This bit's brilliant
Podcast Description
What are the sport and music books worth reading? Another football bio? No ta. All Played Out by Pete Davies, yes please. AJ or Fury's latest? You're alright. The Sweet Science by AJ Leibling? Absolutely. A takedown of Tay Tay? How about Coal Black Mornings by Brett Anderson.
The books you need on the things you love.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast explores themes surrounding sports rivalries, cultural shifts in music, and significant figures in both fields, with episodes discussing books like The Perfect Distance by Pat Butcher, which chronicles the rivalry of athletes Coe and Ovett, and 1984: The Year Pop Went Queer by Ian Wade, detailing the impact of inclusive pop music in the 1980s.
The show about entertaining books on the 80s, 90s and 00s things you love. Music, sport and culture books that will make you laugh with the tales you just didn’t know. So you won’t get another football bio, but you will get All Played Out (AKA One Night in Turin) by Pete Davies. AJ or Fury’s latest? You’re alright. The Sweet Science by AJ Leibling? Absolutely. Boyband anaemia… How about Coal Black Mornings by Brett Anderson instead.
Episode Summary:
Get ready for blood, chaos, and total absurdity as hosts Simon Q. Elliott and Paul Ging dive into the wild history of boxing's strangest fights. In this episode of This Bit’s Brilliant, the duo unpack Graeme Kent's fascinating book, Boxing's Strangest Fights, uncovering the jaw-dropping, lawless, and downright hilarious moments that have happened inside (and outside) the squared circle over the last 200 years.
Whether you are a hardcore combat sports fan or just love an unbelievable story, this episode reveals why boxing remains one of the most compelling and unpredictable sports in human history.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
The 1853 Bare-Knuckle Riot: The legendary 37-round battle between Irishmen John Morrissey and Yankee Sullivan that descended into a massive crowd riot—and the bizarre reason why Morrissey was ultimately handed the victory.
The Spy Who Outboxed the Law: The incredible story of the Dixie Kid, a brilliant world welterweight champion who ran a disreputable nightclub in wartime Barcelona and became a low-grade double agent for both the British and German consuls.
The 3-Fight Night Rematch: The brutal, dirty 1925 ring war between Harry Greb and Mickey Walker that spilled over into a New York nightclub, transformed into a street fight, and almost ended in a telephone-booth trilogy match before a manager stepped in to demand a paycheck.
Modern Chaos: The hosts reminisce about the jaw-dropping live moments that left them speechless, from Mike Tyson’s infamous ear-bite to the bizarre paraglider who crashed an Evander Holyfield vs. Riddick Bowe championship fight.
The Ethics & Future of Combat Sports: Simon and Paul get on their ”moral high horse” to discuss the meritocracy of sport, athlete pay, and why boxing—and modern MMA—continue to thrive against all odds.
If you enjoy fast-paced trivia, incredible historical anecdotes, or just need a great ”loo book” recommendation, this episode is brilliant.
Don't miss an episode of This Bit’s Brilliant—because life is too short for bad books! Rate, review, and subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to audio.
Keywords: Boxing history, strangest fights, bare-knuckle boxing, sports history, Graeme Kent, Harry Greb, Mickey Walker, Dixie Kid, boxing podcast, sports trivia, wild sports stories, MMA vs boxing, combat sports.
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