Rope Burns: One Man’s Reluctant Obsession with Boxing

The critically acclaimed Rope Burns is the true story of what can happen when an obsession takes over your life, sucks you in and spits you back out again. Set during the world of boxing in the 1980s, it is a tale littered with wasted ambition and shattered hopes; a journey through boxing that begins with the summary execution of Muhammad Ali by Larry Holmes in 1980 and ends with the spectacle of yet another young life battling for survival on the surgeon's table; as injuries sustained by boxer Michael Watson during his world title fight with Chris Eubank left him fighting for his life. It seeks to answer why a man should risk his life in the ring and why so many are compelled to watch. Back in print for the first time in 25 years to coincide with the release of Ian Probert's latest boxing book Dangerous, and updated to include new material, Rope Burns is a cult classic that still inspires writers and fans alike.