Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #439200 in Books
• Published on: 2005-06-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 288 pages

Synopsis
There are few men tougher than Richy Horsley. Boxer, street fighter and bouncer. Crazy Horse, as he is better known, is part of the underbelly of the hardman scene. So tough is he, that he has even accepted a challenge from Britain's most dangerous prisoner, Charles Bronson, to be his first boxing opponent upon Bronson's eventual release from prison. As a young man, he channelled his rage into boxing and he became one of the toughest fighters in the land. Yet this man has much more to offer than just his fighting credentials. Having shunned his life of bar-room brawling, drinking and drugs, Richy now devotes his time to being a father and being committed to a boys' club that takes kids off the streets and encourages them into the ring.

Customer Reviews

First class. No punches pulled.
The introduction sets the scene with Hartlepool fishermen hanging a monkey after mistaking it for a french spy during the napoleonic wars. After reading this you become hooked and want to read more. Richy begins by quoting that with his record of violence you would think he was brought up in an abattoir rather than a loving home. Richy's journey takes us through the late 60's and into the chopper bike riding 70's reminding us of the special community spirit that was experienced and that family was the center of our lives and a time when Richy's dad dies which devastates him. We travel through the Bruce Lee Kung Fu times and the Happy Days Fonze period and then progress on to the Sex Pistols Punk Rock period until he finds his comfort zone of donkey jacket boot boy. His boxing intro enabled him to participate at levels that any teenage lad would be proud to achieve.By his own admission Richy tells of some of the bad things he has done in life, however he has been man enough to tell the truth and not just include the parts that make him hero-like.His clashes with the law lands him in detention centre.These places were run like boot camps with prison being the softer option.Richy achieved 'The Daddy' status in this barabric environment and moved into manhood with a reputation that began to precede him.Durham prison was Richy's next temporary home and on his release it was time for him to stay out of trouble with the birth of his 2nd child and so he returned to boxing.Hartlepool had a long boxing tradition going back to the 1800's when people fought bare knuckle on Seaton Carew beach.People like Richy carried this tradition and spirit within their blood.We follow his days as a debt collector taxing the odd drug dealer, working as a bouncer in the pubs and clubs and taking on all comers who wanted to try their luck in taking the big guys crown in bare knuckle fights. If you read this book you will see that there is more to learn about Hartlepool, It's culture and Richy Horsley.

Great Book
I laughed and I cried with this book. It took me on a rollercoaster ride and I couldn't put it down. I felt like I was actually witnessing everything as it was happening, like I was actually there and it certainly got my pulse racing. What a great read and I think it would make a brilliant film.

Great Book
I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone, they will not be dissapointed. I've read a lot of autobiographies in my time and this is up there with the best. 5 out of 5.