Ali vs. Inoki
Ali vs. Inoki

Author: Josh Gross

Publisher: BenBella Books, Inc.

Published: 2016-06-09

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 1942952201

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Named one of the "40 Best Books of 2016" by The New York Post "Inoki can use his bare fists. He can use karate. This is serious. There's $10 million involved. I wouldn't pull a fraud on the public. This is real. There's no plan. The blood. The holds. The pain. Everything is going to be real. I'm not here in this time of my life to come out with some phony action. I want you to know this is real." —Muhammad Ali, June 14, 1976, The Tonight Show On June 26, 1976, Muhammad Ali fought in a mixed-rules contest against iconic pro wrestling champion Antonio Inoki for the so-called "martial arts championship of the world." Broadcast from Tokyo to a potential audience of 1.4 billion in 34 countries, the spectacle foreshadowed and, in many ways, led to the rise of mixed martial arts as a major sport. The unique contest was controversial and panned by wrestling and boxing supporters alike, but the real action was behind the scenes. Egos, competing interests, and a general sense of apprehension over what would happen in the ring led to hodgepodge rules thrown together at the last minute. Bizarre plans to "save" Ali if the fight got out of hand were even concocted. In Ali vs. Inoki, author Josh Gross gets inside Ali's head leading up to the match by resurrecting pre-fight interviews. Gross also introduces us to Inoki, the most famous face in Japan who was instrumental in shaping modern mixed martial arts.

Fight Sports and American Masculinity
Fight Sports and American Masculinity

Author: Christopher David Thrasher

Publisher: McFarland

Published: 2015-06-14

Total Pages: 300

ISBN-13: 1476618232

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Throughout America's past, some men have feared the descent of their gender into effeminacy, and turned their eyes to the ring in hopes of salvation. This work explains how the dominant fight sports in the United States have changed over time in response to broad shifts in American culture and ideals of manhood, and presents a narrative of American history as seen from the bars, gyms, stadiums and living rooms of the heartland. Ordinary Americans were the agents who supported and participated in fight sports and determined its vision of masculinity. This work counters the economic determinism prevalent in studies of American fight sports, which overemphasize profit as the driving force in the popularization of these sports. The author also disputes previous scholarship's domestic focus, with an appreciation of how American fight sports are connected to the rest of the world.

Ringmaster
Ringmaster

Author: Abraham Josephine Riesman

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2024-04-16

Total Pages: 496

ISBN-13: 1982169451

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This definitive biography of Vince McMahon, former WWE chairman and CEO, is “riveting, essential reading” (Rick Perlstein, New York Times bestselling author) as it charts his rise from rural poverty to the throne of one of the world’s most influential media empires. Featuring exclusive interviews with more than 150 people who witnessed, aided, and suffered from his ascent. Even if you’ve never watched a minute of professional wrestling, you are living in Vince McMahon’s world. In his four decades as the defining figure of American pro wrestling, McMahon was the man behind Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, John Cena, Dave Bautista, Bret “The Hitman” Hart, and Hulk Hogan, to name just a few of the mega-stars who owe him their careers. For more than twenty-five years, he has also been a performer in his own show, acting as the diabolical “Mr. McMahon”—a figure who may have more in common with the real Vince than he would care to admit. Just as importantly, McMahon is one of Donald Trump’s closest friends—and Trump’s experiences as a performer in McMahon’s programming were, in many ways, a dress rehearsal for the 45th President’s campaigns and presidency. McMahon and his wife, Linda, are major Republican donors. Linda was in Trump’s cabinet. McMahon makes deals with the Saudi government worth hundreds of millions of dollars. And for generations of people who have watched wrestling, he has been a defining cultural force and has helped foment “the worst of contemporary politics” (Kirkus Reviews). Ringmaster built on exclusive interviews with more than 150 people, from McMahon’s childhood friends to those who accuse him of destroying their lives. “Smart, entertaining, impressively reported, and beautifully written. Wrestling fans will devour it, but everyone who wants to better understand this crazy country and one of its truly original characters ought to read it” (Jonathan Eig, author of Ali: A Life).

Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali

Author: Barbara L. Tischler

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2015-10-30

Total Pages: 229

ISBN-13: 1317691210

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Muhammad Ali was not only a champion athlete, but a cultural icon. While his skill as a boxer made him famous, his strong personality and his identity as a black man in a country in the midst of the struggle for civil rights made him an enduring symbol. From his youth in segregated Louisville, Kentucky, to his victory in the 1960 Olympics, to the controversy that surrounded his conversion to Islam and refusal of the draft during the Vietnam War, Ali's life was closely linked to the major social and political struggles of the 1960s and 70s. The story of his struggles, failures, and triumphs sheds light on issues of race, class, religion, dissent, and the role of sports in American society that affected all Americans. In this lively, concise biography, Barbara L. Tischler introduces students to Ali's life in social and political context, and explores his enduring significance as a symbol of resistance. Muhammad Ali: A Many of Many Voices offers the perfect introduction to this extraordinary American and his times.

