The+Contender



"Before you can be a champion, you have to be a contender." Alfred Brooks is an African-American youth whose life is going nowhere. Living in Harlem during the 1960s, when the civil rights movement is beginning to open doors for African-Americans, Alfred has dropped out of high school. He works a menial job in a grocery store and spends much of his time watching movies. Estranged from his best friend and targeted by a gang of thugs, he desperately wants to turn his life around. One night, he wanders into a gym and meets Vito Donatelli, a manager deeply concerned for the fighters he trains. Alfred puts himself through the rigor and discipline of training, building muscle and endurance and developing boxing skills. All the while, one question nags at him--whether he has the heart of a contender. One way to find out is to step into the ring against a brutal ex-Marine and stand up to the vicious battering of his fists.
 * Summary:**

//The Contender// is the debut novel by American author and sports journalist Robert Lipsyte. It was published in 1967. Here is the [|Google Books link].
 * Author:**

Take a look at this non-fiction excerpt by Elie Wiesel:
 * Connections:**

1. Historical background of boxing 2. Rules and regulations of boxing 3. Training requirements 4. Biographies of various famous boxers (i.e., Sugar Ray Robinson, etc.) 5. Author study of Robert Lipsyte
 * Background**: