Let's Get It On: Tough Talk from Boxing's Top Ref and Nevada's Most Outspoken Judge | 
 enlarge | Author: Mills Lane
Publisher: Crown
Category: Book
Buy New: $48.49
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Avg. Customer Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 902420
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1st ed
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 272
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.2
ISBN: 0609603116
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.83
EAN: 9780609603116
ASIN: 0609603116
Publication Date: July 13, 1998
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
"My only hobby," writes Nevada District Court judge Lane in his usual no-nonsense, straight-ahead style, "is refereeing professional prizefights." Right. And Mark McGwire likes to hit home runs. One of the most ubiquitously recognizable faces in the sweet science, "Maximum Mills" (don't dare show up in his courtroom if you're guilty) has been refereeing fights--nearly 100 of them title contests, including the infamous disqualification of Mike Tyson for biting the ear of Evander Holyfield--for more than three decades, handling them the way he handles business from the bench: with unquestioned gavel-to-gavel authority. In a folksy, anecdote-filled memoir that pulls no punches, he introduces you to his particular corner of the sporting universe, separating boxing fact from fiction as if they were a pair of heavyweights in the clinches. He can be as brutal as an unseen uppercut: he constantly nails Don King for behavior worse than his hair, and is especially tough on Tyson's pleas that he's been taken advantage of, abused, humiliated and betrayed all his life. "That's the sort of self-pitying crap I hear far too often in court," Lane counters, "where the accused hides behind artificial excuses and refuses to stand up like a man." There is no room for political correctness in his universe; with Lane, if you don't stand up by the count of 10 you're out, which makes him both fascinating and exasperating, a man resolute enough to live his life in black and white, while most of the rest of us just try to shadow box through the shades of gray. --Jeff Silverman
Book Description
I'm a fighter--a man who's reached his goals by continually hammering away while refusing to either back off or quit; a country boy, long on Marine Corps values, who wears his heart on his sleeve.
So, let's get it on . . .
With his distinctive bald head, bow tie, and signature phrase, "Let's get it on!" Mills Lane is the most
colorful and best-known referee in professional boxing. With almost a hundred world championship fights under his belt, he has a reputation for being one of the sharpest, most honorable refs in the business, a reputation confirmed internationally on June 28, 1997, when he disqualified Mike Tyson for twice biting Evander Holyfield's ears during what became the most bizarre championship fight in history.
Now, in Let's Get It On, Mills Lane provides a ringside seat for anyone who wants an intimate look into the outrageous personalities and often scandalous behavior that has defined the "sweet science" since he started refereeing. Former Marine, ex-professional boxer, and lifelong boxing fan, Lane is also a mediator beyond the boxing ring--he has been a Nevada district court judge nicknamed "Maximum Mills" for his stiff penalties and will be the arbiter of justice on his own syndicated TV show.
No one is granted clemency from Judge Lane's razor-sharp insights and provocative opinions in this refreshing book, which takes on the greedy promoters, lazy fighters, and corrupt practices of boxing. Lane exposes the insanity at the heart of the boxing business: the artificially created rankings, the confusing number of sanctioning bodies, and the flesh merchants who take advantage of their fighters.
Mills Lane has been at the center of the good, the bad, and the ugly of boxing for three decades, including the Tyson-Holyfield debacle; the Oliver McCall--Lennox Lewis fight when former champ McCall dissolved into tears; and the Henry Akinwande--Lewis bout where Lane disqualified Akinwande for refusing to fight. But for every Mike Tyson or Riddick Bowe who never maximized his potential because he wouldn't pay the price, there is also an Evander Holyfield or Sugar Ray Leonard or Marvin Hagler or Alexis Arguello or Eddie Futch, the shining lights who show that there are important values to be learned from boxing: courage, honesty, integrity, responsibility, persistence, and loyalty, qualities we all need to live a good and righteous life.
This gutsy, sharp-tongued man of justice wants to save the profession he loves and reclaim a society that lacks the moral fiber to raise responsible citizens by sharing the code of conduct instilled in him by the Marine Corps and his boxing teachers and honed by a career in the law: Make no excuses. Never be afraid to say what you think. Cherish your fellow human beings. Strive to be honest. Important lessons from a country boy who wears his heart--and his integrity--on his sleeve.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Tells it like it is July 13, 2004
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
On page 216, Mills Lane says of his wife, "She knew that I am consumed by my job, referee prizefights as a hobby, and am hardheaded and highly opinionated." Is he ever! And that is what makes this book so refreshing. Here is a man who says we are all responsible for our own actions. Imagine that. Judge Mills Lane and writer Jedwin Smith have combined their experience and talents to give us a glimpse of a human being we see all too rarely: a man of great honor. By the time you finish this book, you will know who puts the grit in integrity.
