Fighter

by Niall Kelly

An epic and moving journey, from the backstreets of London and Limerick to the summit of the world's most unforgiving sport.In 2005, at the age of twenty, Andy Lee left Ireland to make it in the harsh world of professional boxing. Leaving home for the dust and faded glamour of Detroit, over the next ten years, under the guidance of the legendary Emamuel Steward, he set about honing his craft, winning fight after fight and slowly climbing the professional ranks.Then, in 2012, his star ascendant, Lee suffered two devastating blows in quick defeat in his first World Championship bout and the sudden loss of Steward, his guide and confidant. Bereft, his career in jeopardy, the path to redemption would test every hard-won lesson of the previous decade …Fighter is a lyrical and philosophical memoir about resilience, bravery and the wisdom to be found at the limits of human experience.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Sports

307 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 2, 2018

Reviews

[Ronan Cassidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beyond blown away by how well this is written and how well Andy articulates these stories. In a class of its own for its genre

[Jon K · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I moved to Chicago from Scotland in 2009, Andy Lee was already establishing himself as world class middle weight fighting out of the legendary Kronk gym in Detroit. I’d follow his fights religiously and hope to see this kid who was my age from the Celtic world conquer the boxing world far away from his home. I could relate.
Andy Lee wasn’t only a great fighter, but is a nice guy. A guy who is down to earth, intelligent and has a heart. Unconventional in the boxing world. Which makes this book so different and captivating. He’s not just a boxer, he’s a man with a brain, risking his life and mind in every fight, and he knows it.

[DCLibrarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an outstanding book. Not my usual read so I'm glad that I tried something different. I had never even heard of this man before but such an amazing story about dedication and resilience and love.

One of the best stories I've read in a long time.

[David Keane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting book about someone I had never heard of before. Would recommend. Thanks Ronald.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andy Lee is an articulate storyteller, with his fascinating anecdotes making for a tremendous read. From the World Junior Championships in Cuba, growing up in the Gypsy community, brawling on holiday, all the way to sparring in the Kronk Gym, ‘Fighter’ is filled with fantastic tales. I particularly enjoyed reading about the time Lee and Emanuel Steward ended up crashing a Rolls Royce. However, away from the humorous stories is a man who put it all on the line to become world champion, simply refusing to give up until he achieved his dream. This book is fantastic and more than worth a read.

[Dougal English · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written really well. Andy sees boxing differently to most. Would recommend to all even those who aren’t huge boxing fans.

[John Hennessy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was an absolutely great read that I could not put down over the few days Christmas break. Andy had a great career that was probably slightly under appreciated here in Ireland with him not getting the following he deserved at times. This is probably just a result of the fact that he fought the majority of his fights in America and the casual boxing fans would not of been aware or in a position to watch his fights. As a big boxing fan I absolutely loved him as an athlete and followed his career from early on. However It was great to get his insights on his early career training in the Kronk Gym while living in Detroit surrounded by some of the best boxers of all time. He gave a really insightful and honest opinion on how his career went and some of the mistakes he made.

He had some absolutely great fights and some boxing experiences that I don't think any Irish Boxer we've had can match up to, Olympic athlete, fighting out of the most famous boxing gym in the world and winning a World Title in America unbelievable really. The only part of the book that disappointed me was I felt the ending was slightly rushed and 2 huge fights against Quillan & Saunders were not discussed in alot of detail which I would of really loved to of heard and also a little bit more on his reasons for retirement. Although an absolutely great read all the same.

[Liam J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read - great insights into boxing

[Leonard Durac · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolutely excellent book that I read compulsively cover to cover in just three days. It gives a really honest insight into Andy’s life in boxing, and a great sense of the snakepit of the professional boxing world. He is very honest in his assessments, and gives a really nuanced picture of his relationship with Manny Steward, showing both the love and the respect and also the later disengagement as Andy’s career started to stall after such early promise. He also writes with real dignity and feeling about his experiences as a gypsy and his sense that he felt he had to achieve a world title to make his community proud. As a Limerick man, we have all been so proud of Andy for the last 15 years, and we followed his career all the way from the Olympics in Athens in 04, all the way through the rollercoaster of his professional career. A lot of us feel bad that we were slow off the mark in ordering our tickets for the proposed fight in Thomond Park in 2014, as I and friends would certainly have gone along had the fight taken place. Either way, this is a great book and well worth a read. Thanks Andy for everything!

[Steven Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Fighter** by Andy Lee is a brutal meditation on the highs and lows of boxing, where victory is fleeting, but defeat lingers like a wound that never quite heals. Lee captures the cruel reality of the sport—how the euphoria of a win dissolves almost instantly, while the pain of a loss burrows deep into the soul. His honesty about the mental and emotional toll of failure is what sets this book apart, showing that in boxing, as in life, the losses shape you far more than the wins ever could. Even his greatest triumphs are colored by the knowledge that they won’t last, that another fight, another challenge, another possible failure is always looming. The book isn't just about fighting; it's about carrying the weight of disappointment long after the cheers have faded. In the end, **Fighter** is less about glory and more about endurance—about learning to live with the ghosts of what could have been.

