Overview

More than any other sport, boxing has a history of being easy to rig. There are only two athletes and one or both may be induced to accept a bribe; if not the fighters, then the judges or referee might be swayed. In such inviting circumstances, the mob moved into boxing in the 1930s and profited by corrupting a sport ripe for exploitation. In Boxing and the Mob: The Notorious History of the Sweet Science, Jeffrey Sussman tells the story of the coercive and criminal underside of boxing, covering nearly the entire twentieth century. He profiles some of its most infamous characters, such as Owney Madden, Frankie Carbo, and Frank Palermo, and details many of the fixed matches in boxing’s storied history. In addition, Sussman examines the influence of the mob on legendary boxers—including Primo Carnera, Sugar Ray Robinson, Max Baer, Carmen Basilio, Sonny Liston, and Jake LaMotta—and whether they caved to the mobsters’ threats or refused to throw their fights. Boxing and the Mob is the first book to cover a century of fixed fights, paid-off referees, greedy managers, misused boxers, and the mobsters who controlled it all. True crime and the world of boxing are intertwined with absorbing detail in this notorious piece of American history.

Full Product Details

9781538113158

Table of Contents

Reviews

Mr. Sussman's offering is a sure bet to capture the appreciation of anyone with an interest in boxing and the mob. His account of the influence of Frankie Carbo and others who controlled the sport is a history lesson, written in an entertaining style that reminds one of the great boxing writers of days past. The book is a knockout! -- Anthony Celano, retired NYPD Detective Squad Commander

Mr. Sussman's offering is a sure bet to capture the appreciation of anyone with an interest in boxing and the mob. His account of the influence of Frankie Carbo and others who controlled the sport is a history lesson, written in an entertaining style that reminds one of the great boxing writers of days past. The book is a knockout! -- Anthony Celano, retired NYPD Detective Squad Commander Jeffrey Sussman has done it again! In Boxing and the Mob, Sussman delves into one of the most talked-about issues in sports: the influence of organized crime. Sussman not only goes back to the root of mob involvement in boxing, he also provides a fascinating history of the key players, both from the mob and in the sport. Always a great writer, Sussman tells a story that will interest sport fans and anyone interested in mob activities in the twentieth century. -- Steven Maggi, host of the nationally syndicated show Vegas Never Sleeps Jeffrey Sussman takes us on an incredible read into the mob's greed-fueled violence and corruption of The Sweet Science. -- Joseph Giannini, boxing manager, promoter, and criminal defense attorney Boxing's culture of corruption is legendary. It's a great sport that was at the mercy of professional gamblers and mobsters who predetermined the results of matches by fixing fights for much of the 20th century. That dark chapter has waxed and waned over the years and is the subject of Jeffrey Sussman's exciting and engaging book, Boxing and the Mob. Boxing, without a central governing body to oversee it, will, as Sussman cogently asserts, remain corrupt and malodorous. -- Robert Ecksel, editor of www.boxing.com Jeffery Sussman has written a riveting book that captures the entanglement of boxing and the mob. The sport of boxing is made for the mob as much as it is for the kids fighting their way out of poverty. Once you start this book you will not put it down. -- Bruce Silverglade, owner of boxing's world-famous Gleason's Gym Wow! Jeffrey Sussman did one heck of a job investigating the mob and boxing. Great read! -- Jerry Palace, retired NYPD detective In Boxing and the Mob, Jeffrey Sussman has written an exciting page-turner that exposes the mob's control over the sport of boxing. It is not only a devastating account of the mob's all-embracing tentacles into the sport, but it is also an exposure of corrupt managers, trainers, referees, and judges. In addition, Sussman provides accounts of young athletes whose careers were ruined because they wouldn't bend to the mob's demands. This is a great book for fans of both boxing and true crime. -- S. M. Chris Franzblau, former federal prosecutor and criminal defense attorney for alleged organized crime figures and professional boxers

Author Information

Jeffrey Sussman is the author of thirteen nonfiction books, as well as numerous articles and short stories about boxing. He is a regular writer for the premier boxing website www.boxing.com and the author of Max Baer and Barney Ross: Jewish Heroes of Boxing (2016) and Rocky Graziano: Fists, Fame, and Fortune (2018), both published by Rowman & Littlefield. Sussman is the president of a public relations and marketing firm based in New York City.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available