Although there was a westward drift after the Civil War, New York City remained the nerve center of prizefighting until the last decade of the century. No important bare-knuckle fight was ever held on the island of Manhattan, ...
Author: Arne K. Lang
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 0786492449
Category: Sports & Recreation
Page: 274
View: 528
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This work brings a fresh perspective to the history of modern prizefighting, a sport which has evolved over several centuries to become one of mankind’s most lasting and valued sporting attractions. With his primary focus outside the ropes, the author shows how organizers, publicity agents, and political allies overcame both legal and moral roadblocks to make fisticuffing a lively commercial enterprise. The book begins with the clandestine bare-knuckle fights in eighteenth-century London, and ends with the vibrant, large-scale productions of modern Las Vegas “fight nights.” Along the way, he explains many of the myths about antiquarian prizefighters, describes the origins of slave fight folklore, and examines the forces that transformed Las Vegas into the world’s leading venue for important fights.