The Mad and the Bad: Boxing Tales of Murder, Madness and Mayhem

From the present day back to the bareknuckle era and the 18th-century prize ring, boxing has always had its wacky warriors and masters of menace. All these larger-than-life characters had one thing in common – talent in abundance. Some used it, others wasted it. Many big-draw fighters were born on the wrong side of the tracks, while others seemingly made a beeline for oblivion. Eight-times married conman Kid McCoy took his own life. The fearless Stanley Ketchel was shot dead by a jealous farm worker. The enigmatic Battling Siki used to parade a lioness down the boulevards of Paris, while the unpredictable Chris Eubank enraged the establishment with his eccentric lifestyle. Mean and moody Sonny Liston died in mysterious circumstances. The brilliant Aaron Pryor fell victim to America’s drug culture. Roberto Duran once knocked over a horse in anger, while beer-guzzling Tony Galento threatened to ‘moider da bums’. Here, Thomas Myler brilliantly brings to life all these and many more unforgettable fighters.