Before anyone knew there was such a thing, Jack London gave us the natural: Young Pat Glendon has never drunk alcohol nor tasted tobacco. He loves nature, is afraid of cities, and is shy of women. And he is a perfect fighter. Summoned from the city to consider such a prospect, cynical Sam Stubener, manager of prize-fighters, is struck by the boy's extraordinary athletic grace--and soon man and boy are off to San Francisco to take on the heavyweight world.

The Abysmal Brute is the story of natural grace pitted against worldly brutishness. A subtle social drama played out in the arena of sport--in a day long before sport moved to the center of American culture--it is also a rousing romantic tale in the tradition of one of our great storytellers. As Pat hones his skill--and his curious style--on one champion fighter after another, he contends for the heart of a lovely admirer and for the soul of professional boxing, whose rampant corruption his blows expose.