at it by listing them Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, Duran and I'd guess this matches the public perception, with SRL at the head due to his show-biz image and the rest in that sequence due to the results of high-profile contests among the four. I personally favour Hagler, who first caught my attention by thrashing the evidently-overrated A. Minter, and Hearns, who upset me late on by beating the quiety capable Dennis Andries. Each line of this book drips with detail, and you could argue that the author is simply thumbing through results in Ring magazine except that asides and qualifications confirm that he's "been there". While the switching back and forth between the four angle characters can be hard to keep up with -- and the incidental biogs of supporting characters even more so, so that I had to backtrack -- this amount of detail makes the book more "liveable". The author is also frank about the seamier side of the fight game, suicidally so with some attestations. A good read for anyone who enjoys evocative newsreel of this atmospheric sport. (Dave)

(Forgive me) Four-King Enjoyable Read, 20 Oct 2008
I share the first reviewer's scoring for this book, although not his affection for the brutal end of the sport. Rather, the history of boxing (like that of its poorer cousin, pro wrestliing, and its travelling companion, the mafia) fascinates me for sociological reasons. I agree that the author has omitted to choose his preference, but he's hinted at it by listing them Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, Duran and I'd guess this matches the public perception, with SRL at the head due to his show-biz image and the rest in that sequence due to the results of high-profile contests among the four. I personally favour Hagler, who first caught my attention by thrashing the evidently-overrated A. Minter, and Hearns, who upset me late on by beating the quiety capable Dennis Andries. Each line of this book drips with detail, and you could argue that the author is simply thumbing through results in Ring magazine except that asides and qualifications confirm that he's "been there". While the switching back and forth between the four angle characters can be hard to keep up with -- and the incidental biogs of supporting characters even more so, so that I had to backtrack -- this amount of detail makes the book more "liveable". The author is also frank about the seamier side of the fight game, suicidally so with some attestations. A good read for anyone who enjoys evocative newsreel of this atmospheric sport. (Dave)

Good, but could be better, 16 Jul 2006
Overall this book gives you a good intro into fitness for boxing, but my main criticisms are;

1/ There isn't enough detail about actual exercise form. If you aren't already familiar with the exercise, you'll have to look it up somewhere else.

2/ There is only 1 actual workout (beginners are told to half each exercise). Although the book goes into swiss ball, medecine ball, weights etc, none of these are included in the workout.

The overall layout is 'you could do this, or this, or this, or this', but I wanted a guide to get fighting fit - not a 'work out yourself how to get fighting fit'.

However, if you are used to exercise and building your own routines, there's plenty of ideas that are probably new to you. And even though there's only one routine - it's tough !

Lost body fat, lost weight, gained muscle!, 04 Feb 2006
I'd read that boxers are very fit so bought this book to see if there were any tricks I could use. I did the solo training workout for a month or so, alongside my usual running and weights. I also tried skipping which although it was difficult to get coordinated at first made surprising differences to my cv abilities. I also used the swiss ball for the first time - previously I'd used it for sit ups but the book had many more exercises that I'd never thought of. I also found the calisthenics ideas great too and found a new bit of kit - the power wheel - which I hate but is very effective!

So all in all the new exercises have totally spiced up my training, and I've definitely lost body fat (I have some body fat scales so can measure it) and weight, and my core muscles feel much stronger. I've also discovered a new stress relief system in hitting the punchbag! Given that I have bought a huge number of fitness books and most of them lay gathering dust not adding anything to my regular gym routine this has been a great investment.

Mediocre, 07 Jan 2006
Sadly, I was left underwhelmed by this book.

Here's a quick critique for you:

PRO:

- Ian Oliver is clearly a man who knows his stuff.
- Plenty of colourful pictures for exercises.
- Not a bad price.

CON:

- Surprisingly small book. This is not a manual - it is more like a handbook, being almost pocket-sized in stature.
- Terrible editing job. The book doesn't know where it's going. You jump from aerobic training to resistance training to calisthenics to circuits etc. But there's never any clear indication what routines you should be doing - there just seems to be piles and piles of exercises listed, as though it were a directory.
- The book tries to pack in too much into too little space. There are loads of chapters, but few of them exceed 10 pages. Yet some of these chapters cover enormous topics. Take calisthenics, as an example - only a handful of pages are dedicated to this, yet a guy like John Peterson devotes a huge, heavy manual to this art. Same goes for chapters on key issues like nutrition. In fairness, Oliver does give suggested references (like Anita Bean), but if you're not going to cover the topic sufficiently, then why bother to include it in the first place? This is what I mean by the book being "over-packed".
- No tailored routines are supplied. Maybe you're looking to lose fat, or build muscle, or achieve maximum fitness. Sure, it could be argued that boxing fitness "is what it is", and that it provides all of the above. I'm just issuing a note of caution to anyone who wants/is expecting specific routines for specific goals. You're not going to get it.
- Not enough space is dedicated to exercise form.

I think this book just struggles to figure out what it is. It's too small to be a manual, but it's slightly too dense to be a handbook. It has pretensions to be about boxing training, but little coverage is given to punching techniques. Oliver clearly wants to pack in a lot of information into a small amount of space, but this clearly results in a loss of attention.

I think there are plenty more fitness books out there that you can and should pick up before this one, many of which are tailored for SPECIFIC needs and, therefore, don't skimp on the detail for what you need. I purchased this book on the back of the 5* recommendations and, to be honest, I feel a little wronged! 5* really should be reserved for outstanding pieces of work, and this is far, far from hitting the fitness book canon.

Good stuff, 25 Oct 2005
This book is perfect if you know absolutely nothing about the training side of boxing and the physical requirements of it.

It goes through all the types of punches, how to stand and using your body weight while doing them, goes through good routines and advantages of doing running, weights, skipping, sparing and much more.

This is just the type of book that i was looking for and highly recommend it to anyone with no experience of boxing and want to get into it, and also learn how to get fighting fit.

Perfect, 22 Feb 2005
All you need to get started and fit!!!! Just the right amount of info to get you started boxing for fitness. Really works and is great fun. My only critism is that there isnt a follow up book for people who want to develop more!!

(Forgive me) Four-King Enjoyable Read, 20 Oct 2008
I share the first reviewer's scoring for this book, although not his affection for the brutal end of the sport. Rather, the history of boxing (like that of its poorer cousin, pro wrestliing, and its travelling companion, the mafia) fascinates me for sociological reasons. I agree that the author has omitted to choose his preference, but he's hinted at it by listing them Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, Duran and I'd guess this matches the public perception, with SRL at the head due to his show-biz image and the rest in that sequence due to the results of high-profile contests among the four. I personally favour Hagler, who first caught my attention by thrashing the evidently-overrated A. Minter, and Hearns, who upset me late on by beating the quiety capable Dennis Andries. Each line of this book drips with detail, and you could argue that the author is simply thumbing through results in Ring magazine except that asides and qualifications confirm that he's "been there". While the switching back and forth between the four angle characters can be hard to keep up with -- and the incidental biogs of supporting characters even more so, so that I had to backtrack -- this amount of detail makes the book more "liveable". The author is also frank about the seamier side of the fight game, suicidally so with some attestations. A good read for anyone who enjoys evocative newsreel of this atmospheric sport. (Dave)

Good, but could be better, 16 Jul 2006
Overall this book gives you a good intro into fitness for boxing, but my main criticisms are;

1/ There isn't enough detail about actual exercise form. If you aren't already familiar with the exercise, you'll have to look it up somewhere else.

2/ There is only 1 actual workout (beginners are told to half each exercise). Although the book goes into swiss ball, medecine ball, weights etc, none of these are included in the workout.

The overall layout is 'you could do this, or this, or this, or this', but I wanted a guide to get fighting fit - not a 'work out yourself how to get fighting fit'.

However, if you are used to exercise and building your own routines, there's plenty of ideas that are probably new to you. And even though there's only one routine - it's tough !

Lost body fat, lost weight, gained muscle!, 04 Feb 2006
I'd read that boxers are very fit so bought this book to see if there were any tricks I could use. I did the solo training workout for a month or so, alongside my usual running and weights. I also tried skipping which although it was difficult to get coordinated at first made surprising differences to my cv abilities. I also used the swiss ball for the first time - previously I'd used it for sit ups but the book had many more exercises that I'd never thought of. I also found the calisthenics ideas great too and found a new bit of kit - the power wheel - which I hate but is very effective!

So all in all the new exercises have totally spiced up my training, and I've definitely lost body fat (I have some body fat scales so can measure it) and weight, and my core muscles feel much stronger. I've also discovered a new stress relief system in hitting the punchbag! Given that I have bought a huge number of fitness books and most of them lay gathering dust not adding anything to my regular gym routine this has been a great investment.

Mediocre, 07 Jan 2006
Sadly, I was left underwhelmed by this book.

Here's a quick critique for you:

PRO:

- Ian Oliver is clearly a man who knows his stuff.
- Plenty of colourful pictures for exercises.
- Not a bad price.

CON:

- Surprisingly small book. This is not a manual - it is more like a handbook, being almost pocket-sized in stature.
- Terrible editing job. The book doesn't know where it's going. You jump from aerobic training to resistance training to calisthenics to circuits etc. But there's never any clear indication what routines you should be doing - there just seems to be piles and piles of exercises listed, as though it were a directory.
- The book tries to pack in too much into too little space. There are loads of chapters, but few of them exceed 10 pages. Yet some of these chapters cover enormous topics. Take calisthenics, as an example - only a handful of pages are dedicated to this, yet a guy like John Peterson devotes a huge, heavy manual to this art. Same goes for chapters on key issues like nutrition. In fairness, Oliver does give suggested references (like Anita Bean), but if you're not going to cover the topic sufficiently, then why bother to include it in the first place? This is what I mean by the book being "over-packed".
- No tailored routines are supplied. Maybe you're looking to lose fat, or build muscle, or achieve maximum fitness. Sure, it could be argued that boxing fitness "is what it is", and that it provides all of the above. I'm just issuing a note of caution to anyone who wants/is expecting specific routines for specific goals. You're not going to get it.
- Not enough space is dedicated to exercise form.

I think this book just struggles to figure out what it is. It's too small to be a manual, but it's slightly too dense to be a handbook. It has pretensions to be about boxing training, but little coverage is given to punching techniques. Oliver clearly wants to pack in a lot of information into a small amount of space, but this clearly results in a loss of attention.

I think there are plenty more fitness books out there that you can and should pick up before this one, many of which are tailored for SPECIFIC needs and, therefore, don't skimp on the detail for what you need. I purchased this book on the back of the 5* recommendations and, to be honest, I feel a little wronged! 5* really should be reserved for outstanding pieces of work, and this is far, far from hitting the fitness book canon.

Good stuff, 25 Oct 2005
This book is perfect if you know absolutely nothing about the training side of boxing and the physical requirements of it.

It goes through all the types of punches, how to stand and using your body weight while doing them, goes through good routines and advantages of doing running, weights, skipping, sparing and much more.

This is just the type of book that i was looking for and highly recommend it to anyone with no experience of boxing and want to get into it, and also learn how to get fighting fit.

Perfect, 22 Feb 2005
All you need to get started and fit!!!! Just the right amount of info to get you started boxing for fitness. Really works and is great fun. My only critism is that there isnt a follow up book for people who want to develop more!!

Honest and Funny., 02 Jul 2008
Easy read,Hatton is a likeable character and a true warrior which come across in the book.

some big gaps, 13 May 2008
an enjoyable read but, perhaps obviously, not very objective about the standard of many opponents.
also, there is NO mention of junior witter in this book. what a letdown, i was looking forward to reading hatton's thoughts on why he has avoided this fight throughout his career.
ive been a hatton fan since seeing him box live in donny many years ago. its a good read but some big holes left out....

An easy, enjoyable read, 31 Jan 2008
Ive been a big fan a Ricky Hatton for a good few years now, ever since I saw him beat Tony Pepp. Since that day his star has been continuously rising. In June 2005 he conquered the Junior Welterweight division by beating the linear World Champion and top 3 P4P fighter; Kostya Tsyzu. Since then hes gone on to beat Castillo, Collazo, Urango and Maussa, aswell as becoming a 2-weight world champion.

Despite Ricky's brave loss to Floyd Mayweather, Hatton remains a big star in the sport. His talent and aggressiveness in the ring is matched by his likeability out of the ring. His wit, his media and fan-freindly personality has made hin into a hugely popular fighter.

This book is at times, witty, interesting, informative and a pleasant read. One of the best sport books I have read.

There's Only One Ricky Hatton, 06 Feb 2007
One of the quietest people outside the ring, but in the ring hes one of the Greatest Boxers of the world. This book will tell you about his life inside the ring and out. how he took up boxing, how he's undefeated, how he fell out with frank and about his famouse body punches.
words cannot describe this book, i'm not a reader really but it didnt take me long to finnish it, i found it interesting, witty and amazing in any way you would want a autobiography to be.

by Dan Holmes

There is only one Ricky Hatton!, 13 Jan 2007
What an inspiration to millions of fans and whilst most see the very good work Ricky does in the ring, he is equally adept at his charity skills. I enjoyed the book and respect the person.

Coming from the same local area as Ricky I know what an inspiration he has been to many people and I am privileged to say 'have many of the same friends'!

This is an honest and sometimes humorous account of a Northern lad with true dedication and commitment not only to the boxing game but also to a much wider community.

From fellow author and resident 'Good Luck Ricky'

(Forgive me) Four-King Enjoyable Read, 20 Oct 2008
I share the first reviewer's scoring for this book, although not his affection for the brutal end of the sport. Rather, the history of boxing (like that of its poorer cousin, pro wrestliing, and its travelling companion, the mafia) fascinates me for sociological reasons. I agree that the author has omitted to choose his preference, but he's hinted at it by listing them Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, Duran and I'd guess this matches the public perception, with SRL at the head due to his show-biz image and the rest in that sequence due to the results of high-profile contests among the four. I personally favour Hagler, who first caught my attention by thrashing the evidently-overrated A. Minter, and Hearns, who upset me late on by beating the quiety capable Dennis Andries. Each line of this book drips with detail, and you could argue that the author is simply thumbing through results in Ring magazine except that asides and qualifications confirm that he's "been there". While the switching back and forth between the four angle characters can be hard to keep up with -- and the incidental biogs of supporting characters even more so, so that I had to backtrack -- this amount of detail makes the book more "liveable". The author is also frank about the seamier side of the fight game, suicidally so with some attestations. A good read for anyone who enjoys evocative newsreel of this atmospheric sport. (Dave)

Good, but could be better, 16 Jul 2006
Overall this book gives you a good intro into fitness for boxing, but my main criticisms are;

1/ There isn't enough detail about actual exercise form. If you aren't already familiar with the exercise, you'll have to look it up somewhere else.

2/ There is only 1 actual workout (beginners are told to half each exercise). Although the book goes into swiss ball, medecine ball, weights etc, none of these are included in the workout.

The overall layout is 'you could do this, or this, or this, or this', but I wanted a guide to get fighting fit - not a 'work out yourself how to get fighting fit'.

However, if you are used to exercise and building your own routines, there's plenty of ideas that are probably new to you. And even though there's only one routine - it's tough !

Lost body fat, lost weight, gained muscle!, 04 Feb 2006
I'd read that boxers are very fit so bought this book to see if there were any tricks I could use. I did the solo training workout for a month or so, alongside my usual running and weights. I also tried skipping which although it was difficult to get coordinated at first made surprising differences to my cv abilities. I also used the swiss ball for the first time - previously I'd used it for sit ups but the book had many more exercises that I'd never thought of. I also found the calisthenics ideas great too and found a new bit of kit - the power wheel - which I hate but is very effective!

So all in all the new exercises have totally spiced up my training, and I've definitely lost body fat (I have some body fat scales so can measure it) and weight, and my core muscles feel much stronger. I've also discovered a new stress relief system in hitting the punchbag! Given that I have bought a huge number of fitness books and most of them lay gathering dust not adding anything to my regular gym routine this has been a great investment.

Mediocre, 07 Jan 2006
Sadly, I was left underwhelmed by this book.

Here's a quick critique for you:

PRO:

- Ian Oliver is clearly a man who knows his stuff.
- Plenty of colourful pictures for exercises.
- Not a bad price.

CON:

- Surprisingly small book. This is not a manual - it is more like a handbook, being almost pocket-sized in stature.
- Terrible editing job. The book doesn't know where it's going. You jump from aerobic training to resistance training to calisthenics to circuits etc. But there's never any clear indication what routines you should be doing - there just seems to be piles and piles of exercises listed, as though it were a directory.
- The book tries to pack in too much into too little space. There are loads of chapters, but few of them exceed 10 pages. Yet some of these chapters cover enormous topics. Take calisthenics, as an example - only a handful of pages are dedicated to this, yet a guy like John Peterson devotes a huge, heavy manual to this art. Same goes for chapters on key issues like nutrition. In fairness, Oliver does give suggested references (like Anita Bean), but if you're not going to cover the topic sufficiently, then why bother to include it in the first place? This is what I mean by the book being "over-packed".
- No tailored routines are supplied. Maybe you're looking to lose fat, or build muscle, or achieve maximum fitness. Sure, it could be argued that boxing fitness "is what it is", and that it provides all of the above. I'm just issuing a note of caution to anyone who wants/is expecting specific routines for specific goals. You're not going to get it.
- Not enough space is dedicated to exercise form.

