Sporting Blood

«This is powerful writing. Enjoy it.”—Thomas Hauser, Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award nominee

“Carlos Acevedo is the most original, perceptive, and best new writer in boxing. Sporting Blood is a vivid and gripping collection.”—Donald McRae, writer for The Guardian and award-winning author of over twelve books

“Acevedo is a sensationally good writer with some brilliantly memorable turns of phrase. Each essay packs a mighty punch and resonated with me long after I read it. It is a great collection to dip in and out of, to take your time over, to re-read and savour the writing and the imagery.”—All Sports Books Reviews

“Carlos Acevedo’s book of essays…finds a balance between the familiar and the less so for a read that goes by quickly and feels over too soon. Acevedo… gets to show off the range of his talent in this collection, applying varying stylistic flourishes to each subject approached.» —Boxing Scene

Boxing has one of the richest literary traditions in sports. From A. J. Liebling to Donald McRae, the sweet science has consistently inspired great writing. The work of Carlos Acevedo stands firmly in that distinguished tradition.

In this expanded edition of Sporting Blood, Acevedo adds two new masterful essays—one about the murder of Stanley Ketchel, the other about the gangland slaying of Battling Siki—to those that made his debut collection an instant classic. Other highlights include a moving meditation on Muhammad Ali; a penetrating look at the enigmatic Charles “Sonny” Liston; and a vivid profile of Mike Tyson, which brilliantly conjures the Boy King’s late 1980s reign of terror. Acevedo also offers many other unforgettable tales from boxing’s dark side, featuring Jack Johnson, Joe Frazier, Roberto Duran, Aaron Pryor, Jake LaMotta, and more.

Sporting Blood is a poetic throwback, a singular book that evokes journalism’s golden age and places Acevedo among the best sportswriters of his generation.