In the Golden Age of boxing, Marvin Camel—a mixed blood from the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana—defied all obstacles of race, poverty, and geographical isolation to become the first Native American to win a world boxing title. Complex and wildly charismatic, Camel combined tremendous physical talent with staggering self-discipline—forged by the sting of his father’s belt—to claw his way to the top, twice winning world titles in the newly minted cruiserweight division and fighting on the same cards as boxing icons Roberto Duran, Larry Holmes, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Bob Foster. Camel’s journey was an amazing example of gritty determination: punishing runs on Montana’s back roads, relentless training in make-shift gyms, sleeping in beat-up cars before fights in glittering Las Vegas, and even training and fighting for a world championship in a foreign country, alone. Always, Camel willingly represented his state and his people, proudly wearing his eagle-feather headdress into the ring. Yet with success came sacrifice and pain, both physical and personal, but in life as in the boxing ring, Camel emerged bloody but unbowed. With irresistible detail gleaned from years of frank interviews with Camel, his family and friends, his former opponents, and seasoned boxing insiders, Brian D’Ambrosio’s gripping biography captures the drama, danger, beauty, and ugliness of boxing, of Indian life on reservations, and especially, of the life of a stereotype-shattering man who inspired his people and boxing fans everywhere with his courage, achievements, and great warrior heart. The Amazing Story of World Champion Native Boxer Marvel Camel Charles Kader * March 13, 2015, Indian Country Media News Network The sports-related biography, "Warrior in the Ring: The Life of Marvin Camel, Native American worldchampion boxer," authored by Brian D'Ambrosio, has now been released by Riverbend Publishing of Montana. Marvin Camel, champion boxer, is a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes from theFlathead Indian Reservation and grew up in Ronan, Mont. He is one of 14children born to Henry Camel and Alice Nenemay, his Pend d'Oreillesmother. Henry Camel was born "Henry Campbell," an African-American Navyveteran who travelled to Montana in search of a new beginning from hisNorth Carolina birthplace. Both parents were known for athletic prowessin their youth, and Henry Camel had a reputation as a hard-working manwho worked as a laborer. He was also a formidable boxer in his ownright. The father teaches the son to fight and the son eventually becomes achampion. That's the "sports" aspect of this well-told story. Therelated backstory is an insightful view into reservation life and theNative "warrior" mentality. It is a winning combination of subjects and a valuable addition to contemporary multicultural studies. This is more than a book about boxing. True, it is a look at a Native athlete who drove himself to win two world championships as a pugilist. However, it is as much about boxing as boxing is about life itself.