I think this book just struggles to figure out what it is. It's too small to be a manual, but it's slightly too dense to be a handbook. It has pretensions to be about boxing training, but little coverage is given to punching techniques. Oliver clearly wants to pack in a lot of information into a small amount of space, but this clearly results in a loss of attention.

I think there are plenty more fitness books out there that you can and should pick up before this one, many of which are tailored for SPECIFIC needs and, therefore, don't skimp on the detail for what you need. I purchased this book on the back of the 5* recommendations and, to be honest, I feel a little wronged! 5* really should be reserved for outstanding pieces of work, and this is far, far from hitting the fitness book canon.

Good stuff, 25 Oct 2005
This book is perfect if you know absolutely nothing about the training side of boxing and the physical requirements of it.

It goes through all the types of punches, how to stand and using your body weight while doing them, goes through good routines and advantages of doing running, weights, skipping, sparing and much more.

This is just the type of book that i was looking for and highly recommend it to anyone with no experience of boxing and want to get into it, and also learn how to get fighting fit.

Perfect, 22 Feb 2005
All you need to get started and fit!!!! Just the right amount of info to get you started boxing for fitness. Really works and is great fun. My only critism is that there isnt a follow up book for people who want to develop more!!

Honest and Funny., 02 Jul 2008
Easy read,Hatton is a likeable character and a true warrior which come across in the book.

some big gaps, 13 May 2008
an enjoyable read but, perhaps obviously, not very objective about the standard of many opponents.
also, there is NO mention of junior witter in this book. what a letdown, i was looking forward to reading hatton's thoughts on why he has avoided this fight throughout his career.
ive been a hatton fan since seeing him box live in donny many years ago. its a good read but some big holes left out....

An easy, enjoyable read, 31 Jan 2008
Ive been a big fan a Ricky Hatton for a good few years now, ever since I saw him beat Tony Pepp. Since that day his star has been continuously rising. In June 2005 he conquered the Junior Welterweight division by beating the linear World Champion and top 3 P4P fighter; Kostya Tsyzu. Since then hes gone on to beat Castillo, Collazo, Urango and Maussa, aswell as becoming a 2-weight world champion.

Despite Ricky's brave loss to Floyd Mayweather, Hatton remains a big star in the sport. His talent and aggressiveness in the ring is matched by his likeability out of the ring. His wit, his media and fan-freindly personality has made hin into a hugely popular fighter.

This book is at times, witty, interesting, informative and a pleasant read. One of the best sport books I have read.

There's Only One Ricky Hatton, 06 Feb 2007
One of the quietest people outside the ring, but in the ring hes one of the Greatest Boxers of the world. This book will tell you about his life inside the ring and out. how he took up boxing, how he's undefeated, how he fell out with frank and about his famouse body punches.
words cannot describe this book, i'm not a reader really but it didnt take me long to finnish it, i found it interesting, witty and amazing in any way you would want a autobiography to be.

by Dan Holmes

There is only one Ricky Hatton!, 13 Jan 2007
What an inspiration to millions of fans and whilst most see the very good work Ricky does in the ring, he is equally adept at his charity skills. I enjoyed the book and respect the person.

Coming from the same local area as Ricky I know what an inspiration he has been to many people and I am privileged to say 'have many of the same friends'!

This is an honest and sometimes humorous account of a Northern lad with true dedication and commitment not only to the boxing game but also to a much wider community.

From fellow author and resident 'Good Luck Ricky'


Definitely The Greatest, 06 Feb 2007
This book is not just about the greatest heavy weight champ of all time. It's about the boy who took up boxing, the man who defeated liston, the man who became a muslim, stood up for his rights and the rights of every african american. This book will show you a differnt way of life.

A brilliant book for anyone, boxing fan or not.

Legendary Athlete, Legendary Man, 29 Nov 2006
A very thought-provoking book from a man who is much more than a great boxing champion.

Behind all the bravado and loud talking, all the power and grace in the ring, is a mind and a belief that is truly refreshing.

I found this book to be enlightening, and i will certainly be reading it again, and again, and probably again!

Very inspiring, 07 Feb 2005
Ali, without doubt is one of the greatest sportsmen of our world, and this book tells you why. This book is not just about the man's fighting ability, but about his kind and loving nature. How he overcame racism and personal trials through steadfast faith and superhuman will.

Ali is completely honest throughout the book, he reveals his regrets and achievements through humbling accounts

I would highly recommend this to fans of Ali and fans of human achievements.

Lenny McLean: the Guv'nor, Dirty Len, a human timebomb waiting to go off, one of the old school--however he was known, Len McLean was--until his high-profile death through cancer in 1998-a living legend and the truth behind a dozen urban myths (all of them extremely violent no doubt); as well as a byword for toughness and street smarts. You didn't mess with Len. Stories of his exploits abound, his name being known far beyond his native manor of Hoxton, with a fearsome reputation built on the back of being a gentleman and one of the best fighters I have ever seen, according to the late Ron Kray. The turn out of minor celebrities and gangland notables at his funeral is a testimony to the (for him) all-important respect this larger- than-life character earned in his chequered life. But who was the great pugilist-turned-actor (see his impressive performance playing, not surprisingly, an East End enforcer in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels), and what does it take to be the so-called Guv'nor?

In The Guv'nor, Len takes us, in what largely seems to be his own words (those offended by coarse language beware, he is no honey-tongued rhetorician), through his reminiscences. He evokes a compelling picture of times past, of a tough childhood growing up in the impoverished East End under the auspices of a brutally violent and unforgiving stepfather. He lived his early life in violence, and from that point, through a career of petty crime, minding, bouncing and unlicensed prize fighting (in fact anything that required muscle--his weapons were his fists, and he never used a shooter) it never ended. Because violence came so naturally to Len, his blasé attitude to hospitalising several slags ("no good bastards", so the helpful glossary of colourful terms informs us) can be bluntly shocking. But although violence was a feature of his life, this is not what the man (nor the book) was about. Len was essentially a man of simple values, but with a temper and the tools to make those who crossed or challenged him regret it--badly. A man of strong principles, (by his own account but also by the account of many others), a loving husband and father, not to mention brother, uncle, friend and, perhaps most poignantly, son of a cherished mother. Like many other hard men, he had a particular soft spot for his mother, who herself lived a cruelly tough life of sacrifice and subjugation.

When I met Len, he was courteous and charming, but the air of menace was unmistakable when he had to straighten a fellow bouncer for disrespecting a lady (I cannot remember what the guy actually did, but he definitely wouldn't do it again in Len's presence). Once the message was received, he happily returned to chatting, enlightening me with his words of wisdom. And what wisdom, you may ask, did I take from him? Son, treat kindness with kindness, he pronounced in that gravelly, stentorian tone--an admirable sentiment I thought--and violence with EXTREME violence! he trumpeted. Thankfully, few, if any, can do it quite like Lenny.--Alisdair Bowles

(Forgive me) Four-King Enjoyable Read, 20 Oct 2008
I share the first reviewer's scoring for this book, although not his affection for the brutal end of the sport. Rather, the history of boxing (like that of its poorer cousin, pro wrestliing, and its travelling companion, the mafia) fascinates me for sociological reasons. I agree that the author has omitted to choose his preference, but he's hinted at it by listing them Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, Duran and I'd guess this matches the public perception, with SRL at the head due to his show-biz image and the rest in that sequence due to the results of high-profile contests among the four. I personally favour Hagler, who first caught my attention by thrashing the evidently-overrated A. Minter, and Hearns, who upset me late on by beating the quiety capable Dennis Andries. Each line of this book drips with detail, and you could argue that the author is simply thumbing through results in Ring magazine except that asides and qualifications confirm that he's "been there". While the switching back and forth between the four angle characters can be hard to keep up with -- and the incidental biogs of supporting characters even more so, so that I had to backtrack -- this amount of detail makes the book more "liveable". The author is also frank about the seamier side of the fight game, suicidally so with some attestations. A good read for anyone who enjoys evocative newsreel of this atmospheric sport. (Dave)

Good, but could be better, 16 Jul 2006
Overall this book gives you a good intro into fitness for boxing, but my main criticisms are;

1/ There isn't enough detail about actual exercise form. If you aren't already familiar with the exercise, you'll have to look it up somewhere else.

2/ There is only 1 actual workout (beginners are told to half each exercise). Although the book goes into swiss ball, medecine ball, weights etc, none of these are included in the workout.

The overall layout is 'you could do this, or this, or this, or this', but I wanted a guide to get fighting fit - not a 'work out yourself how to get fighting fit'.

However, if you are used to exercise and building your own routines, there's plenty of ideas that are probably new to you. And even though there's only one routine - it's tough !

