Irish Thunder

""Irish†Micky Ward was always the underdog—one able to stage a stunning comeback late in a fight. After a fifteen-year pro career, a string of defeats, and three years of retirement, he defeated Arturo Gatti in 2002, capturing the world light welterweight title. The battle—named “Fight of the Year†by Ring magazine and “Fight of the Century†by boxing writers and fans around America—made Ward famous and launched two legendary rematches. Bob Halloran recounts Wards rise to fame, his rivalry with his imprisoned brother, and the negotiations, betrayals, and drugs that shaped a wild youth who ultimately became a nationally respected boxer. This is a story about a boxer from a boxing town—and a wrenching account of life in blue-collar America. Wards dramatic victories inside the ring are recounted in gripping detail, but it is his victory outside the ring that inspires.