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      • Combat sports & self-defence
        June 2010

        Wrestling's 101 Strangest Matches

        by Oliver Hurley

        There’s nothing else in the world of sport or pantomime to compare with the manic mat mayhem of pro wrestling, which amalgamates high-flying stunts with melodrama, spandex, bodybuilding and blood – and sometimes it gets really weird. Wrestling’s 101 Strangest Matches scours 100 years of history to reveal bouts that bordered on the unbelievable. Take the grappler who lost his foot in the middle of a match, the bout that took place in an exploding swimming pool, or the baroque carnage of ultraviolent deathmatches – and then sprinkle liberally with double-crosses, drunkenness, riots, time travel, broken rings and broken bones. Boasting an impressive breadth of coverage which takes in old-school British wrestling and present-day WWE, the bill features Hulk Hogan, Kendo Nagasaki, Muhammad Ali, a wrestling robot and a monkey. Many of the stars and bizarre attractions submit to revealing interviews in a celebration of the grap game at its very strangest.

      • Boxing
        October 2013

        Marvelous

        The Marvin Hagler Story

        by Brian and Damian Hughes

        Marvelous Marvin Hagler is a sporting legend. Often called the greatest middleweight boxer of all time, he held the world title for 12 defences, including bouts with Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns and Roberto Duran which entered fistic folklore. From his wild early fights in the boxing wilderness of Brockton, Massachusetts, Brian and Damian Hughes trace the blazing trail of Hagler's career: the controversial defeats subsequently avenged, a riot-scarred title win in London, and his unification of the middleweight crown. Hagler became a huge favourite, taking on all comers while never taking a step back. And so to The Ring magazine's "greatest round of all time" against Hearns, his ferocious battle with Duran, and the still-controversial loss to his nemesis Leonard. Marvelous tells the story of Hagler's extraordinary life for the first time, separating truth from myth to get right to the heart of a complex and charismatic man.

      • Boxing
        September 2014

        Road to Nowhere, The

        A Journey Through Boxing's Wastelands

        by Tris Dixon

        In the era of boxing's pay-per-view superstars, Tris Dixon invested in a Greyhound bus pass and spent several months traversing America on a shoestring budget, tracking down fighters from yesteryear who had vanished from the limelight. Venturing from New York to Las Vegas and from Toronto to Miami, the young writer - himself a former amateur boxer - sought out coulda-beencontenders and cult heroes from the 1950s to the 2000s, all now faded from popular memory. He visited old people's homes, gyms and too many prisons, discovering that life after boxing can be a cruel place when the ropes are no longer in place to keep fighters safe from the outside world. Dixon meets men who shaped boxing history, fighting the likes of Sugar Ray Robinson, Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. He shares their memories and weaves together their forgotten tales over the course of a remarkable American journey.

      • Lifestyle, Sport & Leisure
        March 2022

        The Art and Science of Judo

        A Guide to the Principles of Grappling and Throwing

        by Jiichi Watanabe

        "There have been many books on judo—some highly competent, others well-written or well-illustrated, some fit for beginners, others for the advanced student. To have all these in a single volume is unusual."—San Francisco ChronicleThe Art and Science of Judo is a revealing Japanese martial arts manual that focuses primarily on the scientific principles at work in Judo.In this book, highly-respected Judo instructors Jiichi Watanabe and Lindy Avakian delve deeply into the mechanics of Judo, offering clear-cut scientific explanations for the numerous techniques involved in throwing and grappling. By understanding the science behind the art, you will become prepared to perform the right moves at the right time and successfully meet the challenge of responding to your opponent.The book has over 200 illustrations and 40 photos which show the forces that are employed when performing common Judo throwing and grappling moves such as hip throws, foot sweeps, collar holds, and many more. In addition to the precise explanations of judo's physical aspects, you'll also find detailed insights into the psychological factors related to judo's underlying philosophy.Topics include: How dynamics are applied to Judo The three principles for practicing Judo The three laws of motion and how they apply to Judo Different kinds of force found in Judo techniques How to effectively practice throwing and grappling A new foreword by Judo instructor Neil Ohlenkamp offers insight on the book's importance as a resource for every Judo practitioner and instructor. The Art and Science of Judo is a fascinating and valuable work, which will help you achieve success by not only understanding what techniques to master but also why they work and when to use them.

      • Boxing
        April 2015

        Ali Files, The

        His Fights, His Foes, His Fees, His Feats, His Fate

        by Norman Giller

        This book is for all Ali fans. It's more than thirty years since Muhammad Ali last threw a punch, yet he remains unquestionably the best-known sportsman of all time. A whole generation now only know the legend of The Greatest, never saw him fight, and yet are in awe of the man and his fantastic fistic feats. The Ali Files gives the facts behind the fable. Author Norman Giller became friends with Ali when he worked as his European publicist, and he has gathered many other intimate eyewitnesses - opponents, referees, trainers, sparring partners, celebrity fans and ringside reporters - to Ali's astonishing adventures in and out of the ring. Millions of words have been written about ringmaster Ali, but few books have concentrated on the 61 professional contests that turned him into a sporting legend. The Ali Files will give you a ringside seat to the greatest boxing career of all time.

      • Boxing
        July 2015

        Dempsey and the Wild Bull

        The Four Minute Fight of the Century

        by John Jarrett

        They still call it the most sensational fight ever for the world heavyweight championship, between champion Jack Dempsey and his hammer-fisted Argentine challenger, Luis Angel Firpo. Back in the Roaring Twenties, 85,000 packed into New York's Polo Grounds to see all three minutes fifty-seven seconds of it. Nobody asked for their money back. In the first round Firpo was floored seven times, but got up to deck the champion, then knocked him clean into the press section. Pushed back into the ring as the count reached nine, the champion survived the round, thinking he had been knocked out. In round two, Dempsey knocked Firpo out in fifty-seven seconds. The four-minute Fight of the Century was over! 'The Wild Bull of the Pampas' became Argentina's most famous citizen, after the infamous Perons. Dempsey, half a million dollars richer, rested and rusted for three years before losing his title to Gene Tunney.

      • Lifestyle, Sport & Leisure

        THE ART OF THAI GRAPPLING

        close range combat techniques

        by DE CESARIS MARCO

        This book is a journey through the History, the Mythology, the Art and the Science of the discipline of Thai Grappling. Starting from a detailed and rigorous analysis of the technical pillars of ancient Siamese Grappling, the author guides the reader through the principles of Physics, Anatomy and Physiology to fully understand the original Siamese style of seizing and holding. A comparative analysis of the foundations of Western and Eastern (Ayurvedic) Medicine is used to decode the secrets of an ancestral combat system that is still perfectly up-to-date and suitable for the needs of modern martial arts practitioners. Thai Grappling technical components, how to seize and hold, joint locking maneuvers, throwing techniques and vital points striking are just a few of the many subjects covered in this volume.Forward by Prof. Chaisawat Tienviboon

      • Combat sports & self-defence

        Self-defense pocket manual

        by Helô D'Angelo (author)

        During the pandemic, comic artist Helô D'Angelo became very afraid of walking down the street alone. So, she decided to do the self-defense workshop focused on the LGBTQIAP+ population and women. Print in special color purple, and fluor orange (cover), handsewn.

      • Combat sports & self-defence
        January 2001

        Taiji Quan: 48 Forms

        by The Chinese Wushu Association

        The 48 forms of taiji quan each exhibit special features of their heritage - the spirit of relaxation, softness, smoothness, circularity and continuity. Practice calls for a quiet mind, a relaxed body, consciousness-guided movements, and a combination of hardness and softness. The 48 forms mostly derive from Yang style taijiquan, but also borrow from strong points and techniques of other styles. These exercises are good for beginners, for those who have already learned some taiji quan, and for those intent on improving physical fitness and prolonging life.

      • Oriental martial arts
        December 1998

        A Guide to Chinese Martial Arts

        Correspondence Between Lu Xun and Xu Guangping

        by Li Tianji / Du Xilian

        Wushu or Chinese martial arts, with a long history and various styles, is beneficial for health as well as for self defence. The book is divided into 3 chapters. The first chapter is about the origin, development and present situation of wushu; the second introduces different styles of wushu and the last chapter explains the main wushu styles. Fully illustrated.

      • Oriental martial arts
        January 2008

        Tai Ji for Health

        by Zhenglei Chen

        This book introduces to all people interested in Taiji, Chen Style Taijiquan for health, the Taiji skills of internal energy and the 18 Short Forms of Chen Style Taijiquan. In this way, everyone can begin to understand and realize the physical health and mental benefits to be gained from regular practice of Taijiquan.

      • Oriental martial arts
        December 2016

        Victim-Proof

        The Definitive Empty-Handed Guide to Prevailing in a Clinch or While Being Attacked

        by Simon Samaniego III

        Victim-Proof provides laypersons the background and physical tools to prevail in an unexpected attack. While preparing anyone of any age and skill level to perfect these tools, the author also recognizes that in today's world, the use of lethal force can have worse consequences for a person being attacked than for the attacker. So all of the movements described in the book, and shown visually through video clips that can be accessed online, are designed so that one can disable an attacker and regain safety, but without the overuse of force.

      • Biography: sport
        November 2010

        El Bandito: Orig Williams, The Autobiography

        Orig Williams the Autobiography

        by Williams, Orig

        In Pakistan he was stoned by the crowd at a packed Lahore Cricket Ground and had to flee for his life. In Turkey the crowd burnt down the stadium where he'd been performing. Whenever Orig Williams, or El Bandito (as he was known in the ring) took his wres

      • Combat sports & self-defence
        May 2012

        A Battle Royal in the Sky

        The Life and Death of Wrestling's 100 Greatest Gods and Gimmicks

        by Rich Tarantino and Jon Chattman

        Every wrestling fan of the 80s and 90s remembers larger-than-life superstars in unintentionally cheesy promos – it was a golden era of grappling where two companies battled and no matter what the outcome, the audience always won. Nowadays, wrestling just isn’t the same. Many of our former heroes, whether it’s Randy 'Macho Man' Savage or Curt 'Mr Perfect' Hennig, have passed away too young, and many of our favourite gimmicks and story angles – many of which had no right to live on – have been permanently retired. With humorous poignancy, A Battle Royal in the Sky celebrates both 50 legends we lost, and 50 good, bad, and very ugly gimmicks we’ve had to say goodbye to. Told from a true fan’s perspective, the book features superstar career highlights and lowlights, and a wealth of irresistible trivia from worst celebrity WrestleMania appearances to the top rated wrestling managers who were pets.

