- Paperback: 208 pages
- Publisher: Robson Books Ltd; New edition edition (6 Oct 2004)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1861058055
- ISBN-13: 978-1861058058
- Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 13 x 2.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 386,677 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
Boxing's clolourful history is filled with chapters of high drama and simmering controversy. Many boxing fans are familiar with the outcome of the most memorable bouts, but few know the secrets surrounding them. In 'The 12 Greatest Rounds of Boxing', Ferdie Pacheco not only selects the dozen best rounds ever fought, but reveals what went on behind the scenes at these fights, from chicanery and Mob influence to romantic liaisons and the zaniness that seems to go hand in glove with boxing. Did Muhammad Ali's 1965 'Phantom Punch' really knock out Sonny Litson, or was Sonny simply too scared to get off the canvas? With World War II looming, was German heavyweight champoin warned by Adolf Hitler to beat Joe Louis - or else? Did Jack Dempsey have something illegal in his glove when he battered Jess Willard into bloody submission in 1919? The fascinating behind the scenes stories are related by Pacheco and a renowned grup of boxing experts, offering an intimate glimpse of boxing inimitable characters and the often bizarre world they inhabit.
About the Author
Miami-based Ferdie Pacheco MD, 'the Fight Doctor', is a physician, boxing analyst, author, screenwriter and fine artist. After serving for 15 years as Muhammad Ali's physician and cornerman he began a career as a boxing commentator on major US television networks. He has written or contributed to several books.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
An excellent book and very well written. Once opened I couldn't put it down. People will argue for ever over what were the 12 greatest rounds of boxing, but Ferdie Pacheco gave superb arguments as to his selection using the criteria of shear drama, overall significance of the rounds on boxing history and the careers of the fighters invoved, many from his first hand vantage point as fight doctor or commentator. Arguments could be given to include significant rounds from lower weights (such as Roberto Duran's stoppage of Ken Buchanen in round 13, or Julio Cesar Chavez's stoppage of Meldrick Taylor with three seconds to go when losing the fight, or Roberto Duran's surrender to Ray Leonard in round 8), but at the end of the day the heavyweight division has always carried the most influence on boxing and the rounds selected would always be up there among the greatest ever. Any boxing fan will find the book a fascinating fast paced read.
Mark Illingsworth
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Ferdy Pacheco the fight doctor who gave up his practice to become Muhammad Ali's personal doctor.
When he refused to work Ali's corner because of
Ali's deterourating health,he became a fight commentator and when the TV station said he was to old to go on,he became a writer. He set to work on he book 'The 12 Greatest Rounds Of Boxing
and gave a lot of behind the scenes action and build up to the fights, which makes for good anylitical reading. Parcheco looks back in time to a fight that took place in 1939 the return Max Schmeling Joe Louis fight and the contraversial publicity that made it a sell out. Unknown to most fight fans Schmeling was under great pressure
his family were in gastapo custody in case Schmelin chose to defect and stay in America and send for his family later.Prior to both fighters entering the ring,Schmeling was a cold unprepaired
fighter worried about his family,where as Louis was prepaired and ready to go mentally physically
he was getting the right kind of talk from his trainer Chappie Blackburn,he was about to wipe out the only defeat on his record. When both fighters entered the ring every person was ready and waiting for the start, on the streets and in shops every bodys radio was on they were ready.
When the fight got under way Schmeling was knocked out with in a round, anillated which suited the American public who had been fed the hate propergander of a German Nazi fighting a decent freedom loving American. The 75,000 crowd went home happy and satisfied from the Yankee Stadium This is one of the back ground storys contained in the Ferdie Pacheco book.
When he refused to work Ali's corner because of
Ali's deterourating health,he became a fight commentator and when the TV station said he was to old to go on,he became a writer. He set to work on he book 'The 12 Greatest Rounds Of Boxing
and gave a lot of behind the scenes action and build up to the fights, which makes for good anylitical reading. Parcheco looks back in time to a fight that took place in 1939 the return Max Schmeling Joe Louis fight and the contraversial publicity that made it a sell out. Unknown to most fight fans Schmeling was under great pressure
his family were in gastapo custody in case Schmelin chose to defect and stay in America and send for his family later.Prior to both fighters entering the ring,Schmeling was a cold unprepaired
fighter worried about his family,where as Louis was prepaired and ready to go mentally physically
he was getting the right kind of talk from his trainer Chappie Blackburn,he was about to wipe out the only defeat on his record. When both fighters entered the ring every person was ready and waiting for the start, on the streets and in shops every bodys radio was on they were ready.
When the fight got under way Schmeling was knocked out with in a round, anillated which suited the American public who had been fed the hate propergander of a German Nazi fighting a decent freedom loving American. The 75,000 crowd went home happy and satisfied from the Yankee Stadium This is one of the back ground storys contained in the Ferdie Pacheco book.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4 reviews
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
The Fight Doctor needs his head examined.
9 Jan 2001
Format:Hardcover
Someone needs to tell Pacheco that famous and historically significant doesn't always equal great.
