Fleischer, Nat – Nat Fleischer’s – The Ring Record Book and Boxing Encyclopedia 1966

Description

Fleischer, Nat ‘Nat Fleischer’s The Ring Record Book and Boxing Encyclopedia’ 1966 Edition. 864-pages. Good + condition with brightly colored covers. INSCRIBED by Fleischer: “To John Bruen, Sr. My best wishes to you. Glad to hear from you. Sincerely yours, Nat Fleischer March, 1966.”

The 1966 Ring Record Book and Encyclopedia of Boxing is the 25th silver-anniversary edition of the definitive sports almanac compiled and edited by The Ring magazine founder Nat Fleischer. Published by The Ring Book Shop in New York City, this massive 864-page hardcover volume stands as one of the thickest and most information-packed editions in the history of the series, reflecting the global expansion of boxing during the iconic 1960s golden era.

The cornerstone of the book is its extensive, fight-by-fight record database tracking the complete career statistics of active professional boxers worldwide through late 1965. It covers the rising peaks and active careers of legends like Muhammad Ali (compiling his bouts under both Cassius Clay and Ali), Emile Griffith, Dick Tiger, and Carlos Ortiz.

Comprehensive Champion Biographies: Reflecting its role as an encyclopedia, the 1966 edition features an expanded historical section dedicated to detailed biographical profiles and background information on all-time great fighters and newly inducted hall-of-famers.

Official World Championship Lineages: The text maps the exact chronological path of world championship titles for each division. It includes specific financial data, promotional figures, gate receipts, and official round-by-round scoring breakdowns for major title bouts fought over the previous year.

The 1960s Heavyweight Evolution: The book serves as a vital historical record of a highly complex period in boxing history, documenting The Ring’s official annual ratings and the split championship lineages during the mid-1960s (notably tracking Muhammad Ali’s status alongside the WBA variant champion Ernie Terrell).

Illustrations and Portraits: The edition is heavily illustrated throughout with numerous portrait plates, historical line drawings, and official press photographs capturing the era’s biggest icons.