In his review, Rob Doyle emphasizes that in The Fight Mailer isn’t merely reporting a sporting event but creating what feels like a literary narrative of the 1974 heavyweight bout in Zaire, imbuing the contest with rich dramatic tension and vivid character portraits. Doyle underscores Mailer’s immersive presence—his willingness to insert himself into the story and to explore his visceral reactions to Ali, Foreman, and their entourages—which produces a visceral sense of the fight’s stakes and the personalities involved. Rather than maintaining journalistic detachment, Mailer’s The Fight harnesses his characteristic candour and narrative bravado to evoke both the spectacle and its broader cultural resonances, reinforcing his reputation as a pioneer of creative nonfiction.