      • Combat sports & self-defence
        June 2014

        Time Heels

        Cheating, Stealing, Spandex and the Most Villainous Moments in the History of Pro Wrestling

        by Jon Chattman and Rich Tarantino

        Girls love bad boys, and it's no different in the world of pro wrestling. Whether it was Jake 'The Snake' Roberts, 'Macho Man' Randy Savage, or Ric Flair, wrestling fans have historically gravitated toward the 'heel' or villain. Just as they've previously covered deceased wrestlers and their unforgettable gimmicks, Jon Chattman and Rich Tarantino's latest head-locking adventure celebrates the not-so-good, the bad and downright terrible acts of villainy in the world of pro wrestling. With a foreword by 'The Innovator of Violence' Tommy Dreamer, Time Heels takes an up-close look at the world of heels over the past 30 years, counting down the top heinous moments, wacky lists, first-hand fan perspectives, foreign objects and stables in 256 jam-packed pages of why the bad guys do it better. They say time heals all wounds - well, read this book and you will soon see why heels have stood the test of time.

      • Boxing
        September 2014

        Journeymen

        The Other Side of the Boxing Business, a New Perspective on the Noble Art

        by Mark Turley

        Journeymen tells a story that is often purposely ignored - that of the modern-day boxers who lose for a living. Far from huge purses and pay-per-view hype, the book lays bare the reality of the boxing business and the way it works in small-hall venues countrywide. October 2013 saw the 100th and final fight in the career of East London's Johnny Greaves, remarkable in that he won only four contests. He took fights at short notice, facing young prospects with the implicit understanding that he was not there to win. Journeymen features in-depth interviews with Greaves and other men who have similarly served the fight game, including Kristian Laight (180 defeats), Jason Nesbitt (178) and Daniel Thorpe (113). Though sometimes dark, their tales reveal humour, wisdom and sporting pride: the journeymen eschew glamour, make the best of what they have and face the world with a smile and a wink.

      • Biography: sport

        Team Calzaghe

        by Michael Pearlman

        In November 2008, Joe Calzaghe retired undefeated in his brilliant boxing career after his fight against American great Roy Jones at New York's Madison Square Garden. Never beaten in 46 fights, Calzaghe stands tall as one of the greatest sportsman in British history, having been a world champion for over a decade. The man behind his success is father and mentor Enzo Calzaghe, a former busker who became a world renowned boxing trainer, producing four world champions from his tiny South Wales gym. With interviews with the key boxers, "Team Calzaghe" explores the amazing success of the Calzaghes and their boxing family, including Enzo Maccarinelli, Bradley Pryce, Gary Lockett and Gavin Rees. It also lifts the lid on the battles with booze, bulimia and the authorities as the Calzaghes defied their critics to rule the boxing world. Quick Reads are exciting, short, fast-paced books by leading, bestselling authors, specifically written for emergent readers and adult learners.

      • Boxing
        July 2015

        Ungloved

        Memories from the Ring

        by Benjamin Calder-Smith

        Benjamin Calder-Smith travelled around the UK for 18 months meeting and interviewing a broad cross-section of former fighters and boxing personalities. He now presents the stories of huge forgotten talents, coulda-been contenders and men who established a foothold in British boxing history, highlighting the highs and lows of their careers in and out of the ring. From the agonies of injury and enforced retirement to a poignant late comeback inspired by personal tragedy; from a British Boxing Board of Control-licensed ringside doctor to a late-blossoming veteran of the ring, Ungloved features unique, varied and personal accounts of the 'noble art' from a bygone age. Memories are relayed with the same passion as was expended in the ring, describing the good, the bad and the ugly with brutal honesty and heart-warming humility. These moving accounts provide living proof that, when knocked down, the human spirit has infinite capacity to bounce back.

      • Boxing
        July 2015

        Boxing On This Day

        History, Facts & Figures from Every Day of the Year

        by Nick Parkinson

        Boxing On This Day revisits the sport's most magical moments, from title tear-ups, shocks and famous knockouts to bizarre dramas. Here are hundreds of ring highlights, all mixed in with a maelstrom of quirky anecdotes and legendary characters to produce an irresistibly dippable boxing diary - with an entry for every day of the year. It's not just the stunning punches and smart one-liners that makes the history of the fight game so absorbing. Boxing is never far from controversy or hyperbole, surviving fixes and numerous scandals while producing some of sport's most famous names from Dempsey to Louis, from Ali to Tyson, from Lennox Lewis to Floyd Mayweather Jr. As well as recalling heroic, controversial, funny, tragic and surreal events, Boxing On This Day benefits from brilliant research, gathering together many original stories in a concise history of boxing from the 19th century to 2015.

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