Heavyweight

“In lucid yet lyrical prose, Heavyweight explores boxing’s central role in the intersectional construction of US Blackness and masculinity at the turn of the twentieth century. Revisiting the now iconic imagery of the sport, from the photographic portraits of Black champion Peter Jackson to the fine art paintings of George Bellows, Jordana Moore Saggese not only bridges the divide between two normally disparate fields—critical sports studies and art history—but also offers strikingly fresh analyses.” - Theresa Runstedtler, author of Black Ball: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Spencer Haywood, and the Generation That Saved the Soul of the NBA

“Heavyweight is one of the most significant studies of the Black boxer as racial icon, sport icon, national icon and threat. Historically grounded and theoretically rich, Heavyweight offers insightful readings of legendary boxers, race relations, the rise of the sports industry, and the industry's connection to popular culture and international politics. Focusing on  such as Ben Bailey and Peter Jackson, Saggese examines how race, labor, masculinity, and class interweave in the making of one of the most reviled and revered figure of the century: the Black heavyweight champion.” - Nicole R. Fleetwood, author of Marking Time: Art in the Age of Mass Incarceration

"[Saggese's] ideas challenge and provoke and, in this sense, she brings the precious gift of incitement. Saggese makes the reader think of history through portraits, sculptures, posters and other representations rather than search for a deep meaning."

"A nuanced and deeply researched account. . . . This is a book that should be read by anyone interested in visual culture, race, corporeality, sexuality, and spectatorship." - Lynda Nead, Art History