Read review by Chris Benedict, Life and Legendary Career of Eder Jofre Jumps Off the Pages of Christopher Smith’s Comprehensive New Biography

Read a review by Joe Kozumi for Fight News

West Coast Boxing HOF 2021 “Book Of The Year”!

The first boxing book I read was Floyd Patterson’s biography, “Victory Over Myself” in 1962 . I checked it out at the library, and it was so good it motivated me to become a a boxer.

In the years since, I have read hundreds of boxing books & publications and have enjoyed so many it was my goal to honor a “Book of the Year” at every West Coast Boxing Hall of Fame event, which we have done.

We have honored great books at every event and Chris Smith’s brilliant biography/text book/novel will be awarded at our October 17th event.

I must say, this book is the best boxing publication I have ever read. It is a must for ALL boxing historians, as it isn’t just a biography, it is a text book of boxing history.

You not only have stories, but statistics and accurate history from reliable sources that were a part of it all.

It is the perfect gift for those who love boxing!

There are over 600 pages and hundreds of photos and images. It is a thick, hard cover book, with the perfect sized print for reading comfortably.

Rick Farris
President
West Coast Boxing Hall of Fame

Chris Smith really managed in these 600 pages to synthesize my father’s sports career in an exceptional way, bringing facts that even I didn’t know. Thorough research and dedication will certainly turn the book into a reference for other authors of sports books. Now I am sure that my father’s legacy can conquer the world!

Marcel Jofre

A comprehensive and entertaining biography

All aspects of Eder Jofre’s life are thoroughly covered in this heavily researched biography. Jofre was a top P4P boxer in an era with fighters like Roberto Duran and Muhammad Ali but very little is information is available about this latin legend in the English language. This book changes that.

This book begins by contextualizing Jofre’s boxing roots and tells the entertaining story of his boxing obsessed family. With the career portion broken up into years this book also doubles as a collection of almanacs about Jofre’s boxing days and of other fighters around his weight division. Well placed rare photos, images of fight posters and ads take the reader back in time. This book is a must read for anyone interested in boxing history and the lives great fighters from the past.

Javier Serrano

The Best Biography I’ve Ever Read About A Fighter

When you pick up a biography and know it’s going to be 600 pages long you might think that something of that girth would be reserved for a Lincoln, Napoleon, or a Churchill. But a prize fighter? Don’t think I didn’t have that in mind when I opened to the first page. It took me maybe a half hour to realize that Smith’s efforts were true to the mark. He put Jofre and his life first, not himself. Many of the great sportswriters want to make sure that after reading their stuff that you’ll walk away having as much regard for the way they told it as what the subject was all about. Smith stays in the back bringing all his meticulous research to the forefront without stepping out front and wanting to get in the way. As the life of Jofre gets into his twilight the story becomes poignant to the point that it is not just a rote memory of a great fighter’s fistic career. It is the story of the man that the sport of boxing has supplemented. Unselfish and unpretentious. Maybe being a little humble is better that wanting to take too much credit.

Roger Esty

Excellent read! A true collectors item on one of the all-time greats!!

Although initially the 600+ pages appears a daunting read it really isn’t because the book is so nice. Lots of cool photos and fantastic layout of Jofre’s life and boxing career. The book is an excellent read and a true collectors item on one of boxing’s underrated legends. The backstory of his family was fascinating to me and I got a good feel for what Jofre is/was like as a person throughout this book. Everyone knows he’s a great fighter but you learn to appreciate he’s also a great person. More than an athlete.

I thought I knew quite a lot about Jofre but after reading this book I’ve got to say I am astonished at how little I really did know. Some of the level of details are staggering and can’t have been easy to obtain. I appreciate how much clearly went into this book and am happy to see such a fine champion have such a reference now for boxing fans.

James

A must read for every boxing fan

A superbly written tribute to a boxing great. Little has been written in English about legendary Brazilian bantamweight and featherweight Eder Jofre until now and not only does this fix that it should and will go down as THE chosen literature to read about this incredible man. The level of detail and research from the author shows this was done with care, attention and respect that not only honours the legacy of Jofre but will forever preserve it.

Michael Flanagan

A superbly researched read, brilliant purchase

This is a superb book that not only details a boxing great but acts as a mirror for South American evolution during the timeframe detailed.

It’s obvious, the author has spent many hours researching and detailing the countless moments that can make the story come to life for the reader.

A must read for any boxing or dare I say sports fan.

Leon Ross

A must for any boxing fan!

Fantastic book, filled with loads of images and intricate detail from all of Jofre’s fights and his story. A must read for any boxing fan. A credit to the author for the meticulous research on Jofre’s career. Highly recommended!

Anthony C.

Couldn’t recommend this book any more!

It’s clear to see the level of research and detail that has gone into this book is beyond comparison. I wouldn’t just recommend this book for any boxing fan (which is a must) but also for any sports fan. Eder Jofre is a boxing great and it was a pleasure to read this book and see him get the recognition he deserves. You won’t regret buying this book!

Chris Haddadi

An engaging biography

The author Christopher J. Smith brings information to the table that is rare to find even in Brazilian media which shows the arduous labor of research he engaged. It is a 600 page book which keeps readers attached to it and I’m not shy to say that this is definitely a great contribution to boxing bibliography. A very competent work that properly introduces Eder Jofre to English speaking readers and new generations while also reminding Brazilians the relevance of this character. A document that definitely respects Jofre’s legacy.

Gabriel Leão