By Louis Joshua Eisen
Dundurn Press, 2025
In Boxing's Greatest Controversies, Lou Eisen delves deep into eleven significant fights, ranging from a bareknuckle brawl to Mike Tyson's gnawing on Evander Holyfield's ear. Heavyweights dominate the book as Eisen examines the seminal moments from the careers of Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, and Muhammad Ali. Legendary lightweights Joe Gans and Roberto Durán are also featured.
Each chapter provides background on both fighters involved and the wider context of the sport at the time. That's followed by a diagnosis of the controversy and its ultimate significance. To avoid spoilers, analysis of Eisen's forcefully delivered conclusions to each controversy, which often buck conventional beliefs, will be omitted from this review.
In providing those conclusions, Eisen carefully and gradually lays out his case for each one. Since a few of the fights he covers took place around a hundred years ago, there's some necessary speculation surrounding Eisen's findings. The writing is at times rhythmic due to the author's frequent deployment of hypophora. A touch of moralizing seeps into the accounts of fistic battles with managers often the culprits of any mischief.
Nine of the eleven fights covered are truly integral to telling the story of boxing. The less important Carnera-Schaaf bout is the weakest chapter because of some inconsistencies. Boxing has produced so many fights that could have been included, it's unfair to suggest any replacement, but it would have been enlightening to read Eisen's treatment of the Jack Britton-Benny Leonard fiasco.
Boxing's Greatest Controversies is a great introduction to the history of the sport through several key fights. This book is an illuminating gateway for those who want to learn about boxing history, but don't know where to start. For those more versed in boxing history, Eisen's conclusions provide fodder for argument about these memorable events by challenging established narratives.