Holiday Gift Idea: Fighting Words by David Greisman

If you are doing any last minute Christmas shopping for a special boxing fan in your life, or if you have already finished buying gifts for others and are looking for a little something for yourself now, David P. Greisman’s Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing is the way to go. The book is interesting, informative and a pleasure to read.

Greisman is a celebrated boxing writer who currently contributes to BoxingScene.com and Ring Magazine. His writing has also appeared at MaxBoxing.com, FoxSports.com and numerous other places. Greisman’s work has been recognized for excellence by the Boxing Writers Association of America on numerous occasions, and his Monday column, “Fighting Words,” at Boxing Scene has become a must-read for serious boxing fans since he started penning it back in 2005.

Greisman’s book is a collection of his best essays on boxing from 2007-2012. It’s an interesting time period in boxing history, most notably featuring the career pinnacles of superstars like Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

“Boxing at its best is the greatest sport to watch, and it is the most exciting sport to cover,” said Greisman. “There’s no repetitive storyline dragging out over the course of several months…Boxing is two fighters, one night, one winner. It’s simple in that aspect, and yet there’s so much else involved—the storylines going into and coming out of a fight, the dramatic twists and turns over the course of a bout, and the personalities of those involved.”

Greisman’s work captures these aspects of boxing very well. His short narratives tell interesting stories as well as provide readers tons of data. The read is easy, fun and informative. Moreover, Greisman’s work touches on important issues such as fighter safety, PEDs and retirement.

“It’s because of all of this that you can read a story about a great fight from days, weeks, months or even years ago, and be transported back into the emotion and excitement at the time. I enjoy watching and then capturing all of that, and my goal is to give readers an interesting or definitive take on each chapter in boxing history.”

Greisman said he started dreaming of becoming a sportswriter back in 2004, but he didn’t know where to start.

“I found what was then a fledgling boxing website called Boxing Scene [where] I was given a great opportunity and have been writing for the site since…”

Greisman consistently provides some of the best Monday reading on the Internet.

“Mondays are when the buzz from the weekend’s action is still palpable, when people are still tremendously delighted or disappointed about what happened, and they are discussing and debating what they saw and what it means. I love the opportunity to be part of that conversation.”

Greisman said his new book is something he’s been working towards for years.

“My book has 63 of what I hope were my best columns, spanning from Arturo Gatti’s final fight in 2007 all the way through the significant stories of 2012. It isn’t just the fights, but also has stories about the people involved and the issues this sport is confronting.”

Moreover, Greisman said his love for writing is inspired by TSS regular contributor Thomas Hauser.

“I love Thomas Hauser’s approach to writing, in that he captures the stories of fights so well that you can read them again and again, long after the fact. I’ve tried to take a similar approach. Though the book is a compilation of individual articles, taken together it gives readers the narrative of a great stretch of time in our great sport.”

The feeling is mutual. Hauser frequently notes Greisman, 31, along with Bart Barry, 39, and Jimmy Tobin, 34, as some of the best young boxing writers in the business. Greisman’s collection should do nothing to dispel the honor.

Greisman’s comparative youth to old guard guys like Hauser hasn’t kept him from tackling supposedly failing enterprises like book writing and boxing.

“The book industry will never be dead as long as there are people who enjoy good writers. And boxing will never be dead as long as there people who enjoy great fighters. Boxing is still incredibly popular in many places internationally, and it has a dedicated niche audience within the United States.”

Greisman said he’s honored to write about boxing.

“I’m honored that I have platforms for my writing and that there are people who enjoy my thoughts. I hope people enjoy this book, too, and that those who are willing to pay $65 to $75 twice a year for an hour or so of Floyd Mayweather get many more days’ worth of enjoyment from Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing, at a fraction of the price.”

It’s true. Greisman’s book retails at Amazon.com for just $15.99 ($9.99 on Kindle) and includes some of the best dispatches from the sweet science around. If you’re looking for a good boxing book to purchase this Christmas, Fighting Words is it.

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