Lost body fat, lost weight, gained muscle!, 04 Feb 2006
I'd read that boxers are very fit so bought this book to see if there were any tricks I could use. I did the solo training workout for a month or so, alongside my usual running and weights. I also tried skipping which although it was difficult to get coordinated at first made surprising differences to my cv abilities. I also used the swiss ball for the first time - previously I'd used it for sit ups but the book had many more exercises that I'd never thought of. I also found the calisthenics ideas great too and found a new bit of kit - the power wheel - which I hate but is very effective!

So all in all the new exercises have totally spiced up my training, and I've definitely lost body fat (I have some body fat scales so can measure it) and weight, and my core muscles feel much stronger. I've also discovered a new stress relief system in hitting the punchbag! Given that I have bought a huge number of fitness books and most of them lay gathering dust not adding anything to my regular gym routine this has been a great investment.

Mediocre, 07 Jan 2006
Sadly, I was left underwhelmed by this book.

Here's a quick critique for you:

PRO:

- Ian Oliver is clearly a man who knows his stuff.
- Plenty of colourful pictures for exercises.
- Not a bad price.

CON:

- Surprisingly small book. This is not a manual - it is more like a handbook, being almost pocket-sized in stature.
- Terrible editing job. The book doesn't know where it's going. You jump from aerobic training to resistance training to calisthenics to circuits etc. But there's never any clear indication what routines you should be doing - there just seems to be piles and piles of exercises listed, as though it were a directory.
- The book tries to pack in too much into too little space. There are loads of chapters, but few of them exceed 10 pages. Yet some of these chapters cover enormous topics. Take calisthenics, as an example - only a handful of pages are dedicated to this, yet a guy like John Peterson devotes a huge, heavy manual to this art. Same goes for chapters on key issues like nutrition. In fairness, Oliver does give suggested references (like Anita Bean), but if you're not going to cover the topic sufficiently, then why bother to include it in the first place? This is what I mean by the book being "over-packed".
- No tailored routines are supplied. Maybe you're looking to lose fat, or build muscle, or achieve maximum fitness. Sure, it could be argued that boxing fitness "is what it is", and that it provides all of the above. I'm just issuing a note of caution to anyone who wants/is expecting specific routines for specific goals. You're not going to get it.
- Not enough space is dedicated to exercise form.

I think this book just struggles to figure out what it is. It's too small to be a manual, but it's slightly too dense to be a handbook. It has pretensions to be about boxing training, but little coverage is given to punching techniques. Oliver clearly wants to pack in a lot of information into a small amount of space, but this clearly results in a loss of attention.

I think there are plenty more fitness books out there that you can and should pick up before this one, many of which are tailored for SPECIFIC needs and, therefore, don't skimp on the detail for what you need. I purchased this book on the back of the 5* recommendations and, to be honest, I feel a little wronged! 5* really should be reserved for outstanding pieces of work, and this is far, far from hitting the fitness book canon.

Good stuff, 25 Oct 2005
This book is perfect if you know absolutely nothing about the training side of boxing and the physical requirements of it.

It goes through all the types of punches, how to stand and using your body weight while doing them, goes through good routines and advantages of doing running, weights, skipping, sparing and much more.

This is just the type of book that i was looking for and highly recommend it to anyone with no experience of boxing and want to get into it, and also learn how to get fighting fit.

Perfect, 22 Feb 2005
All you need to get started and fit!!!! Just the right amount of info to get you started boxing for fitness. Really works and is great fun. My only critism is that there isnt a follow up book for people who want to develop more!!

Honest and Funny., 02 Jul 2008
Easy read,Hatton is a likeable character and a true warrior which come across in the book.

some big gaps, 13 May 2008
an enjoyable read but, perhaps obviously, not very objective about the standard of many opponents.
also, there is NO mention of junior witter in this book. what a letdown, i was looking forward to reading hatton's thoughts on why he has avoided this fight throughout his career.
ive been a hatton fan since seeing him box live in donny many years ago. its a good read but some big holes left out....

An easy, enjoyable read, 31 Jan 2008
Ive been a big fan a Ricky Hatton for a good few years now, ever since I saw him beat Tony Pepp. Since that day his star has been continuously rising. In June 2005 he conquered the Junior Welterweight division by beating the linear World Champion and top 3 P4P fighter; Kostya Tsyzu. Since then hes gone on to beat Castillo, Collazo, Urango and Maussa, aswell as becoming a 2-weight world champion.

Despite Ricky's brave loss to Floyd Mayweather, Hatton remains a big star in the sport. His talent and aggressiveness in the ring is matched by his likeability out of the ring. His wit, his media and fan-freindly personality has made hin into a hugely popular fighter.

This book is at times, witty, interesting, informative and a pleasant read. One of the best sport books I have read.

There's Only One Ricky Hatton, 06 Feb 2007
One of the quietest people outside the ring, but in the ring hes one of the Greatest Boxers of the world. This book will tell you about his life inside the ring and out. how he took up boxing, how he's undefeated, how he fell out with frank and about his famouse body punches.
words cannot describe this book, i'm not a reader really but it didnt take me long to finnish it, i found it interesting, witty and amazing in any way you would want a autobiography to be.

by Dan Holmes

There is only one Ricky Hatton!, 13 Jan 2007
What an inspiration to millions of fans and whilst most see the very good work Ricky does in the ring, he is equally adept at his charity skills. I enjoyed the book and respect the person.

Coming from the same local area as Ricky I know what an inspiration he has been to many people and I am privileged to say 'have many of the same friends'!

This is an honest and sometimes humorous account of a Northern lad with true dedication and commitment not only to the boxing game but also to a much wider community.

From fellow author and resident 'Good Luck Ricky'


Definitely The Greatest, 06 Feb 2007
This book is not just about the greatest heavy weight champ of all time. It's about the boy who took up boxing, the man who defeated liston, the man who became a muslim, stood up for his rights and the rights of every african american. This book will show you a differnt way of life.

A brilliant book for anyone, boxing fan or not.

Legendary Athlete, Legendary Man, 29 Nov 2006
A very thought-provoking book from a man who is much more than a great boxing champion.

Behind all the bravado and loud talking, all the power and grace in the ring, is a mind and a belief that is truly refreshing.

I found this book to be enlightening, and i will certainly be reading it again, and again, and probably again!

Very inspiring, 07 Feb 2005
Ali, without doubt is one of the greatest sportsmen of our world, and this book tells you why. This book is not just about the man's fighting ability, but about his kind and loving nature. How he overcame racism and personal trials through steadfast faith and superhuman will.

Ali is completely honest throughout the book, he reveals his regrets and achievements through humbling accounts

I would highly recommend this to fans of Ali and fans of human achievements.

Violent, Moving, a Rollercoaster Ride, 31 Dec 2008
"The Guv'nor" opens with the protagonist Lenny McLean relating fond memories of his parents, despite the materially tough times they lived in back then. Unfortunately for him, however, they would become much tougher with the sad death of his beloved father, and the arrival of a violent step-father who regularly beat Len, his brothers and even the widow.

Len tells of the petty crime he engaged in as a young lad and of some of the time he was put away for it. But it's the brutal beatings he suffered at home that would become the catalyst for Len to lead a violent and difficult adult life, in which he became the world's meanest bare-knuckle fighter, worked the doors, collected debts, mixed with characters from the underworld, was stabbed, and was shot at twice.

The violence is horrific, as Len recounts some of the opponents he came up against as a prize fighter, some of them cold-blooded men who would have thought nothing about beating him to the point of paralysis. He recalls as well how drunks who tried to assault him on the doors, and people who shot at him or stabbed him, ended up on the receiving end of some brutal punishment, as did anyone else who tried to take a pot shot or pull a fast one on him.

The great thing about "The Guv'nor", though, is that it's not all savage beatings and violence. It's the story of a man who would have walked to the ends of the earth for his parents, wife and kids; and of a big-hearted man and loyal friend who others could always depend on when it counted. There are genuinely touching moments in the book, such as the death of his mum, and the meeting with his future wife for the first time ("The door opened and in walked this little angel, and Lenny took a knockout."), not to mention the ending, with Lenny expressing his feelings about events and people with an honesty and openness that gives a refreshing edge to the book.

Some of the events in the book are also accompanied with a dose of humour, really allowing Len's voice to shine through as if he's actually telling the story right in front of you. It all makes for a book which makes you wince one moment, laugh the next and maybe even cry the following. "The Guv'nor" is well worth a read and once you pick it up, you won't be able to put it down again.


