Finding books on sports that I have never heard about is always a treat, and this one on underground bare knuckle fighting is one of those. I had never heard of the sport or of one of the greats in the genre, Bobby Gunn. His story is told in an excellent book - here is my review of "Bare Knuckle."
Title/Author: “Bare
Knuckle: Bobby Gunn, 71-0, Undefeated, a Dad, a Dream. A Fight Like You’ve Never Seen” by Stayton
Bonner
Rating: 5 of 5 stars (outstanding)
Review: Brutal as they may be, fighting
sports have long been popular not only for spectators but also participants of
all races, sizes and socioeconomic statuses.
While boxing and mixed martial arts are the more well-known organized fighting
sports, bare knuckle fighting has a life of its own. It is popular and lucrative – and underground
as it is illegal in most places and is often tied with organized crime. One of the most successful bare knuckle
fighters is Bobby Gunn, who never lost a match – at least by the unofficial
records kept – and is a completely different person when not fighting. His story is told in this excellent book by
Stayton Bonner.
Gunn came from a family of fighters, most notably his
father, a successful professional wrestler, who trained him originally to be a
boxer. While Bobby had some success in
boxing, even winning a cruiserweight championship, his greatest success and
fame came in the bare knuckle circuit. Bonner
does a terrific job of not only giving the reader the story of Gunn, but also a
up-close look at the underground world of bare knuckle fighting. These include the quick-cash bouts that can
make a good fighter like Gunn become flush with money quickly, the training
ground and fight sights that double as organized crime hangouts, and the sheer
brutalness of the sport. The sections
that describe some of the fights, especially those stories shared by Gunn, are
not for the squeamish as there are many serious injuries suffered by fighters of
all skills. It should also be noted that
many of these fights are very short. A
five-minute brawl between combatants would be considered a very long bout in
this world.
As for Gunn himself, his story is as complex as his chosen
athletic endeavor. He would hustle for
construction jobs, mainly laying down asphalt for driveways and parking lots, in
many locations. This is consistent with
his upbringing as an Irish Traveler. The
Traveler lifestyle, complete with the marginalization and fierce loyalty to their
groups separated by ethnicity or religion, is a hard, nomadic one and Bonner
brings this lifestyle to the reader just as well as he describes the bare
knuckle fighting world. While Gunn eventually
settles down (mostly) in New Jersey with his wife and two children for work, he
maintains his presence in the fighting world for both underground bare knuckle
and in boxing. For the latter, he not
only tried an unsuccessful comeback in middle age but he also trained his son
as well.
Gunn’s story about his family and personal life is
touching. This is especially true when he talks about his daughter and what he
will do for her, which was the main reason he kept fighting. Given the world where he earns that kind of
money so he can take her to Disney World or to provide her with a good
education, it also seems like a contradiction.
But then, nothing ever came easy to any Gunn family member and this book
is one that describes his life and his professional in a complete and wonderful
manner. Even if a reader is not a fan of
fighting or combat sports, it is one that most will enjoy for the family
bonding. Even if that family is connected
with a brutal, mostly illegal sport.
I wish to thank Blackstone Publishing for providing a copy
of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Be interested to know who his father was.
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