WIPED OUT? LAUNCH: ‘BOXING AT ITS BEST’

Pitch Publishing is a fantastic imprint.
They do all the great Got, Not Got series
and plenty of other retro sports titles.

James Brown, The Late Tackle, talkSPORT

Pitch Publishing show the way for enterprising
sports book publishers and remains a beacon
of hope for sports authors aspiring or established.

The Sports Bookshelf.com

Pitch Publishing, an outfit whose "pitch perfect"
commissioning of boxing material stands
as a rebuke to more established houses

Boxing Monthly

Pitch capture the real spirit of sport with entertaining
and clever ideas. They work out what the aficionado
would want to read, then deliver it with great verve.

Paul Hayward, The Daily Telegraph

Pitch have enabled me to write in the ways I enjoy most.
Their production support is superb, delivering eye-catching
designs, attentive proof-reading, energetic marketing and helpful advice.

Tim Quelch, Good Old Sussex by the Sea, Orient to the Emirates, Underdog!

Pitch are willing to back out-of-the-blue and innovative
ideas and turn them into viable, entertaining books.
They do so with great presentation and editorial flair.

Justin Parkinson, Then Came Massacre

Pitch saw the potential in my story, used their expertise
to polish it, published it and helped inspire thousands
around the world to get into the sport of triathlon.

Andy Holgate, Can’t Swim, Can’t Ride, Can’t Run & Can't Sleep, Can't Train, Can't Stop

The process of working with Pitch to produce Picking up the Threads
was enjoyable and rewarding, with the final edition surpassing
expectations and becoming a resounding success.

John Chandler, Picking up the Threads

Pitch will take a chance on books that other publishers won't
and realise that interest in football extends beyond the
Premier League and the top 20 countries in the FIFA rankings.

Steve Menary, Outcasts!

Pitch have the vision to look beyond the obvious,
seeking out interesting ideas and subjects and
matching them with the right target audience.

David Tossell, Tony Greig, The Great English Final, Grovel!, Natural

Pitch have been an absolute joy to work with,
contributing their passion, expertise, knowledge
and experience to help produce a brilliant book.

Sam Pilger, Ashes Match of My Life

Pitch took our original concept and further enhanced it,
using their knowledge, experience and expertise, and helped
make Got, Not Got one of the football books of the year for 2011.

Derek Hammond, Got, Not Got series of books

Pitch bought into the concept of development through football,
channeling profits and proceeds from Eleven into helping
some of the most disadvantaged young people in the world.

Steve Fleming, Eleven

In the highly competitive world of sport publishing,
Pitch have consistently demonstrated the happy
knack of spotting, nurturing and promoting winners.

Neil Dunkin, Anfield of Dreams

15 Sep

WIPED OUT? LAUNCH: ‘BOXING AT ITS BEST’

This Saturday saw the Sheffield launch of Wiped Out?, the groundbreaking new boxing book by Mark Turley and Jerome Wilson, which covers Jerome’s return from the brink after suffering brain injuries in a light-welterweight contest in the city exactly one year before.

Who better to put the publication of the book, Jerome’s personal battle and the values of the fight game into perspective than Mark Turley himself, writing today on InstantBoxing.com:

Known as ‘Wipeout’ Wilson, Jerome was a gifted operator who never got to realise his potential after suffering major brain trauma and a ten day coma from ring injuries last September. Despite his lack of name or fame and his natural self-effacing humility, Jerome is held in such high regard in his home city that boxing legends such as WBO Light-Middleweight champion Paul ‘Silky’ Jones, former British and European champ Ryan Rhodes, Ex British light-welter titlist Curtis Woodhouse, one time British cruiserweight champ Jon ‘Buster’ Keeton, along with top trainer Glyn Rhodes MBE and current fighters like Ross ‘the boss’ Burkinshaw, Navid Mansouri and Sam O’Maison, came to support their fallen comrade and purchase signed copies.

The overall turnout was truly impressive and the level of good-will for Jerome poignant. The store manager remarked it was the best attended and most successful launch event they had held there. Never mind the authorities or the media giants. They have their own concerns. Boxers look after each other.

For Jerome the release of the book, coming shortly after a final operation to repair his skull with a titanium plate, finally gives him the chance to move on and look to the future. Yet throughout the wider boxing world, the response to the launch has been mixed, with some high profile figures and media outlets shying away from offering support – a great shame. For them, serious injury and near death belong to a side of the game they prefer to brush under the carpet. It doesn’t suit their product, or their bottom-line. All they want is hype, hype, hype.

But for anyone who understands, knows and loves the sport, this event really was boxing at its best, exactly a year on from a night of boxing at its worst.

With thanks to InstantBoxing.com. Click here if you’d like to read the full text of today’s ‘Turley On Tuesday’ column.

Click here for more information, or to read a sample from Wiped Out? The Jerome Wilson Story