Duh!
Duh!

Author: Bob Fenster

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Published: 2000-09

Total Pages: 290

ISBN-13: 9780740710025

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

" ... a hilarious collection of the stupid things that people do, divided up into topics."--- back cover.

The Rough Guide to Muhammad Ali
The Rough Guide to Muhammad Ali

Author: Paul Simpson

Publisher:

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 308

ISBN-13: 9781843533856

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Covers every aspect of Ali's life and career - from the fights to the Civil Rights movement, from his fans to his family.

Killing the Legends
Killing the Legends

Author: Bill O'Reilly

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Published: 2022-09-27

Total Pages: 215

ISBN-13: 1250283310

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

In the next book in the multimillion-selling Killing Series, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard tell the larger-than-life stories of Elvis Presley, John Lennon, and Muhammad Ali. The King is dead. The Walrus is shot. The Greatest is no more. Elvis Presley, John Lennon, and Muhammad Ali. These three icons changed not only the worlds of music, film, and sports, but the world itself. Their faces were known everywhere, in every nation, across every culture. And their stories became larger than life—until their lives spun out of control at the hands of those they most trusted. In Killing the Legends, Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard explore the lives, legacies, and tragic deaths of three of the most famous people of the 20th century. Each experienced immense success, then failures that forced them to change; each faced the challenge of growing old in fields that privilege youth; and finally, each became isolated, cocooned by wealth but vulnerable to the demands of those in their innermost circles. Dramatic, insightful, and immensely entertaining, Killing the Legends is the twelfth book in O’Reilly and Dugard’s Killing series: the most popular series of narrative history books in the world, with more than 18 million copies in print.

Total Mma
Total Mma

Author: Jonathan Snowden

Publisher: ECW Press

Published: 2010-12-15

Total Pages: 629

ISBN-13: 1554903378

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Brings readers the history and information surrounding the contemporary world of MMA.

Andre the Giant
Andre the Giant

Author: Michael Krugman

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2009-11-24

Total Pages: 354

ISBN-13: 1439188130

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The unforgettable story of everyone’s favorite giant—and a life cut short—wrestler and actor Andre the Giant. At seven-foot-five, four hundred and fifty pounds, André the Giant was a living, breathing legend—a behemoth taking on all comers. Billed as “the Eighth Wonder of the World,” he was the greatest attraction in sports entertainment and one of the most famous athletes in the world. André the Giant: A Legendary Life is the story of how his enormous charisma and undeniable presence aided World Wrestling Federation's explosive rise to the forefront of popular culture. André's battles with such rivals as Ernie Ladd, Killer Khan, Big John Studd, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, and Randy “Macho Man” Savage are certifiable classics, while his epic WrestleMania III match with Hulk Hogan—before 93,000—still holds the record for largest attendance. Outside the ring, André Roussimoff was equally formidable—his voluminous appetite for life is the stuff of legends. Moreover, André was among the first wrestlers to cross over into pop superstardom with roles in such television series as The Six Million Dollar Man and films like The Princess Bride. André's incredible tale is told through his most memorable matches, with reminiscences and recollections from the people closest to him. In addition to blow-by-blow analysis of his greatest in-ring triumphs, author Michael Krugman takes us behind the curtain to see how this amazing athlete struggled with his size and his stardom, as well as his fight with crippling pain caused by both his profession and the disease that made him who he was. André the Giant: A Legendary Life is the true-life tall tale of one of the most influential and adored Superstars in sports entertainment history.

The Eighth Wonder of the World
The Eighth Wonder of the World

Author: Bertrand Hébert

Publisher: ECW Press

Published: 2020-04-28

Total Pages: 546

ISBN-13: 1773054767

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

A definitive and exhaustive biography Is there a way to find truth in the stuff of legend? You may think you know André the Giant — but who was André Roussimoff? This comprehensive biography addresses the burning questions, outrageous stories, and common misconceptions about his height, his weight, his drawing power as a superstar, and his seemingly unparalleled capacity for food and alcohol. But more importantly, The Eighth Wonder of the World: The True Story of André the Giant transports readers beyond the smoke and mirrors of professional wrestling into the life of a real man. Born in France, André worked on his family’s farm until he was 18, when he moved to Paris to pursue professional wrestling. A truly extraordinary figure, André went on to become an international icon and world traveler, all while battling acromegaly. While his disorder is what made him a giant and a household name, it’s also what caused his untimely death at 46. With exhaustive research, exclusive interviews with family and friends, and an exploration of André’s amazing in-ring career and the indelible mark he left on pop culture, Laprade and Hébert have crafted the most complete portrait of a modern-day mythical being.