Irish Thunder

The Hard Life & Times of Micky Ward

By: Bob Halloran

Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot

Length: 10 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's Summary

Micky Ward is THE FIGHTER that inspired the major motion picture.

Welcome to Lowell, where anything can happen.

Rocky Marciano fought at the Auditorium in 1947. Mike Tyson fought there in his Golden Gloves days. Sugar Ray Leonard won there, as did Marvin Hagler. Each of them prepared for his battle downstairs in the boiler room, just like thousands of other kids.

“Irish” Micky Ward grew up in the 1970s and ’80s as a tough kid from Lowell, Massachusetts - a town where boxers were once bred as a means of survival. A hard worker who overcame bad luck, bad management, and chronic pain in his hands, he avoided the pitfall of poverty and dead-end work that plagued Lowell to become a Golden Gloves junior welterweight.

Ward participated in street fights from an early age and was forever known by his opponents and spectators as the underdog. But with his incredible ability to suddenly drop an opponent late in a fight with his trademark left hook, he kept proving everyone wrong.

After fifteen years of boxing, a string of defeats, and three years of retirement, Micky battled Arturo Gatti in 2002 in the battle that was later named “Fight of the Year” by Ring magazine and dubbed “Fight of the Century” by boxing writers and fans across the country. Ten rounds of brutal action ended with Micky winning by decision, and reviving enthusiasm for a sport that had been weighted down by years of showboating and corruption. ESPN and Boston television reporter Bob Halloran recounts Micky’s rise to hero status, his rivalry with his imprisoned brother, and the negotiations, betrayals, and drugs that ultimately shaped a wild youth into a nationally respected boxer.

BOB HALLORAN is the weekend news and sports anchor at WCVB-TV in Boston. He is also a former ESPN anchor and columnist for ESPN.com. He has worked as a news and sports anchor in New England for over twenty years, and he writes a weekly column for Boston’s Metro newspaper.

©2010 Bob Halloran (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic Reviews

“Bob Halloran does a remarkable job in describing the actual key bouts of Lowell’s champion boxer. You can almost feel the punches and intensity of the brutal sport.” ( Sun; Lowell, Massachusetts)

Great Listen!!

What a terrific story. Being from Massachusetts and living in Lowell as a kid, this book really hit home with me. Mickey Ward embraced his tough surroundings and through faith and sheer determination he literally fought his way to the top! While never forgetting his friends, his family, and where he came from. I would recommend this book to anyone. Bronson Pinchot is terrific as well.

Wow--Inspiring and Entertaining,

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

YES. Well written and the narration was fabulous.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Micky, of course. He overcame so many challenges, difficulties, and unfair life circumstances to succeed.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I wanted to because it was so interesting and exciting. I listened as I had time and often just drove off to run long errands so I could listen.

Irish Thunder

The first half of the book was a little hard going as the narrator was quite staccato, however he improved in the second half. If you're a boxing fan this is a must. Great true story

Fantastic book

'Irish' Micky ward was not blessed with an easy upbringing, but was born with an incredible heart and determination. When micky wasn't paving the streets of his crummy hometown Lowell, he was in a boxing ring giving his all.

This book documents the highs and lows micky experienced throughout his boxing career and also covers his turbulent relationship with his infamous brother and trainer dicky ekland.

Despite micky's patchy record, and his reputation of being a journeyman he was feared and threw a vicious left hook to the body that helped him win many of his fights.

This book is a must read for any boxing fan, but micky's story also acts as a motivational tale that shows what determination and courage can achieve for anyone in any walk of life.

The narrator was maybe a little subdued at the beginning, but as the story went on he became more animated, he especially enjoyed reading and acting the ward v. gatti trilogy. Who wouldn't?