A NORTHALLERTON author has brought out his third book on boxing – which has proved a hit within days of being published.

Jamie Boyle’s latest book, Tales of Pugilism, looks at the world of boxing and some of the characters involved in the industry, from the fighters themselves to bare-knuckle boxers and sports correspondents.

It includes interviews with a number of well-known characters from the region, including Thornaby’s Joe Maphosa, a former GB squad amateur who signed a three-year deal with promoter Frank Warren and Darlington’s self-styled Spartan Frances Jones the star of the BBC series Rent-a-Cop. Jamie also interviewed the former bare-knuckle boxer Richard Horsley, from Hartlepool and Teesside heavyweight John Spensley.

Jamie, a former boxer who was born in Middlesbrough said he began the book because he wanted to know what motivated boxers to start on a career that involved getting “punched in the face for a living”. But the replies made for some poignant and memorable stories.

“Boxing is not all about being rough and ready,” said Jamie.

“The only thing I ever got out of boxing was a pair of glasses and a broken nose. But sometimes it can be like watching two men playing chess.

“There’s some famous people and some infamous people in the book; there’s about ten from the North-East.

“Boxing has turned their lives around.

“People think boxers are macho, but a lot of them took it up because they were being bullied to give them some self-confidence and self-respect.

“John Pearce said “boxing has humbled me ad taught me to have respect for people and given me self-confidence”. Boxing means a great deal to a lot of people in all walks of life; from the champions on television to the keep-fitters.”

The book was released on Kindle on March 7 and within days reached number 2 in the Amazon bestseller list for its genre.

It is Jamie’s third book. He has two other books published on the notorious underworld hard man, Paul Sykes, a professional boxer and violent criminal. The books, Unfinished Agony and Further Agony which are being used for the basis of a film along with Paul Sykes own autobiography, Sweet Agony.

Jamie has donated a percentage of proceeds from the sale of previous books to local charities, including the Bradley Lowry Foundation.

His latest book, which is out in paperback on April 7, will raise money for patients receiving cancer treatment at the oncology department at the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.