The Boxing movie has never stood still. Danny Leigh, Boxing at the Movies: Kings of the Ring, BBC 2013
In 1980 at eight years old I was too young to know that one of the greatest ever had just been made: Raging Bull. ibid.
The first true blockbuster would be a boxing film. And the first movie stars were prizefighters. ibid.
The public were gathering in Ali’s corner. ibid.
Stallone went on to build a franchise of six Rocky films and a movie career now spanning forty years. ibid.
The secret of the boxing movie is that we are the boxer. We are Rocky Balboa. ibid.
Get this kid a locker and some clothes. Champion 1949 starring Kirk Douglas & Marilyn Maxwell & Arthur Kennedy & Paul Stewart & Ruth Roman & Lola Albright & Luis van Rooten & Harry Shannon & Esther Howard & John Daheim et al, director Mark Robson
What does it prove? Is that a way to make a living? I’ve had enough. ibid. manager
This is the only sport in the world where two guys get paid for doing something they’d be arrested for if they got drunk and did it for nothing. ibid.
Now that you’ve proved that you could do it, maybe you should walk away from it. ibid. mother
What kind of a filthy stinking world. ibid. Midge
This one you lose. ibid. manager
I’m expensive. Awful expensive. ibid. her to him
It’s like any other business only here the blood shows. ibid. Midge
You put my stuff on skid row? Rocky 1976 starring Sylvester Stallone & Talia Shire & Burt Young & Carl Weathers & Burgess Meredith & Thayer David & Joe Spinell & Tony Burton et al, director John G Avildsen, Rocky
Adrian: Why do you want to fight?
Rocky: Because I can’t sing or dance. ibid.
The worst thing about fighting is the morning after. ibid. Rocky to Adrian
There’s not as much oxygen in that hot gym and I think it’s great for conditioning. I believe in a lot of boxing. You can train and work on the speed bag and heavy bag, but when you get in the ring with another fighter, it’s a different story. Punches are coming at you, there’s physical contact, muscle against muscle. Emanuel Steward
In all the history of the boxing game you find no human interest story to compare with the life narrative of James J Braddock. Cinderella Man 2005 starring Russell Crowe & Renee Zellweger & Paul Giamatti & Bruce McGill & Craig Bierko & Paddy Considine & David Huband & Connor Price & Ariel Waller & Patrick Louis & Rosemarie deWitt et al, director Ron Howard, opening caption Damon Runyon quote
We need to organise, you know, unionise, fight back. ibid. mate to Braddock
Two years later Jim Braddock put his title on the line against Joe Louis. Jim knocked him down in the first round though Louis went on to win the bout. Joe Louis would always call Jim Braddock the most courageous man he ever fought. ibid. closing caption
He [Max Schmeling] helped Jews escape Nazi Germany. In addition to the people he hid. Al Bernstein, boxing journalist
10) Larry Holmes 9) Joe Frazier 8) George Foreman 7) Ezzard Charles 6) Rocky Marciano 5) Gene Tunney 4) Jack Johnson 3) Jack Dempsey 2) Muhammad Ali 1) Joe Louis Ringside: Top Ten Heavyweights, Bert Sugar’s Top Ten heavyweights – criteria: effect in their era, not against each other
You have to take pride in losing. Bruce the Mouse Strauss
‘I went three,’ he insisted indignantly. ‘Well, two and a half. I could have gotten out in one, but I didn’t want to cheat the fans.’ Bruce the Mouse Strauss
What exactly is a nice Jewish body like Bruce (the Mouse) Strauss doing inside the professional prize ring? Bruce Trampler, ‘Have Gloves, Will Travel’
The enigmatic Strauss is many things to many people. He is both a paid fist-fighter and a goodwill ambassador, a conman and a parent, a philosopher and a humourist.
He is also a born-again loser who knows the agony of victory and the thrill of defeat. He has been called a shamster, a tank artist, and a professional diver – all of which he denies, up to a point. ibid.
Mouse Strauss, with the cunning of a lawyer who gets a parking ticket reduced to manslaughter, has mismanaged his career by constantly playing the role of opponent, a travelling gladiator with no hometown or local support. ibid.