From someone who reads Bronte..., 13 Oct 2008
For someone who reads Bronte, this was a book bought on pure curiosity. I met someone who was closely related to The Guv'nor, I hadn't previously heard of him and thought I should find out more. I was initially quite scared to read this book, thinking that it would be a testosterone fuelled rant about fighting and mafiosa. I was however, pleasantly surprised. I found that Lenny was a family man with normal fears and anxieties growing up. It was his fierce loyalty and kindness that lead him down some dark paths, and sadly caused a lot of fights and pain. It was interesting to read such a deep insight to the soul of someone involved in such vicious fighting and frightening situations. After all of the brutal fights and injuries caused, I felt myself understanding him and his reasoning. He comes across as a strong, tough-guy family man with morals and a hint of modesty (although sometimes this is lost through his descriptions of his fights!). Thoroughly enjoyable.

What a Guy,What a book, 12 Sep 2008
This is the best book i ever read, i could not put it down, and gutted when i finshed it, Brill everybody should read it.

Review, 05 Aug 2007
I was genuinely shocked by how moved I was after reading this book. Yes, the fights make hugely entertaining reading, but for me the tragedy of Lenny's early life experience shone through; growing up in a very tough neighbourhood, losing loving parents prematurely and suffering and witnessing unimaginable physical violence and abuse as a child. I am left feeling that Lenny was at heart a very emotional man, clearly affected by a past that forged every aspect of his character, emotionally, psychologically and physically.

When I finished the book I searched the internet for video clips. Again, I found two extremes. Fights showing Lenny truly punishing other fighters along with TV show interviews showing a much more self-effacing, mild, humorous and altogether more gentle man. The book reminded me of "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote, possibly because of the contrast between extreme violence and family life and the reasons why "violent" people are conditioned into violence by their upbringing.

Deeply entertaining, deeply tragic and a premature end to a very interesting man. I would have loved to have met him.


Myth or Legend, 19 Jun 2007
I have long been interested in Lenny Mcleans life and without turning this review into a Lenny mclean forum I would like to clear a few things up. Lenny Did fight Roy Shaw 3 times and in the first fight he was beaten by shaw. The two other fights he had with Shaw are on film and now widely availible on the internet.These recordings are proof for everyone to see that clearly Lenny Mclean was the better man.In that 2nd fight Lenny Knocks Roy Shaw clean through the ropes and in the 3rd, Lenny almost punches roys head off until roy crashes to the canvas.
Lenny's boast that he had 3000 fights has always raised eyebrows but taking into acount all the fighting over twenty five years he probably was not far wrong.On the doors it was sometimes four a night at different clubs all over London.And then the bareknuckle challenges and unlicensed bouts plus the street fights as a youngster.
Sure we all know he lost some boxing matches but these were against very good boxers who understood ring craft.With gloves off Lenny was a nightmare. To all those who say Len was a bully. Read "the Guv'nor through the eyes of others" by Anthony Thomas and its plain to see through eyewitness accounts that len was a very big hearted man. Okay in his early youth he was arrogant and may have come across to be a bully but as he got older he changed his attitude and only unleashed his awesome temper on those who crossed or challenged him.
A very famous fight promoter who promoted Lenny in the seventies who I wont name, described him as a bully. But could this be sour grapes because Lenny threw a fight over the money and changed his promoter.
If it hadnt been for the fact that Lenny was this mans star fighter on the unlicensed circuit he may never have been as great a promoter as he is now.
"The Guv'nor" will go down in history as being the definitive hard man book wether you believe some of Lennys accounts or not, its still a great read about a man who is truly a legend.This word Legend is banded about too much these days but I think Lenny truly deserves it.

(Forgive me) Four-King Enjoyable Read, 20 Oct 2008
I share the first reviewer's scoring for this book, although not his affection for the brutal end of the sport. Rather, the history of boxing (like that of its poorer cousin, pro wrestliing, and its travelling companion, the mafia) fascinates me for sociological reasons. I agree that the author has omitted to choose his preference, but he's hinted at it by listing them Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, Duran and I'd guess this matches the public perception, with SRL at the head due to his show-biz image and the rest in that sequence due to the results of high-profile contests among the four. I personally favour Hagler, who first caught my attention by thrashing the evidently-overrated A. Minter, and Hearns, who upset me late on by beating the quiety capable Dennis Andries. Each line of this book drips with detail, and you could argue that the author is simply thumbing through results in Ring magazine except that asides and qualifications confirm that he's "been there". While the switching back and forth between the four angle characters can be hard to keep up with -- and the incidental biogs of supporting characters even more so, so that I had to backtrack -- this amount of detail makes the book more "liveable". The author is also frank about the seamier side of the fight game, suicidally so with some attestations. A good read for anyone who enjoys evocative newsreel of this atmospheric sport. (Dave)

Good, but could be better, 16 Jul 2006
Overall this book gives you a good intro into fitness for boxing, but my main criticisms are;

1/ There isn't enough detail about actual exercise form. If you aren't already familiar with the exercise, you'll have to look it up somewhere else.

2/ There is only 1 actual workout (beginners are told to half each exercise). Although the book goes into swiss ball, medecine ball, weights etc, none of these are included in the workout.

The overall layout is 'you could do this, or this, or this, or this', but I wanted a guide to get fighting fit - not a 'work out yourself how to get fighting fit'.

However, if you are used to exercise and building your own routines, there's plenty of ideas that are probably new to you. And even though there's only one routine - it's tough !

Lost body fat, lost weight, gained muscle!, 04 Feb 2006
I'd read that boxers are very fit so bought this book to see if there were any tricks I could use. I did the solo training workout for a month or so, alongside my usual running and weights. I also tried skipping which although it was difficult to get coordinated at first made surprising differences to my cv abilities. I also used the swiss ball for the first time - previously I'd used it for sit ups but the book had many more exercises that I'd never thought of. I also found the calisthenics ideas great too and found a new bit of kit - the power wheel - which I hate but is very effective!

So all in all the new exercises have totally spiced up my training, and I've definitely lost body fat (I have some body fat scales so can measure it) and weight, and my core muscles feel much stronger. I've also discovered a new stress relief system in hitting the punchbag! Given that I have bought a huge number of fitness books and most of them lay gathering dust not adding anything to my regular gym routine this has been a great investment.

Mediocre, 07 Jan 2006
Sadly, I was left underwhelmed by this book.

Here's a quick critique for you:

PRO:

- Ian Oliver is clearly a man who knows his stuff.
- Plenty of colourful pictures for exercises.
- Not a bad price.

CON:

- Surprisingly small book. This is not a manual - it is more like a handbook, being almost pocket-sized in stature.
- Terrible editing job. The book doesn't know where it's going. You jump from aerobic training to resistance training to calisthenics to circuits etc. But there's never any clear indication what routines you should be doing - there just seems to be piles and piles of exercises listed, as though it were a directory.
- The book tries to pack in too much into too little space. There are loads of chapters, but few of them exceed 10 pages. Yet some of these chapters cover enormous topics. Take calisthenics, as an example - only a handful of pages are dedicated to this, yet a guy like John Peterson devotes a huge, heavy manual to this art. Same goes for chapters on key issues like nutrition. In fairness, Oliver does give suggested references (like Anita Bean), but if you're not going to cover the topic sufficiently, then why bother to include it in the first place? This is what I mean by the book being "over-packed".
- No tailored routines are supplied. Maybe you're looking to lose fat, or build muscle, or achieve maximum fitness. Sure, it could be argued that boxing fitness "is what it is", and that it provides all of the above. I'm just issuing a note of caution to anyone who wants/is expecting specific routines for specific goals. You're not going to get it.
- Not enough space is dedicated to exercise form.

I think this book just struggles to figure out what it is. It's too small to be a manual, but it's slightly too dense to be a handbook. It has pretensions to be about boxing training, but little coverage is given to punching techniques. Oliver clearly wants to pack in a lot of information into a small amount of space, but this clearly results in a loss of attention.

I think there are plenty more fitness books out there that you can and should pick up before this one, many of which are tailored for SPECIFIC needs and, therefore, don't skimp on the detail for what you need. I purchased this book on the back of the 5* recommendations and, to be honest, I feel a little wronged! 5* really should be reserved for outstanding pieces of work, and this is far, far from hitting the fitness book canon.

Good stuff, 25 Oct 2005
This book is perfect if you know absolutely nothing about the training side of boxing and the physical requirements of it.

It goes through all the types of punches, how to stand and using your body weight while doing them, goes through good routines and advantages of doing running, weights, skipping, sparing and much more.

This is just the type of book that i was looking for and highly recommend it to anyone with no experience of boxing and want to get into it, and also learn how to get fighting fit.

Perfect, 22 Feb 2005
All you need to get started and fit!!!! Just the right amount of info to get you started boxing for fitness. Really works and is great fun. My only critism is that there isnt a follow up book for people who want to develop more!!

