cover image In the Corner: Great Boxing Trainers Talk about Their Art

In the Corner: Great Boxing Trainers Talk about Their Art

Dave Anderson. William Morrow & Company, $20 (288pp) ISBN 978-0-688-09446-1

These taped reminiscences by a dozen of the best current boxing trainers give the flavor of the ``sweet science'' more purely than any champion's biography has, for these are the men who created the champions. New York Times columnist Anderson begins with Kevin Rooney, who devotes much of his interview to the late Cus D'Amato, the discover, developer and surrogate father of Mike Tyson. The highlight of the book, however, is the contribution of 92-year-old Ray Arcel, trainer of 18 champions. All of the men agree: great fighters make great trainers, and brains, heart, meanness and a willingness to listen (a commodity evidently in short supply) make for great fighters. Ring fans will love this collection. Photos not seen by PW. (May)