Nobody knows exactly how many fights Bruce Strauss has had ... The actual total may be closer to 200, including one incident where Mouse fought two fights in a single night. ibid.
96,410. He is adept at altering his appearance, changing and colouring his hairstyle, sometimes wearing a moustache. ibid.
‘Years ago we had the Raging Bull, Jake LaMotta,’ says Brenner. ‘Today, we have Raging Bullshit, Strauss Mouse.’ ibid.
Part of Mouse’s act – the essence of his performance, really – is playing to the crowd. He monitors the ability of his opponent early, looking for weaknesses that he can exploit, if not to win the fight outright, then certainly to create the impression that he could win. ibid.
Raw, instinctive, physical courage is the quality which separates boxers from other athletes. Harry Mullan, A Boxing Companion introduction
A native of Stone in Staffordshire, Cooper was known as ‘The Bargeman’ because he worked as a labourer on canal boats. Of gypsy blood, he is said to be the man on whom George Borrow based his character, ‘The Flaming Tinman’, in Romany Rye. Rated one of the most complete boxers of his time, Cooper could hit hard and fast with both hands, was noted for his skilful use of the ‘one, two’, was adept at blocking and countering and topped all this with an ample supply of courage. Bill Richmond, the great black boxer, called him ‘the best natural fighter I have worked with.’ Patrick Myler, The Steps to Strength and Fame
Descended from the mighty SLACK, of pugilistic celebrity and grandson of that renowned Boxer. The family of the BELCHERS have long been distinguished for their prowess – and even some of the female branches have contended for victory in the field of glory, with considerable pugilistic science and effect; and the proud name of BELCHER has been, in no degree whatever, sullied by the attempts to preserve its fame. Pierce Egan, Jem Belcher
Boxing is a contest of character and ingenuity. The boxer with more will, determination, desire, and intelligence is always the one who comes out the victor. Cus d’Amato
The political infighting surrounding Brendan Ingle did not interfere with the development of the St Thomas centre in Newman Road, Wincobank. Its full title was The St Thomas School of Boxing – now changed to the St Thomas Club for Boys and Girls ...
Come into the hall and see for yourself. There is no escaping its 1930 look, although work is constantly going on to improve facilities; a new shower here, an improved heating system there, all installed as the funds come to hand. As you enter the hall, a plain construction, the eye is immediately drawn to the posters and newspaper cuttings on the walls, the ring at the far end. One notice has been up since the opening: BOXING CAN DAMAGE YOUR HEALTH. Punchbags are dotted all over the place, as are other pieces of training equipment. Any night of the week or at the popular Sunday morning session you will find boxers of all colours, ages and shapes, going through the time-honoured poses – but there are very few poseurs. Basic gear, basic facilities but an atmosphere beyond price. It’s alive with hope where really there should be none, and alive with music to produce the caring, friendly atmosphere typical of its founder. Peter Markie, Club With a Health Warning
Lou Stillman, the grouchy, outspoken man who owned the place – and rarely appeared there without a loaded .38-calibre pistol beneath his suit jacket – presided over his gym on the first floor by announcing through a public address system which fighters were about to spar: ‘Now in Ring 1, Rocky Graziano.’ Journalist Harold Conrad recalls that Stillman was an entertaining master of ceremonies: ‘He would do all the introducing and announcing – and he had a pretty good routine.’ Ronald K Fried, Stillman’s Gym
From there it was all downhill for the fast-living Jenkins. Uneducated, he spent his money as fast as he made it. He bought cars one after another, didn’t go to sleep until dawn, drank constantly, and rode recklessly on motorcycles, crashing several times. He was known to drink whiskey in his corner between rounds instead of water, and never trained for his bouts. Pete Heller, ‘I Wasn’t a Dirty Fighter, But I Hit Them After the Bell’
One hundred and nine of his career fights were recorded. He won 66, 47 by KO. He drew five times and lost 38 fights, 12 by KO. ibid.
‘I was drunk, paralyzed drunk. I fell flat on my face getting in the ring. The referee had to come over and drag me over to the corner, put me on the stool.’ ibid. Jenkins