Starred review from September 15, 2020
A vivid, knowing close-up of a crucial year in the life of boxing's most iconic figure. Scottish music writer Cosgrove portrays the year of 1963-1964 as a brief period that reflected many fault lines of the American 1960s, with Cassius Clay's transformation into Muhammad Ali serving as one of the significant processes during that time. The author confidently connects Ali's tumultuous rise with broader themes of soul music, boxing, organized crime, and the struggle for civil rights, utilizing the social simmer of Miami, London, Detroit, New York, and Louisville for dramatic settings throughout. This book, he writes, "portrays a man in compression, in the days when the young fighter was exploring his identity, molding his image and forging advantageous friendships with Malcolm X, Sam Cooke and the media." Cosgrove also provides a thrilling narrative of a tattered sport battling intensifying racial cross-currents and involving Ali's conservative White backers, Black moderates, and emerging radical voices. "The politics of race was being played out in nearly every arena of American life," writes the author, "not least in boxing, where the heavyweight rankings were increasingly written about as a battle of perceived racial typologies." But boxing was seen as particularly flawed, with a backdrop of ring deaths and syndicate control of the athletes and their fights. Although Ali honed a public persona that captivated many, even releasing an album of music and poetry, "there was growing resentment towards the young contender who was seen by many [traditionalists] as flighty, opinionated, and insubstantial." Ali fitfully concealed his religious convictions, understanding that "his increasing closeness to the Nation of Islam posed a threat to his reputation and therefore his livelihood." These many narrative strands conclude with the controversial "Big Fight" with Sonny Liston, after which the new champion "finally announced his membership of the Nation." Cosgrove packs his lean account with remarkable characterizations and vibrant storytelling. Sharp, thoughtful reflection on a long-reverberating moment in sport and society.
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