Irish Micky Ward was a Golden Gloves junior welterweight from Lowell, Massachusetts, always known as the underdog but with and uncanny ability to suddenly drop his opponent late in a fight.After 15 years, a string of defeats, and even three years in retirement, Ward battled Arturo Gatti in 2002 in a bout that was described by many as the Fight of the Century. Ten rounds of brutal action ended with Ward winning by decision, and reviving enthusiasm for a sport that had been weighted down by years of showboating and corruption.Irish Thunder recounts Ward's rise to hero status, his rivalry with his imprisoned brother, and the negotiations and betrayals that ultimately shaped a wild youth into a sporting champion.