 An abundance of errors spoil a potential good read. September 29, 1999
6 out of 9 found this review helpful
Here's a quick review of Mills Lane's new book "Let's Get It On":(Let me cut right to the chase and point out the abundant inaccuracies that I ran across.) 1-(page 29)- Lane credits Oliver McCall with a First round KO of Lennox Lewis. It was the 2nd round. 2-(page 97)- Lane states that Bobby Chacon became the Super Flyweight Champ with a 15 round decision over Bazooka Limon. That was Super Featherweight/Jr. Lightweight. 3-(page 99)- Lane states that the second Livingstone Bramble-Ray Mancini fight was for the Welterweight title. It was the Lightweight title. 4-(page 101)- Lane states that Iran Barkley "TWICE knocked Thomas Hearns unconscious". Barkley Ko'd Hearns in the first fight, he decisioned him in the second. It should be noted that Barkley did knock Tommy down in the second fight though. 5-(page 122)- Lane states that the common opponent between Erbito Salavarria and Betulio Gonzales was San Sacristan. It was not. It was Natalio Jimenez. (No, I did not know that one off the top of my head. But guess what? I looked it up. Novel idea.) 6-(page 172)- Lane states that Octavio Meyran held his ground and his integrity, in the Douglas-Tyson fight, by (Meyran) insisting that he did nothing wrong with regards to the bogus "Long Count" in the 8th round, in which Douglas hit the canvas from a Tyson uppercut. In fact, in a press conference right after a meeting involving Don King and the heads from the WBC & WBA (Suliaman and Mendoza), Meyran said the following: "I don't know why I start my count and make my mistake. Yes, he (Douglas) was down longer than 10 seconds". This followed a comment by Don King stating that the "first knockout obliterates the second one". After that comment King turned directly to Meyran, who then showed the world he had no backbone. Note: Before this "meeting", Meyran defended his actions. After the meeting, it was a different story. 7-(page 179)- Lane states that Chavez retained his Jr. Welterweight title after his controversial Draw with Pernell Whitaker. The fight was for Whitaker's Welterweight title. 8-(page 182)- Lane refers to Matt Fleischer, as opposed to Nat Fleischer. Come on now. 9-(page 189)- In a fight that Lane refereed, he states that Gerry Cooney was knocked down by Larry Holmes in the "third or fourth round". It was the Second round. 10-(page 246)- In another fight that Lane refereed, he states that "Donald Curry hit Milton McCrory with a tremendous right hand early in the third round and McCrory went down". He goes on to state that Milton was kayoed with another right hand, after he got up. Curry kayoed McCrory in the Second round. And the first knockdown was with a Left Hook. 11-(picture between 118 & 119)- Lane states Mike Tyson retained his WBC title against Trevor Berbick. Tyson Won the title from Berbick. 12-(picture between 118 & 119)- Lane states that: "Once he was released from prison, heavyweight contender Mike Tyson had all he could handle from Razor Ruddock,winning a 12-round decision on June 28, 1991. Tyson faced Ruddock BEFORE he went to prison. Lane is brutally honest and the book reads like a friendly conversation that you might have with him over a beer and a stogie. He tells it like it is and I find it refreshing to read a book when I know that no punches are being pulled. But Jesus! The inaccuracies fly off the pages like crazy. And I'll guarantee that I didn't even catch all of them. I respect Mills and think he is one of the best refs in the business. And I was eagerly anticipating his book. But if I read something that I am familiar with and find the information to be inaccurate, when I read something new, how am I to know if what is said it is true or not? As you can probably guess, I am a stickler for detail. The correct information for the "flubs" that I listed, is easily accessible. And the fact that this book was written by a former D.A. and Judge, professions where detail is a critical part of the job, makes these inaccuracies even more infuriating. I find the laziness as it pertains to this book, totally inexcusable. What could have been a very good read, turned out to be very disappointing. If it sounds like I'm being too harsh, well, I'm merely echoing the tone of Mills' book. I'm sure he'd find the seemingly half-assed approach to the research done in this book as annoying as I did. I'm just here to point it out to him. He'd do the same to us.
a MUST READ for every American! September 4, 1999
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Mr. Lane put everything in perspective with his down to Earth angle on life. He lives by what he learned from boxing and the marines. It's an inspiring book and a real kick in the butt! It's a pep talk on life and inside look at the world of boxing. Thank you Mr. Lane.
hard hitting analysis of boxing and daily life as we know it November 17, 1998
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
an excellent book from a man whose had a vantage point few in life ever have. what's the saying..."all the worlds a stage." just a phenomenal book. i could not put it down. i read nearly 80 pages at the book store and before i knew it i had been there nearly 1 hour.
This is far more than a book about boxing. September 5, 1998
I was greatly surprised and pleased by what an engaging and interesting book this is. Mills Lane is not just a boxing referee, but a judge in Nevada and a former professional boxer. He is also one of the most outspoken, to-the-point people I've encountered in print or real life in some time. He talks not only about major fights he's officiated, but also about his philosophy, his time in the Marine Corps, his view of being a judge, boxing generally, and his own boxing experiences. This is also something of a "personal motivation/inspiration" book. This is boxing through the eyes of a very insightful, interesting man.
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