FOUR KINGS: LEONARD, HAGLER, HEARNS, DURAN AND THE LAST GREAT ERA OF BOXING PDF, EPUB, EBOOK George Kimball | 368 pages | 03 Jul 2008 | Mainstream Publishing | 9781845963590 | English | Edinburgh, United Kingdom Four Kings: Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, Duran and the Last Great Era of Boxing PDF Book Jun 21, Apsalz08 rated it liked it. Leonard won a light-heavyweight title before losing to Terry Norris and, after a six-year retirement, falling to the feather-fisted Hector Camacho. In , however, the sport was resuscitated by a riveting series of bouts involving an improbably dissimilar quartet: Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns and Roberto Duran. About this Item: Mainstream, The four fighters were not afraid of meeting each other, not scared of losing their protected records or their golden baubles; they just wanted to fight and they each directed their promoters, agents and managers to make the fights that mattered happen. Pages in great shape, no tears. The quality of opposition is what really immortalised Sugar Ray Leonard forever in the annals of boxing history - his talents would have likely have won him world honours in any generation but the s were so saturated with dance partners of such high-calibre like Messrs Duran, Hagler, Hearns and the majestic wizard Wilfred Benitez, that had he fought in a lot of other eras, his legacy would probably seem quite ordinary. With good looks, a boy next door charm and a smile that could light up the dingiest of boxing halls, Leonard was tailor-made for the big time and after claiming gold in Montreal at the Olympic Games his stock went through the roof. See details for description of any imperfections. May 13, Kevin rated it it was amazing. So with MMA eclipsing the sweet science in terms of popularity, this time of Hagler-Hearns-Leonard-Duran may just truly end up being the very last great era of boxing. Thus I was delighted to find this beautiful book, which told me details I had never heard, even though I followed the fighters and the sport closely. Original Title. This made for an excellent reading experience, as it provided the opportunity to watch the fights on YouTube, in chronological order. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey Hardcover 5. Nov 08, Rob Anderson rated it really liked it. They were exceptional boxers with unique combinations of power and speed. Refresh and try again. About this Item: Condition: As New. However, there was a time in the world where boxing held the crown. Each of the nine bouts between the four men was memorable in its own way and at least two of them - Leonard-Hearns I in and Hagler-Hearns in - are commonly included on any list of the greatest fights of all time. I never had to go to school once because of him," his mother once said. Stone vs Sugar. I think whatever he wrote applies here. They had a total of 72 real world-title fights, including dozens away from each other's fists that were memorable. Cover in excellent condition. Dec 28, Jonathan Mccombie rated it really liked it. The lowest-priced item that has been used or worn previously. And I could have done with a lot less of the author in the book - just because you were there, doesn't mean we need to see so much of you! Like Ali and Frazier, Dempsey and Tunney, Robinson and LaMotta, these four boxers brought out the best in each other, producing unprecedented multi-million-dollar gates along the way. The chances to go wrong with "Four Kings" are remote. Each of the nine bouts between the four men was memorable in its own way and at least two of them - Leonard-Hearns I in and Hagler-Hearns in - are commonly included on any list of the greatest fights of all time. The spine remains undamaged. All he had was a pair of cutoff jeans and some tennis shoes. Highly highly recommended book for anyone interested in the fight game. Kimball's hardscrabble take is all the more real given that he covered the fights. Four Kings: Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, Duran and the Last Great Era of Boxing Writer A much missed era. A veteran of nearly title bouts, Kimball has covered boxing all over the world since the eras of Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, and was the only journalist to cover every fight of Marvelous Marvin Hagler's middleweight reign from start to finish. Title: four kings. See all 8 - All listings for this product. Hardcover Elizabeth George. None of these four avoided one another quite the opposite and the consequence was bouts breathtaking for their brutality, skill and courage. Stock photo. Nov 01, Dylan rated it it was amazing Shelves: history. Published by Mainstream Publishing Company, Limited Where the context is four protagonists winning and losing over nine super fights, it's difficult to write it any way but objectively and clearly. That seemed more like he was trying to mentioning them just to mention them. Transnational Boxing Rankings. There are no discussion topics on this book yet. More information about this seller Contact this seller 7. Readers also enjoyed. Roberto Duran, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Thomas "Hit Man" Hearns all formed the pantheon of boxing greats during the late s and early s--before the pay-per-view model, when prize fights were telecast on network television and still captured the nation's attention. Condition: Fair. Hearns was in his prime. I learned a lot about Don King, promoting in that period, the impact on the game that introducing extra weight classes has had, and the bigger picture of boxing history. More information about this seller Contact this seller 1. Having written the biography of boxer Errol Christie - who is mentioned in this book - I had to read this hugely well-informed odyssey through the glory years of the sport. The author of this book reported on and was at every fight between the four kings. Contains some markings such as highlighting and writing. Connecting readers with great books since I couldn't put it down. Paperback Frederick the Great Books. The two major criticisms seem to be focused on the author being biased towards Sugar Ray Leonard, and the writing itself being of too 'newspaper-reportery' a style. This text is simple and staight forward, for better or worse. Hearns had gotten his nickname because:"Tommy's like a Hit Man," the manager observed. Rating details. The recipient of the Nat Fleischer Award for Excellence in Boxing Journalism, George Kimball spent a quarter-century as a sports columnist for the Boston Herald before retiring in Best Selling in Nonfiction See all. Leonard, despite Kimball's apparent favouritism, comes across as the least likeable. So out of the nine fights of interest in the book, Sugar Ray Leonard featured in two thirds of them. Enter Roberto Duran. And so he did, in large part because Hearns and Duran were at diametrically opposed positions on the arcs of their respective careers. Unfortunately, there were equal amounts of boring minutiae and actual writing about the fighters. Most relevant reviews. Firstly, the Sugar Ray bias: Sugar Ray Leonard featured in six of the super fights, a trilogy against Duran, two against Hearns, and one against Hagler. The book did not reveal any information about the fighters that I did not already know. About this Item: Condition: good. May show some signs of use or wear. It's difficult to imagine wanting anything else when you've chosen to read it. Jul 22, Boxing Books Guy rated it it was amazing. But I never had any problems with him. He also draws clear colorful portraits of [the] four fighters. Account Options Anmelden. The late George Kimball was one of the most gifted and lauded boxing writers of his generation, possessed of a Runyonesque turn of phrase and a legendary disdain for authority and flim-flam. Also, at certain points he would run a paragraph reciting results of the fighters with one or two lines on the fights. Four Kings: Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, Duran and the Last Great Era of Boxing Reviews It was a fantastic way to experience the book and get into it even more. Item added to your basket View basket. A fine dive into the last golden era of boxing, Kimball is fair and even-handed, discussing the rise and fall of four very different men, four rivals, and their various entourages. Not so. Like Ali and Frazier, Dempsey and Tunney, Robinson and LaMotta, these four boxers brought out the best in each other, producing unprecedented multi-million-dollar gates along the way. Brilliant background on one of the most exciting eras in Boxing, let alone the Middleweight Division. Make an offer:. Painting by Damien Burton. Showing From training camps to locker rooms, author George Kimball was there to cover every body shot, uppercut, and TKO. This item doesn't belong on this page. I couldn't put it down. If anyone was a shell of himself after fighting Hearns, it was Hagler. Leonard, despite Kimball's apparent favouritism, comes across as the least likeable. If this is Seller Inventory GRP If you wanted anything else, you should have read a novel or watched a film. Show More Show Less. The bigger the fight, the better he tells it. The other three, excluding their clashes with Sugar Ray, only fought each king once. It was great to learn about each of the boxers and their stories. Please enter your email address Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address.