Honest and Funny., 02 Jul 2008
Easy read,Hatton is a likeable character and a true warrior which come across in the book.

some big gaps, 13 May 2008
an enjoyable read but, perhaps obviously, not very objective about the standard of many opponents.
also, there is NO mention of junior witter in this book. what a letdown, i was looking forward to reading hatton's thoughts on why he has avoided this fight throughout his career.
ive been a hatton fan since seeing him box live in donny many years ago. its a good read but some big holes left out....

An easy, enjoyable read, 31 Jan 2008
Ive been a big fan a Ricky Hatton for a good few years now, ever since I saw him beat Tony Pepp. Since that day his star has been continuously rising. In June 2005 he conquered the Junior Welterweight division by beating the linear World Champion and top 3 P4P fighter; Kostya Tsyzu. Since then hes gone on to beat Castillo, Collazo, Urango and Maussa, aswell as becoming a 2-weight world champion.

Despite Ricky's brave loss to Floyd Mayweather, Hatton remains a big star in the sport. His talent and aggressiveness in the ring is matched by his likeability out of the ring. His wit, his media and fan-freindly personality has made hin into a hugely popular fighter.

This book is at times, witty, interesting, informative and a pleasant read. One of the best sport books I have read.

There's Only One Ricky Hatton, 06 Feb 2007
One of the quietest people outside the ring, but in the ring hes one of the Greatest Boxers of the world. This book will tell you about his life inside the ring and out. how he took up boxing, how he's undefeated, how he fell out with frank and about his famouse body punches.
words cannot describe this book, i'm not a reader really but it didnt take me long to finnish it, i found it interesting, witty and amazing in any way you would want a autobiography to be.

by Dan Holmes

There is only one Ricky Hatton!, 13 Jan 2007
What an inspiration to millions of fans and whilst most see the very good work Ricky does in the ring, he is equally adept at his charity skills. I enjoyed the book and respect the person.

Coming from the same local area as Ricky I know what an inspiration he has been to many people and I am privileged to say 'have many of the same friends'!

This is an honest and sometimes humorous account of a Northern lad with true dedication and commitment not only to the boxing game but also to a much wider community.

From fellow author and resident 'Good Luck Ricky'


Definitely The Greatest, 06 Feb 2007
This book is not just about the greatest heavy weight champ of all time. It's about the boy who took up boxing, the man who defeated liston, the man who became a muslim, stood up for his rights and the rights of every african american. This book will show you a differnt way of life.

A brilliant book for anyone, boxing fan or not.

Legendary Athlete, Legendary Man, 29 Nov 2006
A very thought-provoking book from a man who is much more than a great boxing champion.

Behind all the bravado and loud talking, all the power and grace in the ring, is a mind and a belief that is truly refreshing.

I found this book to be enlightening, and i will certainly be reading it again, and again, and probably again!

Very inspiring, 07 Feb 2005
Ali, without doubt is one of the greatest sportsmen of our world, and this book tells you why. This book is not just about the man's fighting ability, but about his kind and loving nature. How he overcame racism and personal trials through steadfast faith and superhuman will.

Ali is completely honest throughout the book, he reveals his regrets and achievements through humbling accounts

I would highly recommend this to fans of Ali and fans of human achievements.

Violent, Moving, a Rollercoaster Ride, 31 Dec 2008
"The Guv'nor" opens with the protagonist Lenny McLean relating fond memories of his parents, despite the materially tough times they lived in back then. Unfortunately for him, however, they would become much tougher with the sad death of his beloved father, and the arrival of a violent step-father who regularly beat Len, his brothers and even the widow.

Len tells of the petty crime he engaged in as a young lad and of some of the time he was put away for it. But it's the brutal beatings he suffered at home that would become the catalyst for Len to lead a violent and difficult adult life, in which he became the world's meanest bare-knuckle fighter, worked the doors, collected debts, mixed with characters from the underworld, was stabbed, and was shot at twice.

The violence is horrific, as Len recounts some of the opponents he came up against as a prize fighter, some of them cold-blooded men who would have thought nothing about beating him to the point of paralysis. He recalls as well how drunks who tried to assault him on the doors, and people who shot at him or stabbed him, ended up on the receiving end of some brutal punishment, as did anyone else who tried to take a pot shot or pull a fast one on him.

The great thing about "The Guv'nor", though, is that it's not all savage beatings and violence. It's the story of a man who would have walked to the ends of the earth for his parents, wife and kids; and of a big-hearted man and loyal friend who others could always depend on when it counted. There are genuinely touching moments in the book, such as the death of his mum, and the meeting with his future wife for the first time ("The door opened and in walked this little angel, and Lenny took a knockout."), not to mention the ending, with Lenny expressing his feelings about events and people with an honesty and openness that gives a refreshing edge to the book.

Some of the events in the book are also accompanied with a dose of humour, really allowing Len's voice to shine through as if he's actually telling the story right in front of you. It all makes for a book which makes you wince one moment, laugh the next and maybe even cry the following. "The Guv'nor" is well worth a read and once you pick it up, you won't be able to put it down again.


From someone who reads Bronte..., 13 Oct 2008
For someone who reads Bronte, this was a book bought on pure curiosity. I met someone who was closely related to The Guv'nor, I hadn't previously heard of him and thought I should find out more. I was initially quite scared to read this book, thinking that it would be a testosterone fuelled rant about fighting and mafiosa. I was however, pleasantly surprised. I found that Lenny was a family man with normal fears and anxieties growing up. It was his fierce loyalty and kindness that lead him down some dark paths, and sadly caused a lot of fights and pain. It was interesting to read such a deep insight to the soul of someone involved in such vicious fighting and frightening situations. After all of the brutal fights and injuries caused, I felt myself understanding him and his reasoning. He comes across as a strong, tough-guy family man with morals and a hint of modesty (although sometimes this is lost through his descriptions of his fights!). Thoroughly enjoyable.

What a Guy,What a book, 12 Sep 2008
This is the best book i ever read, i could not put it down, and gutted when i finshed it, Brill everybody should read it.

Review, 05 Aug 2007
I was genuinely shocked by how moved I was after reading this book. Yes, the fights make hugely entertaining reading, but for me the tragedy of Lenny's early life experience shone through; growing up in a very tough neighbourhood, losing loving parents prematurely and suffering and witnessing unimaginable physical violence and abuse as a child. I am left feeling that Lenny was at heart a very emotional man, clearly affected by a past that forged every aspect of his character, emotionally, psychologically and physically.

When I finished the book I searched the internet for video clips. Again, I found two extremes. Fights showing Lenny truly punishing other fighters along with TV show interviews showing a much more self-effacing, mild, humorous and altogether more gentle man. The book reminded me of "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote, possibly because of the contrast between extreme violence and family life and the reasons why "violent" people are conditioned into violence by their upbringing.

Deeply entertaining, deeply tragic and a premature end to a very interesting man. I would have loved to have met him.


Myth or Legend, 19 Jun 2007
I have long been interested in Lenny Mcleans life and without turning this review into a Lenny mclean forum I would like to clear a few things up. Lenny Did fight Roy Shaw 3 times and in the first fight he was beaten by shaw. The two other fights he had with Shaw are on film and now widely availible on the internet.These recordings are proof for everyone to see that clearly Lenny Mclean was the better man.In that 2nd fight Lenny Knocks Roy Shaw clean through the ropes and in the 3rd, Lenny almost punches roys head off until roy crashes to the canvas.
Lenny's boast that he had 3000 fights has always raised eyebrows but taking into acount all the fighting over twenty five years he probably was not far wrong.On the doors it was sometimes four a night at different clubs all over London.And then the bareknuckle challenges and unlicensed bouts plus the street fights as a youngster.
Sure we all know he lost some boxing matches but these were against very good boxers who understood ring craft.With gloves off Lenny was a nightmare. To all those who say Len was a bully. Read "the Guv'nor through the eyes of others" by Anthony Thomas and its plain to see through eyewitness accounts that len was a very big hearted man. Okay in his early youth he was arrogant and may have come across to be a bully but as he got older he changed his attitude and only unleashed his awesome temper on those who crossed or challenged him.
A very famous fight promoter who promoted Lenny in the seventies who I wont name, described him as a bully. But could this be sour grapes because Lenny threw a fight over the money and changed his promoter.
If it hadnt been for the fact that Lenny was this mans star fighter on the unlicensed circuit he may never have been as great a promoter as he is now.
"The Guv'nor" will go down in history as being the definitive hard man book wether you believe some of Lennys accounts or not, its still a great read about a man who is truly a legend.This word Legend is banded about too much these days but I think Lenny truly deserves it.


THE ANIMAL!!, 29 Sep 2008
Great read to be honest, really opens your eyes to what batista has been through to get where he is and also touches on personal issues hes had.

Would recommend! Great book!

