Introduction to the World of Boxing

Richard Herring's first book introduces the readers into the wonderfully colourful world of boxing. Herring, for perhaps, the first time ever, looks not just at the excitement and brutality that is produced on fight night, but rather, instead, focuses on the events that lead up to the fight.

In every World Title fight that there has ever been, both fighters and both fighters' teams have taken every opportunity to do everything and anything they can to undermine the fighter and his preparations. When Herring talks about The Dark Arts, he looks at the psychological warfare that each fighter wages on the other and enlightens the reader to the unique mental strength that each man must possess not only to get to the top, but to stay there.

The Dark Arts and the Fight of the Year

The Dark Arts is set just before the fight of the year. The champion, Cornelius Max Power, is boxing's longest reigning and most feared Champion and is famed for coining the phrase for not only his ability to rough fighters up with an assortment of semi-legal tactics, but rather for his ability to completely psyche out an opponent before the first bell has even been rung.

The Contenders

His opponent, Sugar Ray Reynolds, is not an ordinary fighter, blessed with a huge edge in height and reach, blinding speed, and freakish one-punch power. He is considered by one and all to be the heir apparent. Something must give: will the aging champion have too much for the young contender, or will youth be served? It is the immovable object against the irresistible force.