Mr. Sussman's offering is a sure bet to capture the appreciation of anyone with an interest in boxing and the mob. His account of the influence of Frankie Carbo and others who controlled the sport is a history lesson, written in an entertaining style that reminds one of the great boxing writers of days past. The book is a knockout! -- Anthony Celano, retired NYPD Detective Squad Commander
Jeffrey Sussman has done it again! In Boxing and the Mob, Sussman delves into one of the most talked-about issues in sports: the influence of organized crime. Sussman not only goes back to the root of mob involvement in boxing, he also provides a fascinating history of the key players, both from the mob and in the sport. Always a great writer, Sussman tells a story that will interest sports fans and anyone interested in mob activities in the twentieth century. -- Steven Maggi, host of the nationally syndicated show Vegas Never Sleeps
Jeffrey Sussman takes us on an incredible read into the mob's greed-fueled violence and corruption of The Sweet Science. -- Joseph Giannini, boxing manager, promoter, and criminal defense attorney
Boxing's culture of corruption is legendary. It's a great sport that was at the mercy of professional gamblers and mobsters who predetermined the results of matches by fixing fights for much of the 20th century. That dark chapter has waxed and waned over the years and is the subject of Jeffrey Sussman's exciting and engaging book, Boxing and the Mob. Boxing, without a central governing body to oversee it, will, as Sussman cogently asserts, remain corrupt and malodorous. -- Robert Ecksel, editor of www.boxing.com
Jeffery Sussman has written a riveting book that captures the entanglement of boxing and the mob. The sport of boxing is made for the mob as much as it is for the kids fighting their way out of poverty. Once you start this book you will not put it down. -- Bruce Silverglade, owner of boxing's world-famous Gleason's Gym
Wow! Jeffrey Sussman did one heck of a job investigating the mob and boxing. Great read! -- Jerry Palace, retired NYPD detective
In Boxing and the Mob, Jeffrey Sussman has written an exciting page-turner that exposes the mob's control over the sport of boxing. It is not only a devastating account of the mob's all-embracing tentacles into the sport, but it is also an exposure of corrupt managers, trainers, referees, and judges. In addition, Sussman provides accounts of young athletes whose careers were ruined because they wouldn't bend to the mob's demands. This is a great book for fans of both boxing and true crime. -- S. M. Chris Franzblau, former federal prosecutor and criminal defense attorney for alleged organized crime figures and professional boxers
I loved Jeffrey Sussman's previous books, but this one may be his best yet! While reading this book, I honestly felt that I was in the same room as Carbo, Palermo, and many others during point blank discussions. He also makes you feel the pain of the fighters who had to go along with the deals that were beyond their control. This book is truly the history of the mob's involvement with professional boxing. I couldn't put it down! This is a must read. -- Bill Calogero, boxing historian and host of the Talkin' Boxing with Billy C TV & Radio Program
A fascinating walk through history to a time when the action outside the ring was as exciting as inside the ring. The boxing world has certainly changed but Jeffrey Sussman does a great job in bringing its sordid past back to life. -- Joe DeGuardia, CEO of Star Boxing and president of the Boxing Promoters Association
Jeffrey Sussman has written a riveting, no-holds barred book about how the mob controlled boxing through much of the 20th century. The book also contains bracing stories about boxers who were destroyed by the mob and those who refused to bend to the mob's threats. I couldn't put the book down. It's a genuine page-turner. -- Robert A. Santucci, Esq., former Chief of the Rackets Bureau, Office of the District Attorney of Bronx County and Special Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York - Public Corruption Unit