The Animal unleashes his life on you!, 07 Mar 2008
As much as I enjoy reading auto-biogs on wrestlers, I often find it hard to really get into a story and enjoy it. Don't get me wrong, I finish the books, but it takes me a while. Not with this. I can't seem to put it down. Not since Mick Foley's Hardcore Diary have I enjoyed a book so much. Batista gives you a no holds barred look into his life, from growing up on the streets of Washington to his very first win at WrestleMania. Batista tells it how it is and isn't afraid to speak the truth.

INSPIRING AND ALWAYS PUSHING THROUGH, 16 Feb 2008
This is a truly inspiring book for any WWE or wrestling fan out there. it talks about his younger life and stories about him being doubted by other wrestlers. I wrote a much bettter and nicer review but bloody unfortunately i had a connection error and it all deleted. Overall, this is a must have book.

A Nice Read, 27 Jan 2008
I don't like Batista and was surprised that he made 300 pages plus. Still I gave this book a try and it shone. He had such a sad life and this is a compelling read. I suggest you give it a try.

The only other I have read is Adam Copeland on Edge (my fav) and it wa published back when he had a neck injury in 2003. It was nice to read something that is slightly more up-to-date.

It alsos teaches you about working wrestling matches and how to actually appreciate a match and each WWE show has become more watchable since.

Unleash the Animal, 25 Jan 2008
Batista Unleashed

WWE Professional Wrestler, Dave Batista documents over three hundred pages of his life with the help of sports writer Jeremy Roberts to bring you "Batista Unleashed".

Dave explains all the different experiences in his life, being brought up by his single mother in Washington D.C. Lifting weights as a teenager led him into a string of jobs working as a Bouncer and then becoming professional Body Building in his early thirties.

After crippling experience he leaves the world of Body Building and attempts to break into the world of Professional Wrestling, at first being told he's "too old", "he'll never make it", years later he wins the World Heavyweight Championship at the companies most prestigious pay-per-views of the year; "Wrestlemania".

(Forgive me) Four-King Enjoyable Read, 20 Oct 2008
I share the first reviewer's scoring for this book, although not his affection for the brutal end of the sport. Rather, the history of boxing (like that of its poorer cousin, pro wrestliing, and its travelling companion, the mafia) fascinates me for sociological reasons. I agree that the author has omitted to choose his preference, but he's hinted at it by listing them Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, Duran and I'd guess this matches the public perception, with SRL at the head due to his show-biz image and the rest in that sequence due to the results of high-profile contests among the four. I personally favour Hagler, who first caught my attention by thrashing the evidently-overrated A. Minter, and Hearns, who upset me late on by beating the quiety capable Dennis Andries. Each line of this book drips with detail, and you could argue that the author is simply thumbing through results in Ring magazine except that asides and qualifications confirm that he's "been there". While the switching back and forth between the four angle characters can be hard to keep up with -- and the incidental biogs of supporting characters even more so, so that I had to backtrack -- this amount of detail makes the book more "liveable". The author is also frank about the seamier side of the fight game, suicidally so with some attestations. A good read for anyone who enjoys evocative newsreel of this atmospheric sport. (Dave)

Good, but could be better, 16 Jul 2006
Overall this book gives you a good intro into fitness for boxing, but my main criticisms are;

1/ There isn't enough detail about actual exercise form. If you aren't already familiar with the exercise, you'll have to look it up somewhere else.

2/ There is only 1 actual workout (beginners are told to half each exercise). Although the book goes into swiss ball, medecine ball, weights etc, none of these are included in the workout.

The overall layout is 'you could do this, or this, or this, or this', but I wanted a guide to get fighting fit - not a 'work out yourself how to get fighting fit'.

However, if you are used to exercise and building your own routines, there's plenty of ideas that are probably new to you. And even though there's only one routine - it's tough !

Lost body fat, lost weight, gained muscle!, 04 Feb 2006
I'd read that boxers are very fit so bought this book to see if there were any tricks I could use. I did the solo training workout for a month or so, alongside my usual running and weights. I also tried skipping which although it was difficult to get coordinated at first made surprising differences to my cv abilities. I also used the swiss ball for the first time - previously I'd used it for sit ups but the book had many more exercises that I'd never thought of. I also found the calisthenics ideas great too and found a new bit of kit - the power wheel - which I hate but is very effective!

So all in all the new exercises have totally spiced up my training, and I've definitely lost body fat (I have some body fat scales so can measure it) and weight, and my core muscles feel much stronger. I've also discovered a new stress relief system in hitting the punchbag! Given that I have bought a huge number of fitness books and most of them lay gathering dust not adding anything to my regular gym routine this has been a great investment.

Mediocre, 07 Jan 2006
Sadly, I was left underwhelmed by this book.

Here's a quick critique for you:

PRO:

- Ian Oliver is clearly a man who knows his stuff.
- Plenty of colourful pictures for exercises.
- Not a bad price.

CON:

- Surprisingly small book. This is not a manual - it is more like a handbook, being almost pocket-sized in stature.
- Terrible editing job. The book doesn't know where it's going. You jump from aerobic training to resistance training to calisthenics to circuits etc. But there's never any clear indication what routines you should be doing - there just seems to be piles and piles of exercises listed, as though it were a directory.
- The book tries to pack in too much into too little space. There are loads of chapters, but few of them exceed 10 pages. Yet some of these chapters cover enormous topics. Take calisthenics, as an example - only a handful of pages are dedicated to this, yet a guy like John Peterson devotes a huge, heavy manual to this art. Same goes for chapters on key issues like nutrition. In fairness, Oliver does give suggested references (like Anita Bean), but if you're not going to cover the topic sufficiently, then why bother to include it in the first place? This is what I mean by the book being "over-packed".
- No tailored routines are supplied. Maybe you're looking to lose fat, or build muscle, or achieve maximum fitness. Sure, it could be argued that boxing fitness "is what it is", and that it provides all of the above. I'm just issuing a note of caution to anyone who wants/is expecting specific routines for specific goals. You're not going to get it.
- Not enough space is dedicated to exercise form.

I think this book just struggles to figure out what it is. It's too small to be a manual, but it's slightly too dense to be a handbook. It has pretensions to be about boxing training, but little coverage is given to punching techniques. Oliver clearly wants to pack in a lot of information into a small amount of space, but this clearly results in a loss of attention.

I think there are plenty more fitness books out there that you can and should pick up before this one, many of which are tailored for SPECIFIC needs and, therefore, don't skimp on the detail for what you need. I purchased this book on the back of the 5* recommendations and, to be honest, I feel a little wronged! 5* really should be reserved for outstanding pieces of work, and this is far, far from hitting the fitness book canon.

Good stuff, 25 Oct 2005
This book is perfect if you know absolutely nothing about the training side of boxing and the physical requirements of it.

It goes through all the types of punches, how to stand and using your body weight while doing them, goes through good routines and advantages of doing running, weights, skipping, sparing and much more.

This is just the type of book that i was looking for and highly recommend it to anyone with no experience of boxing and want to get into it, and also learn how to get fighting fit.

Perfect, 22 Feb 2005
All you need to get started and fit!!!! Just the right amount of info to get you started boxing for fitness. Really works and is great fun. My only critism is that there isnt a follow up book for people who want to develop more!!

Honest and Funny., 02 Jul 2008
Easy read,Hatton is a likeable character and a true warrior which come across in the book.

some big gaps, 13 May 2008
an enjoyable read but, perhaps obviously, not very objective about the standard of many opponents.
also, there is NO mention of junior witter in this book. what a letdown, i was looking forward to reading hatton's thoughts on why he has avoided this fight throughout his career.
ive been a hatton fan since seeing him box live in donny many years ago. its a good read but some big holes left out....

An easy, enjoyable read, 31 Jan 2008
Ive been a big fan a Ricky Hatton for a good few years now, ever since I saw him beat Tony Pepp. Since that day his star has been continuously rising. In June 2005 he conquered the Junior Welterweight division by beating the linear World Champion and top 3 P4P fighter; Kostya Tsyzu. Since then hes gone on to beat Castillo, Collazo, Urango and Maussa, aswell as becoming a 2-weight world champion.

Despite Ricky's brave loss to Floyd Mayweather, Hatton remains a big star in the sport. His talent and aggressiveness in the ring is matched by his likeability out of the ring. His wit, his media and fan-freindly personality has made hin into a hugely popular fighter.

This book is at times, witty, interesting, informative and a pleasant read. One of the best sport books I have read.

There's Only One Ricky Hatton, 06 Feb 2007
One of the quietest people outside the ring, but in the ring hes one of the Greatest Boxers of the world. This book will tell you about his life inside the ring and out. how he took up boxing, how he's undefeated, how he fell out with frank and about his famouse body punches.
words cannot describe this book, i'm not a reader really but it didnt take me long to finnish it, i found it interesting, witty and amazing in any way you would want a autobiography to be.

by Dan Holmes

There is only one Ricky Hatton!, 13 Jan 2007
What an inspiration to millions of fans and whilst most see the very good work Ricky does in the ring, he is equally adept at his charity skills. I enjoyed the book and respect the person.

