When the Heavyweight Title Mattered

<p> The world heavyweight boxing championship once transcended the sport conferring global renown. This book gives detailed coverage to five legendary championship bouts that captivated audiences worldwide.</p><p> Coaxed out of retirement by the press former champ James J. Jeffries challenged black titleholder Jack Johnson--universally despised by white audiences--in 1910 in hopes of returning the title to the white race.</p><p> In 1921 dapper World War I hero and light-heavyweight champion Georges Carpentier hoped to upset heavyweight champ Jack Dempsey widely considered a draft-dodger in a fight that garnered the first million dollar gate.</p><p> In perhaps the most politically charged bout ever Brown Bomber Joe Louis popular with both white and black America faced Nazi Germany's Max Schmeling--the first ever to win the title by disqualification--at a sold-out Yankee stadium in 1938.</p><p> A relentless brawler undefeated Rocky Marciano in 1952 sought to bludgeon the title away from the more experienced and savvier Joe Walcott at 38 the oldest heavyweight champ in history.</p><p> In a monumental clash of two undefeated world champions Muhammad Ali--on the comeback trail after his title was stripped from him for refusing to be drafted during the Vietnam War--squared off with titleholder Joe Frazier in 1971.</p>