Blood, Brawn, Brains and Broken Noses by Chris Sykes
"A must-read for all serious boxing fans. It really hits the mark," Ricky Hatton MBE
Blood, Brawn, Brains and Broken Noses explores the evolution of pugilism, better known as boxing, from its origins in Ancient Greece and Rome to the present day. In England, pugilism became a popular form of entertainment, leading to a golden age, which the book covers in detail along with the careers of five champion pugilists.
But the sport hit a major hitch when bare-knuckle pugilism clashed with Victorian morals, and it was superseded by gloved boxing. Afterwards, bare-knuckle boxing went underground and was practised clandestinely and seen only by a select few. The book examines the thoughts of ancient philosophers to explain why pugilism became part of British culture. Nineteenth-century philosophies such as Social Darwinism, Muscular Christianity and Rational Recreation are also explored along with how Rational Recreation influences boxing today. What are the sociological factors that motivate people to take up boxing? And how can the sport prevent societal ills? Blood, Brawn, Brains and Broken Noses holds the answers.
Read Blood, Brawn, Brains and Broken Noses and experience bare-knuckle and gloved boxing’s historical, philosophical and sociological journey, covering:
Ancient Greece where boys were taught boxing to prepare them for war, to Rome where boxing was turned into a gladiatorial spectacle
Olde England where boxing was practised for centuries by monarchs, commoners and became an entertainment
The original golden age (early 18th century to 1826), and the careers of the legendary boxers Figg, Broughton, Mendoza, Cribb and Spring
Victorian times when bare-knuckle boxing was outlawed and superseded by gloved boxing, and then to more contemporary times when bare-knuckle boxing was practised by men such as Lenny McLean and Bartley Gorman
A philosophical and sociological odyssey from Ancient Greece to the present, learning why boxing forms part of British culture and why people participate, including the thoughts of eminent philosophers on boxing, 19th-century philosophies, Social Darwinism, Muscular Christianity and Rational Recreation
The early 20th century when gloved boxing boomed and the 1960s when the sport waned, to today and the renaissance of bare-knuckle boxing and the sociological factors that have influenced an increased participation in gloved boxing
The Author
Author Chris Sykes has trained in the art of boxing since childhood and pursued other martial arts, such as karate and savate. He holds black belts in jiu-jitsu and kick boxing. He has been a full ABA coach and gained a first-class Bachelor of Arts in Martial Arts Theory and Practice and Sports Development in 2010. Eager to share his pugilistic knowledge, this is his first book.