Coming from the same local area as Ricky I know what an inspiration he has been to many people and I am privileged to say 'have many of the same friends'!

This is an honest and sometimes humorous account of a Northern lad with true dedication and commitment not only to the boxing game but also to a much wider community.

From fellow author and resident 'Good Luck Ricky'


Definitely The Greatest, 06 Feb 2007
This book is not just about the greatest heavy weight champ of all time. It's about the boy who took up boxing, the man who defeated liston, the man who became a muslim, stood up for his rights and the rights of every african american. This book will show you a differnt way of life.

A brilliant book for anyone, boxing fan or not.

Legendary Athlete, Legendary Man, 29 Nov 2006
A very thought-provoking book from a man who is much more than a great boxing champion.

Behind all the bravado and loud talking, all the power and grace in the ring, is a mind and a belief that is truly refreshing.

I found this book to be enlightening, and i will certainly be reading it again, and again, and probably again!

Very inspiring, 07 Feb 2005
Ali, without doubt is one of the greatest sportsmen of our world, and this book tells you why. This book is not just about the man's fighting ability, but about his kind and loving nature. How he overcame racism and personal trials through steadfast faith and superhuman will.

Ali is completely honest throughout the book, he reveals his regrets and achievements through humbling accounts

I would highly recommend this to fans of Ali and fans of human achievements.

Violent, Moving, a Rollercoaster Ride, 31 Dec 2008
"The Guv'nor" opens with the protagonist Lenny McLean relating fond memories of his parents, despite the materially tough times they lived in back then. Unfortunately for him, however, they would become much tougher with the sad death of his beloved father, and the arrival of a violent step-father who regularly beat Len, his brothers and even the widow.

Len tells of the petty crime he engaged in as a young lad and of some of the time he was put away for it. But it's the brutal beatings he suffered at home that would become the catalyst for Len to lead a violent and difficult adult life, in which he became the world's meanest bare-knuckle fighter, worked the doors, collected debts, mixed with characters from the underworld, was stabbed, and was shot at twice.

The violence is horrific, as Len recounts some of the opponents he came up against as a prize fighter, some of them cold-blooded men who would have thought nothing about beating him to the point of paralysis. He recalls as well how drunks who tried to assault him on the doors, and people who shot at him or stabbed him, ended up on the receiving end of some brutal punishment, as did anyone else who tried to take a pot shot or pull a fast one on him.

The great thing about "The Guv'nor", though, is that it's not all savage beatings and violence. It's the story of a man who would have walked to the ends of the earth for his parents, wife and kids; and of a big-hearted man and loyal friend who others could always depend on when it counted. There are genuinely touching moments in the book, such as the death of his mum, and the meeting with his future wife for the first time ("The door opened and in walked this little angel, and Lenny took a knockout."), not to mention the ending, with Lenny expressing his feelings about events and people with an honesty and openness that gives a refreshing edge to the book.

Some of the events in the book are also accompanied with a dose of humour, really allowing Len's voice to shine through as if he's actually telling the story right in front of you. It all makes for a book which makes you wince one moment, laugh the next and maybe even cry the following. "The Guv'nor" is well worth a read and once you pick it up, you won't be able to put it down again.


From someone who reads Bronte..., 13 Oct 2008
For someone who reads Bronte, this was a book bought on pure curiosity. I met someone who was closely related to The Guv'nor, I hadn't previously heard of him and thought I should find out more. I was initially quite scared to read this book, thinking that it would be a testosterone fuelled rant about fighting and mafiosa. I was however, pleasantly surprised. I found that Lenny was a family man with normal fears and anxieties growing up. It was his fierce loyalty and kindness that lead him down some dark paths, and sadly caused a lot of fights and pain. It was interesting to read such a deep insight to the soul of someone involved in such vicious fighting and frightening situations. After all of the brutal fights and injuries caused, I felt myself understanding him and his reasoning. He comes across as a strong, tough-guy family man with morals and a hint of modesty (although sometimes this is lost through his descriptions of his fights!). Thoroughly enjoyable.

What a Guy,What a book, 12 Sep 2008
This is the best book i ever read, i could not put it down, and gutted when i finshed it, Brill everybody should read it.

Review, 05 Aug 2007
I was genuinely shocked by how moved I was after reading this book. Yes, the fights make hugely entertaining reading, but for me the tragedy of Lenny's early life experience shone through; growing up in a very tough neighbourhood, losing loving parents prematurely and suffering and witnessing unimaginable physical violence and abuse as a child. I am left feeling that Lenny was at heart a very emotional man, clearly affected by a past that forged every aspect of his character, emotionally, psychologically and physically.

When I finished the book I searched the internet for video clips. Again, I found two extremes. Fights showing Lenny truly punishing other fighters along with TV show interviews showing a much more self-effacing, mild, humorous and altogether more gentle man. The book reminded me of "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote, possibly because of the contrast between extreme violence and family life and the reasons why "violent" people are conditioned into violence by their upbringing.

Deeply entertaining, deeply tragic and a premature end to a very interesting man. I would have loved to have met him.


Myth or Legend, 19 Jun 2007
I have long been interested in Lenny Mcleans life and without turning this review into a Lenny mclean forum I would like to clear a few things up. Lenny Did fight Roy Shaw 3 times and in the first fight he was beaten by shaw. The two other fights he had with Shaw are on film and now widely availible on the internet.These recordings are proof for everyone to see that clearly Lenny Mclean was the better man.In that 2nd fight Lenny Knocks Roy Shaw clean through the ropes and in the 3rd, Lenny almost punches roys head off until roy crashes to the canvas.
Lenny's boast that he had 3000 fights has always raised eyebrows but taking into acount all the fighting over twenty five years he probably was not far wrong.On the doors it was sometimes four a night at different clubs all over London.And then the bareknuckle challenges and unlicensed bouts plus the street fights as a youngster.
Sure we all know he lost some boxing matches but these were against very good boxers who understood ring craft.With gloves off Lenny was a nightmare. To all those who say Len was a bully. Read "the Guv'nor through the eyes of others" by Anthony Thomas and its plain to see through eyewitness accounts that len was a very big hearted man. Okay in his early youth he was arrogant and may have come across to be a bully but as he got older he changed his attitude and only unleashed his awesome temper on those who crossed or challenged him.
A very famous fight promoter who promoted Lenny in the seventies who I wont name, described him as a bully. But could this be sour grapes because Lenny threw a fight over the money and changed his promoter.
If it hadnt been for the fact that Lenny was this mans star fighter on the unlicensed circuit he may never have been as great a promoter as he is now.
"The Guv'nor" will go down in history as being the definitive hard man book wether you believe some of Lennys accounts or not, its still a great read about a man who is truly a legend.This word Legend is banded about too much these days but I think Lenny truly deserves it.


THE ANIMAL!!, 29 Sep 2008
Great read to be honest, really opens your eyes to what batista has been through to get where he is and also touches on personal issues hes had.

Would recommend! Great book!

The Animal unleashes his life on you!, 07 Mar 2008
As much as I enjoy reading auto-biogs on wrestlers, I often find it hard to really get into a story and enjoy it. Don't get me wrong, I finish the books, but it takes me a while. Not with this. I can't seem to put it down. Not since Mick Foley's Hardcore Diary have I enjoyed a book so much. Batista gives you a no holds barred look into his life, from growing up on the streets of Washington to his very first win at WrestleMania. Batista tells it how it is and isn't afraid to speak the truth.

INSPIRING AND ALWAYS PUSHING THROUGH, 16 Feb 2008
This is a truly inspiring book for any WWE or wrestling fan out there. it talks about his younger life and stories about him being doubted by other wrestlers. I wrote a much bettter and nicer review but bloody unfortunately i had a connection error and it all deleted. Overall, this is a must have book.

A Nice Read, 27 Jan 2008
I don't like Batista and was surprised that he made 300 pages plus. Still I gave this book a try and it shone. He had such a sad life and this is a compelling read. I suggest you give it a try.

The only other I have read is Adam Copeland on Edge (my fav) and it wa published back when he had a neck injury in 2003. It was nice to read something that is slightly more up-to-date.

It alsos teaches you about working wrestling matches and how to actually appreciate a match and each WWE show has become more watchable since.

Unleash the Animal, 25 Jan 2008
Batista Unleashed

WWE Professional Wrestler, Dave Batista documents over three hundred pages of his life with the help of sports writer Jeremy Roberts to bring you "Batista Unleashed".

Dave explains all the different experiences in his life, being brought up by his single mother in Washington D.C. Lifting weights as a teenager led him into a string of jobs working as a Bouncer a