When In Doubt, Stop the Bout

A Revolutionary Approach to Boxing Safety and Reform

By: Silver Mike

Write A Review

Paperback | 26 August 2025 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Paperback
220 Pages

Edition Type
New edition

Dimensions(cm)
22.86 x 15.24 x 1.27

Paperback

$41.79

or 4 interest-free payments of $10.45 with

or

Ships in 5 to 7 business days

“Since the inception of the Marquess of Queensberry rules boxing has understood the need to be safer. While there have been some rule changes through the years, many have been like applying an ‘enswell’ to reduce swelling. In his latest book, When in Doubt Stop the Bout, Mike Silver asks the hard questions and offers serious and innovative solutions that will make the sport safer without diluting its primal appeal. Anyone who cares about boxing and the fighters who put themselves at risk should read this book.”—Teddy Atlas, Hall of Fame trainer and boxing analyst

In When in Doubt, Stop the Bout, renowned boxing historian Mike Silver presents a shocking exposé of the sordid underbelly of professional boxing, and uncovers the sport’s criminally flawed infrastructure and those responsible for it.

From compromised referees to poorly trained ringside physicians to an insidious cartel of “sanctioning organizations” approving dangerous mismatches, Silver lays bare the corruption, the negligence, and the incompetence that has made a dangerous sport even more dangerous.

But aside from unmasking the chaotic mess that afflicts boxing, this book for the first time proposes groundbreaking practical solutions that will mitigate the danger and save lives. Penetrating and persuasive, When in Doubt, Stop the Bout will change forever how you see the sport of boxing.

Industry Reviews

"A compelling case for reforms to prevent future boxing tragedies."âKirkus Reviews

"Anyone interested in the pursuit of best practices and health-supporting sports decisions will find When In Doubt, Stop the Bout key to not just understanding the boxing world's history and how it is conducted today, but revised possibilities for a better sport in the future, all delivered in easily-understood discussions that any reader can readily absorb."âMidwest Book Review

"Mike Silver is the Sugar Ray Robinson of boxing writers-smooth, smart, powerful, and tough to beat. The good news is that you can step in the ring with him and not get hurt."âJonathan Eig, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Ali: A Life and King: A Life

"Lots of people know boxing, but not many understand it: Its spirit, its significance, its storied past and probable future. Mike Silver is one of the few. Anything he writes is essential reading for the true fan."âDavid Margolick, contributing editor at Vanity Fair and author of Beyond Glory: Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling, and a World on the Brink

"The best reformers ground their vision of the future in deep knowledge of the past. Mike Silver is the nonpareil of boxing historians, but he's also a penetrating critic-especially of the corruption and incompetence that endanger too many brave fighters. In his new book, he offers deeply considered proposals for making this bruising sport a little safer, fairer, and more humane."âPaul Beston, managing editor of City Journal and author of The Boxing Kings

"Silver's comprehensive and rigorously researched study is an attempt to protect his boxing brethren by outlining a suite of practical reforms, beginning with the imperative expressed in his title, When in Doubt, Stop the Bout. He covers every corner of the sport that no one plays, offering clear, actionable safety measures for referees, ringside physicians, trainers, promoters, boxing commissions, and the fighters themselves."âGordon Marino, USA Boxing coach and author of The Existentialist's Survival Guide: How to Live Authentically in an Inauthentic Age

Praise for The Arc of Boxing

"Lively . . . Silver explored the magic, studied the history."âPhiladelphia Daily News

"If you care about boxing . . . its future, its past, or both . . . then you have to read this book . . . thoroughly researched . . . articulately argued."âNewsday

"True aficionados, whether they ultimately agree with Silver or not, are sure to enjoy his book for its unmistakable knowledge and passion."âThe Ring

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $0.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.