Boxing is a sport more often associated with brute violence than with aesthetics. But photographer Howard Schatz has turned thuggish fighters into the subjects of extraordinary portraits showing the beautiful side of pugilism. The stunning pictures, collected in a new book, took six years to capture as Mr Schatz sought to investigate every aspect of the controversial sport.


Cecilio Santos, Super Featherweight



Andy Lee, Middleweight



Dimitry Kirilov, Super Flyweight



Craig McEwan, Middleweight



Don Mounton, Super Middleweight



Orlando Lora, Welterweight



Pavel Wolak, Middleweight


Octavio Narvaez, Light Middleweight



Fabian Luque, Welterweight



Terrell Nelson, Heavyweight



Tarek Rached, Middleweight



Jesse Feliciano, Light Middleweight


Howard Schatz