Ring Magazine recently had a list of the 12 greatest rounds of all time, which if you compare it to the list that was compiled by the Fright Doctor, the Ring's list,is pure genius. Actually it was pretty solid. Dempsey Firpo 1st, Hagler Hearns, 1st, Frazier Quarry I 1st, Holmes Norton 15th, Bowe Holyfield I 10th, Garza Mesa 1st, Patterson Johansson III 1st, Gomez Pintor 3rd, Foreman Lyle 4th, Saad Lopez II 8th, Lamotta Dauthille 15th & Benny Leonard Ritchie Mitchell 1st which, in all honesty, I never saw. This list exceeds Pacheco's moronic list that includes, Ali Liston II 1st, Louis Schmeling II 1st, Robinson Lamotta VI 13th, Dempsey Willard 1st and Marciano Walcott I 13th. Ferdie, these rounds were not even remotely great! The Phantom Punch? Louis mauling Schmeling was great? Dempsey doing likewise to Willard? Marciano's picture perfect kayo of Walcott wasn't a great round, it was a great punch!
My inclusions to the Ring's list would be Chavez Taylor I 10th, Frazier Ramos 1st, Leonard Hagler 9th, Hagler Mugabi 6th, Duran Barkley 11th, Duran Dejesus II 3rd, and the biggest oversight of all is a round no one ever lists and just may be one of the two or three best rounds ever in Heavyweight title fight history is Holmes Weaver 11th. This round blows Bowe Holyfield 10th away.
Here's a few more: Leonard-Benitez 15th, Leonard-Duran I 11th and 13th, pick a round from Johnson-Franklin I, pick a round from a Chacon fight vs. Limon or Boza Edwards, Lyle-Shavers 3rd and 4th, pick a round from Holyfield-Braxton I, Holmes-Witherspoon 9th, Marciano-Moore 6th, Norton-Quarry 4th, Pryor-Arguello I 1st, Shavers-Ali 15th, Spinks-Ali I 15th, Johnson-Franklin II 8th, and Weaver-Dokes II 1st.
These are great rounds. Pacheco's book only touches on the headline/marquee rounds in history. And worse yet, the writing on the rounds is pathetic! It appears little to no research was done here. Examples: Pacheco describes the 1st 10 rounds of the Leonard Hearns fight as all Tommy, with Ray only winning a handful of rounds with his boxing ability. What? THis fight displayed a role reversal for Ray and Tommy with Hearns as the boxer and Leonard as the stalker. Ray ravaged Hearns in the 6th and 7th rounds. Ferdie, put a tape of the fight in and watch it before you write. What's even more scary is that fact that he announced this fight for NBC and can't remember what happened.
Ferdie briefly discusses the Leonard Hagler fight and talks about the 14th and 15th rounds respectively. Not bad for a fight that was scheduled for 12 rounds.
Or how about his description of the 13th round of Marciano Walcott? Ferdie states that the cover photo on his book is the knockout blow that Rocky delivered to win the title. A smidgen of research will show that this is NOT the KO punch as the knockout shot took place against the ropes and Walcott and Marciano were trading right hands.
The cover photo takes place in the center of the ring and Joe is delivering a left uppercut that lands in Rocky's armpit. Further idiocy displayed by Pacheco is when he says that when Walcott fell from the punch and he was up against the ropes with his arm over one strand, that Rocky threw a left to Joe head that missed. How the hell could he miss that one!?!? The left clearly landed and helped Walcott further is collapse to the canvas.
I would not recommend the book to anyone looking to learn about the sport of boxing. You will be grossly misled and totally misinformed. Not a good effort. By the way, Pacheco actually originally hosted this special for NBC several years ago only to repeat it for Showtime but with the reduction from 15 rounds to 12. He then did this book. All three efforts were a disaster.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Very bad.
29 Oct 2010
Format:Paperback
This is one of the rare books that I could not even finish. Very inaccurate and it seems as if it was one more outlet for Mr. Pacheco to toot his own horn some more. I do not want to go into all of the mistakes but please do not read this and think that you have learned anything.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Ferdie Pacheco was a bad commentator and a worse writer!
18 Feb 2001
Format:Hardcover
Ferdie Pachecos book showcases neither the twelve greatest rounds of boxing nor any substantial boxing knowledge on the part of Pacheco. Pachecos book is filled with so much sensational garbage it is a disgrace to boxing. LaMotta was drinking cognac in between rounds of his final fight with Robinson because he was afraid to get knocked out!?! First, Pacheco being a "doctor" knows that this would produce more than a few ill affects on the body that would still result in an early stoppage. Second, LaMotta may not have been a saint but he was a great boxer and he didnt get that way by swilling alcohal in between rounds. His ability to take a punch was and is legendary I think that ability (which had as much to do with skill as it did with being tough) would have been hindered more than a little by a belly full of liquor. Needless to say there are a lot of great books out there on the sport of boxing... This isnt one of them. Save your money and buy a book by a writer who knows what hes talking about, not a "writer" who is still living off his glory days when Ali was champ.
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