Irish Thunder: The Hard Life and Times of Micky Ward

<p><b>Now in paperback!</b></p><p> </p><p><b>The true story of a boxer's unlikely road to becoming a world champion</b></p><p> </p><p>&quot;Irish&quot; Micky Ward was always the underdog - one able to stage a stunning comeback late in a fight. After a fifteen-year pro career followed by a string of defeats and three years of retirement, the Lowell, Massachusetts, native defeated Arturo Gatti in 2002, capturing the world light welterweight title. The grueling battle - named &quot;Fight of the Year&quot; by <i>Ring</i> magazine and &quot;Fight of the Century&quot; by boxing fans around America - was broadcast live on HBO, made Ward famous, and launched two legendary rematches. </p><p> </p><p>In <i>Irish Thunder</i>, Bob Halloran recounts Ward's rise to hero status, 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 family and a boxing town - and it is a wrenching account of life in blue-collar America. Ward's dramatic victories inside the ring are recounted in gripping detail, but it is his victory outside the ring that inspires.</p><p> </p>