By William Dettloff
Winding Road Stories, 2025
No one would argue that the past 35 years has signified a golden age of boxing writing. As the sport becomes increasingly niche in the United States, fewer of the great writers concern themselves with the wild contradictions of boxing. Former senior writer at The Ring and editor-in-chief of Ringside Seat William Dettloff, however, is an exception.
A collection of nearly four dozen articles, Ring Theory shows Dettloff's talent for weaving together a good story with empathy for the fighters, humor, and wisdom. He covers all the big events and top fighters from the past three-plus decades with fluidly-presented narratives and distinguished description. The writing is beautiful without being pompous.
As with any boxing anthology, the collection of articles is somewhat disjointed, but a thesis emerges. Fighters will necessarily continue to fight until the desire is literally beaten out of them. Dettloff experienced that feeling on an amateur level. Quite a few legendary fighters couldn't retire until they were forced to. The end of the careers of Tommy Hearns, Roberto Duran, Julio Cesar Chavez, Mike Tyson, Manny Pacquiao, Evander Holyfield, and Arturo Gatti are all featured. Only Lennox Lewis could walk away after an impressive, albeit grueling, victory.
This topic of legends fighting too long wanders into several sections: "The Fighter's Journey," "The Business," "The Final Bell," and "History." It can feel a bit repetitive at times. In addition, fans of Roy Jones and Pernell Whitaker may not appreciate the articles written about them as they're really the only two fighters who receive sustained criticism. Otherwise, Dettloff shows compassion for the fighters without slipping into sappiness. Articles on his own boxing experience, journeyman Walter Cowans, and reminisces of ten champions were particularly insightful.
Ring Theory is a collection of articles from our era's entry into the pantheon of great boxing writers. It gets to the essence of the sport and is a must-read for fans interested in the boxing's recent history.
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