This is the true story of one of boxing's greatest upsets, and come-backs.
 James Braddock was an Irish-American boxer during the era of America's Great Depression,
when boxing was the America's most popular sport. In 1927, for a 30-minute fight against
Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney made $990,445, more than Babe Ruth made in
14 major league seasons.

 Braddock was a good boxer, with a powerful right hand, but he did not develop his left
hand until the very end of his career. He was also slow-footed, but he could take a punch.
He would win a fight, then lose a few, then win one, then lose several more. His overall
record was 46 wins, 23 losses, and 4 draws (ties), with 27 of his wins by knockout.
This is not a stellar record (Max Baer's was 73 wins -- 53 by knockout -- and 12 losses),
but it shows Braddock's determination to persevere against all odds.

 Also determined was Braddock's fiercely loyal manager and friend, Joe Gould, who
doggedly pursued fight managers to get Braddock a shot at the title. He never gave
up either. One year before Braddock fought Baer for the title on June 13, 1935, he had
secretly been on welfare to support his wife and children. One of the best moments in this
book is the type of training that Braddock did in preparing to fight Baer. He fought against
4 sparring partners who were told to not hold back. They didn't. One of them hit Braddock
so hard in the side his rib was dented and separated some of the muscles underneath it.
Gould and Braddock devised a plan to keep this secret from the media, so as not to inform
Baer of this vulnerability. They fashioned a leather guard that Braddock wore under two
layers of sweat shirts during the rest of training camp. When June 13th came around,
he was in the best fighting shape of his life. The book also helps the reader understand
how Max Baer, although a supremely gifted fighter, was a reluctant boxer because
he once killed a boxer in the ring. He had under-prepared for his fight with Braddock,
and loved playing to the crowd rather than focusing on his craft. A great book.