Readers of this blog know that one of my favorite subjects in my book reviews is boxing. Having only heard about Tyson Fury due to his holding of the linear heavyweight championship, I was interested to pick up this book and learn more about him. Here is my review of this biography of the heavyweight champ.
Title/Author:
“Tyson Fury: Gypsy King of the World" by Nigel Cawthorne
Tags:
Boxing, professional, championship, biography
Publish date:
September 1, 2020
Length:
356 pages
Rating:
3 of 5 stars (okay)
Review:
While the title of "heavyweight boxing champion of the world" doesn't have quite the same luster today as it did in previous decades, it is still considered an honor to be part of that linear history. The current holder of the title, Tyson Fury, is the subject of this biography by Nigel Cawthorne.
One thing that Fury will never be accused of is being boring, as the book is filled with many quotes, controversies and stories from Fury's press conferences and pre-fight publicity appearances. Even more than his actual fights, these make the best and most entertaining parts of the book as a reader will learn more about Fury as the boxer, the publicity machine and even a little of his private life.
Of course, being a big man at six feet nine inches tall, he makes for a large presence both in and out of the ring. The name "Gypsy King" came from Tyson's family living the life of travelers. It is also noted that he was named Tyson after former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson. If one believes in omens, this could be one of the best ones to come true.
The book doesn't delve too deeply into any one topic, especially Tyson's
personal life. After starting off with his
win over Deonte Wilder to recapture the heavyweight title in February 2020, the
reader will learn a little about Fury's upbringing, his rise in boxing in the
British and Irish theatres and his eventual success in obtaining the title. Along
the way, Fury had many ups and downs. Some of these were unforeseen circumstances,
some of them were of his own making. These
are not covered in depth throughout the book, simply captured in the text. Having little knowledge about Fury or his
career, I was hoping for a deeper dive into his career and his life, but this
was a decent introduction to the man. Readers
who have followed his career closely or are passionate boxing fans of the
current state of the sport will most likely know all of this information
already.
I wish to thank Ad Lib Publishers for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Book Format Read:
E-book (Kindle)
Buying Links: