The Life Story of Boxing Champion Wally Carr Holds No Punches

“My Longest Round” Biography released.

Author Gaele Sobott today announced My Longest Round, the revealing biography about Wally Carr, an honest account of the legendary boxer’s struggles inside and outside the ring, from fame, to fall, to triumph.

Commonwealth champion boxer Wally Carr held twelve titles in six divisions. From featherweight to heavyweight, he fought an astonishing 101 professional bouts in a career that lasted 15 years.

“Wally’s life is one of the great untold stories in boxing and international sports. More than just illustrating a life rich with historical context, My Longest Round shows the injustice of the silence and lack of recognition that surrounded Wally’s achievements.” says Gaele Sobott.

Wally Carr, who will be inducted into the Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame in October 2010, worked closely with the author to render a ring side seat experience and vivid account of his tumultuous life.

When Wally retired from boxing in 1986, the sudden departure from the thrill of the roaring crowds, the women, the adoring fans  and the high life left a void which sent him on a tail-spin dive into addiction  and despair.

“My Longest Round is about a person’s courage to overcome addiction, and the incredible determination to survive and live with dignity.” says Gaele Sobott.

Growing up in a 1950s rural New South Wales town, Wally Carr always remained true to his Aboriginal roots. From hunting goannas, Jimmy Sharman’s boxing tents, rugby league, professional boxing and the first Aboriginal Tent Embassy, Wally’s life story is a vibrant panorama of Aboriginal and Australian history.

“My Longest Round illustrates both the tragedy and the humour of Aboriginal people. There is an open, raw truth that connects the reader to the man. Wally Carr was a people’s champion, well celebrated, well liked, and never forgetting where he came from.” says Lyall Munro, Aboriginal Rights Campaigner.

“I’ve been fighting since the day I was born. No, I’ve been fighting from the time I was curled up inside my mother’s belly. The day my father shot himself in the head, that’s when my fight started.” notes Wally Carr in the book.

Author Gaele Sobott was born in Yallourn, Victoria. She has lived in Botswana, France and England and now resides in Australia. Her work is widely anthologised and translated, including a collection of short stories, numerous children’s books and non-fictional essays.

For more information, please visit www.mylongestround.com