Boxing Book Review: Sorcery at Caesars

Boxing Book Review: Sorcery at Caesars

By Antonio Santiago, Doghouse Boxing (Sept 6, 2012) Doghouse Boxing
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By Antonio Santiago, Doghouse Boxing. One of the sub-genres I wish were covered more in the boxing book genre is great fights. Battles like Dempsey-Firpo, Gomez-Pintor, Sanchez-Gomez, the Gatti-Ward trilogy, the Barrera-Morales trilogy and Hagler-Hearns. I guess I could sit down and try writing about one of those by myself, but I do not have the in-site experience that a writer like Steve Marantz had when writing his book, Sorcery at Caesars’ (2008, Inkwater Press, ISBN-10: 1592993362 ISBN-13: 978-1592993369, inkwaterpress.com, all rights reserved). Marantz had been there at the 1987 bout, reporting for a newspaper.

Marantz takes us back to the night of April 6, 1987, when Leonard and Hagler took on the ring to battle for twelve rounds (I thought Leonard was just committing suicide) and to the years before the fight, giving us a vivid account of the key moments that led to one of the 1980’s most talked about fights. He studies both Leonard’s and Hagler’s characters, revealing parts about the persons behind the faces of the warriors. He also reviews other people around them, such as Ollie Dunlap, Roger and Juanita Leonard, and the Petronelli brothers and Bertha Hagler.

When reading this book, one realizes that despite what Leonard said on November 9th, 1982, that the fight with Hagler would never happen, it was meant to happen all along.

Marantz drives us in this book the way that a pilot takes us from the departure airport to the arrival one, straight, to the point and without pausing for a break. Really, thus, he gives us a fresh insight into the deals that took place in order for the fight to happen, and into the fight itself. And while Leonard-Hagler was certainly no Ali-Frazier (which fight is?), and in a sense it was a bit of a let-down action wise, it was still an intriguing bout that gave us many thrills.

The book is small in size, making it a coffee-table type of book and comfortable to read. You can take it along with you on a business trip and it won’t take much space away from your paper-work. Heck, if you are one of the many ladies that like boxing and read my articles faithfully, you could fit it on your purse perfectly!

On a funny note, the book’s cover has a photo of Hagler and Leonard staring at each other so close, my 7 year old niece Nina asked me if they were about to kiss!

The cover is all dark, but you can see a photo of the fight behind the faces of the boxers.

At a suggested prize of $19.99, I really recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about boxing history, or to review part of it through the eyes of Marantz. You will certainly not regret it.

“Sorcery” is truly deserving of forming part of every Caesars’ (and everyone else’s ) bookshelf!

Please send all Questions and comments to Antonio at TJ69662094@aol.com.

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