A former middleweight champion of the world gives advice on equipment, stance, movements, offensive and defensive boxing, and strategy.

Boxers do what the vast majority of us will never do: they stand toe-to-toe and try to inflict as much punishment upon each other as possible. In Chasing Rocky, J. P. Flaim, a suburban father of two and cohost of The Sports Junkies on 106.7 The Fan in Washington, DC, became a part of that small percentage of people drawn to become a boxer. What started as a crazy idea from the arena seats of a professional boxing match transforms into a personal challenge that the deejay cannot ignore. This memoir follows the journey of this average Joe who chases his dream and discovers theres more to boxing than what can be seen inside the ropes. Chasing Rocky narrates Flaims foray into the boxing world, where he encounters a dubious boxing promoter who sees only dollar signs, a no-nonsense trainer who tests his resolve, an aspiring pro who longs for a title shot, and an icon who has inspired millions. Chasing Rocky presents an inside look at the brutal training boxers endure. From facing fears to dealing with the pain of getting punched, Flaim tackles the sacrifices boxers make and explores the promotional aspectsfrom choosing the perfect heel to creating a grand ring entrance. He shows what happens when the bell sounds and a radio promotion idea becomes a boxing reality.

Boxing fans love the upset, seeing the underdog surprise the heavy favorite and take the fight to him, winning over the fans and--perhaps even more important--the judges. Sylvester Stallone mined that emotion through his long series of Rocky films. Rocky is fiction, however. The men in Rocky Lives! are real. David E. Finger, a writer for top boxing website FightNews.com, presents chronologically seventy-five heavyweight boxing upsets of the 1990s. Some involve boxers still fighting today; others contain a cautionary tale of once-great boxers chasing one last payday. There are also the early-round disasters of wannabes and athletes who switched to boxing in midstream. From the Tyson-Douglas, Foreman-Moorer, and Lewis-McCall top-dollar fights to low-level curiosities like former New York Jet Mark Gastineau getting embarrassed or Eric "Butterbean" Esch taking to the ring, David Finger presents the best heavyweight upsets the 1990s have to offer. You'll read about crooked promoters drugging opponents, a convicted felon hoping victory in the ring will win him leniency, and a forty-five-year-old preacher looking to exorcise a two-decade-old demon. Rocky Lives! brings all the knockouts and slugfests right into your home.

Joe Louis's How to Box will teach you to deliver a knockout punch, step by step. The legendary heavyweight champion thoroughly covers all aspects of boxing in this well-written, definitive guide. Louis's sense of fair play, good sportsmanship, and dedicated training will both instruct and inspire. Beginning with mental discipline, Louis moves through basic training and equipment to stance, punching, and footwork, followed by working with a punching bag, methods of training, and learning various strategic punches. Generously illustrated with diagrams and action photos, here is everything needed to learn how to excel in the ring. One of the greatest boxers of all time, Joe Louis was in the ring before and during World War II. Some of his famous bouts became symbolic of the larger global conflict at hand; because of this he was the first Black American to be widely recognized as a national hero, playing a key role in the eventual integration of professional sports. Also included in this edition are listings of Louis's Heavyweight Title Defenses and championships in every weight class. How To Box concisely presents the best boxing techniques along with a slice of sporting history. Whether you are a sports fan, want a great workout, or plan to competitively enter the ring one day, this book by the man who famously said, "You can run, but you can't hide," is must reading.

In this captivating and complex portrait of an American sports legend, Russell Sullivan confirms Rocky Marciano's place as a symbol and cultural icon of his era. As much as he embodied the wholesome, rags-to-riches patriotism of a true American hero, he also reflected the racial and ethnic tensions festering behind the country's benevolent facade. Spirited, fast-paced, and rich in detail, Rocky Marciano is the first book to place the boxer in the context of his times. Capturing his athletic accomplishments against the colorful backdrop of the 1950s fight scene, Sullivan examines how Marciano's career reflected the glamour and scandal of boxing as well as tenor of his times.

When Rocky Balboa set a goal to go the distance against Apollo Creed, moviegoers everywhere found themselves rooting for the underdog, including author Felice Cantatore, who was just eleven years old when he first saw the film. Going the distance became a metaphor for Cantatores own life, and the premise led to an appreciation and fascination with the film franchise. Just like Rocky, he went on to become an underdog fighter in the ring, and was also a ringside extra in the final movie of the series. Join him as he shares his passion for the Rocky movies, and learn how their message inspired him to pursue and accomplish his goals. The lives of both Cantatore and Rocky Balboa are pure examples of how the Law of Attraction, hard work, and tenacity can lead to success. You can accomplish anything you want as long as you decide to go for it. Get motivated to pursue your goals, recognize that a champion resides in your heart, and unlock your Rocky Spirit with this true story about the passion, dreams and success of an everyday man.