[leila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review by John O'Leary

This is an excellent book that I read over the space of 5 or 6 days as could not put it down. Very honest recount of Andy's life to date. He has been and done many things in his short life and his story of triumph is amazing. I have followed is career since the Olympics and have met the man in person with my autistic son at a boxing event. He is a gentleman in person and it's nice to meet someone with his profile that is as nice in person as the persona on TV. His family and Ireland should be proud of him. This is an excellent read and will inspire future champions. It is an honest, raw account of the life of a young boy on the margins of society who made it to the top. This man is and will continue to bring the traveller and settled community closer together and I could not recommend this book more.

[Jason McCracken · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a fighter I was never a fan, he was just yet another great white hope for HBO that was spoon fed taxi drivers but each time he stepped up in class he was found out so I'm not sure why I decided to read this book.

But anyway...

When he's describing exactly what's going through his mind during the fights this book is absolutely brilliant but it's let down by the personal stuff which is just generic and boring and then there's the excuses for each loss which are pathetic (especially the JCC jr fight) and made me want to toss the book.

I might have to go and rewatch the first fight with Vera again, I remember laughing my arse off at the time 🤣

[Adrian Fingleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book. Normally I HATE biographies but this one was a bit different. I don't know Andy Lee very well, but he's articulate, compelling, clear-eyed about the pros and cons of the 'fight game'. He also offers some genuine insights into how a boxer goes about defeating his opponent and the mind games that are involved. The stories about his background and upbringing are very interesting too. And the book romps along - it's reasonably short, does not focus on every fight, but just talks about the pivotal moments, highs and lows of his boxing career. Really good...

[Aidan Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read, I finished it in two days or so. It doesn't get into the nitty gritty, no clear sense of the hard work or the personal toll / sacrifices he experienced. Not much on his traveller background and the perhaps understated following he had in Ireland despite his success.
This could be a criticism of the book or a reflection of Andy Lee, he might be detached somewhat from these details, taking it all in his stride.

[John Kehoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick and uniquely great book. I didn’t’ realized how much I was enjoying it until I finished it so quickly. It at times just focuses on the life of Andy but at other times gets very in depth about boxing and specific fights. Emotional at parts as well. I will say it was somewhat missing an INSANE wow moment or something, but for a non fiction biography/sports book it was awesome.

Also having now finished, looking up some of these fights and watching them is so cool.

[Fiona O'Reilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 5* sports biography- great read. Andy comes across as a real thinker & a solid guy. Really well written & dues to Niall Kelly who also helped Philly McMahon write his excellent bio. This is however a better read & one of the best sports biographies I've ever read. You don't have to be into boxing to enjoy & appreciate this read.

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting perspective into life of young boxer as he develops and trains to realise his potential
focus is very much on his relationships, with wife, with trainers and promoters and his gypsy community ties

feels honest and allows that mistakes and disruptions to his trajectory were somewhat his fault

[Robbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully honest account of his career. A very interesting man and a great insight into boxing, the boxer’s mind and growing up in the travelling community in England and Ireland.

I particularly enjoyed imagining a young Lee swapping the “bog road” in Limerick for the harsh streets of Detroit and the almost mystical Kronk gym.

[Shane Mulcahy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fine book. It provides an engaging account of Lee's career, with some great insights about the Kronk gym in Detroit. Lee is an intelligent and interesting character, and he manages to explain the more technical aspects of boxing for a lay person like myself. He seems like one of the good guys in boxing. This is well worth a read.

[Darragh Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

More than just a boxing book

Highly recommended read. Great insite in to the ups and downs; even more so the downs. Have even more admiration for Andy after reading it. Appreciate the honesty.

[Mr Derek Corrigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping read

From the first bell I never put the book down, a very honest account of a boxers life and the absolute sense of dedication firstly to master the art and craft of the sport and then to persevere to achieve the dream, a gripping read bravo !

[Kristian Gunn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggle with ghost written books. Written in the first person but often using language you know the subject wouldn’t use themselves. Readable enough, but nothing hugely interesting or spectacular in Lee’s particular sporting journey

[Michael Brophy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book in in keeping with the man

A compelling insight into the thoughts of a boxer who made it to the top without the need to exude brash arrogance. There aren't that many wow moments in this book but it's an enjoyable read all the same.

[Kieran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book describing how a young Irish guy went through the fights, and headed to USA to fulfil his dream of a world title. Really enjoyed it.

[David Keane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read, honest and to the point.

[Nial · Rating 3 out of 5]

An ok read but put together very badly. Tine jumps and a lot of stuff glossed over. Whats there is worth reading though.

[Justine Delaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great story. Well worth a read..

[Mise Enda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. I love sport, but can often find sports books boring. Particularly biographies. No such complaints here. Gobbled it up!

[Austin J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid read. Seems a bit too ghost written at times. Andy Lee was a favorite of mine.