Straight Writes and Jabs: An Inside Look at Another Year in Boxing
*Starred Review* For the last few years Booklist has heaped praise on Hauser’s annual look back at the previous year in boxing. This year is no different. Why is Hauser one of the best sports journalists working today? He is an unashamed lover of boxing but never hesitates in exposing its flaws. In this overview of 2012, he does some of his best work, especially an extended piece on the presence of performance-enhancing drugs in boxing. He also includes a fascinating portrait of late champion Archie Moore, a gracious, thoughtful man who continued to earn respect long after his ring career was over. There’s a great account of the September 15 fight between Sergio Martinez and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., in which Hauser provides a generous amount of context so readers will understand the stakes. Read enough Hauser and you’ll wonder if he’s drawn to the sport or to the people who are drawn to the sport. In that light, he offers a heartfelt tribute to Emanuel Steward, the longtime trainer of champions, who passed in 2012. The volume concludes with a revealing remembrance of Joe Frazier, Muhammad Ali’s nemesis for many years. Wonderful writing from a world-class journalist. --Wes Lukowsky