On the Ropes

I've written so far five boxing books, but hope to write many more. Undoubtedly, for me the greatest of all boxing scribes is the magnificent Hugh Mcllvanney. With him you could imagine the blood flying out through the ropes as he wrote landing on his writing pad. Remember them? Mcllvanney used words like the greatest painters lit up a canvas. I cannot even begin to compare myself with someone of his ilk, but what I can do is share the great man's passion of telling stories, of those whom when against the ropes in a boxing ring fought on and on. One of my great regrets will be never meeting him just to say how much his writing changed my life. Hugh Mcllvanney gave me a love for writing about this sport that will never fade. Priceless. Boxing is a bottle of tears, dreams, magic and heartache. The following fifteen chapters are a concoction of my boxing writing so far. A credit list of outrageous characters, wonderful fights, the blood, the glory, the wins, the defeats.

I hope you enjoy...

John. 24th October 2024.