At a fighting weight of little more than 11 stone, Paddy Monaghan was
not immediately as intimidating as bare-knuckle boxers like Lenny McLean
or Roy Shaw. But if anyone dared to underestimate this manas many
foolish opponents did in the pastthe full force of the hardest man in
Ireland, a fine and ferocious fighting machine, would be unleashed. His
unbroken record of 114 bare-knuckle fight wins is not only testimony to
his exceptional strategic skill and fearsome punching ability, but also
to his sheer determination and passion. Paddy Monaghan simply has
something inside him that will not allow defeat. Life has been far from
easy for Paddy. Although the Monaghans were originally a wealthy,
land-rich family, by the time Paddy was born all of the family's money
and land had been wasted away through fraud and gambling. So, in a
desperate attempt to make ends meet, Paddy's father uprooted the family,
eventually settling them in a crowded one bedroom flat in Abingdon,
England. This is where, aged five, Paddy received the grounding for his
future as a fighter. A wiry youngster who was not willing to be pushed
around, Paddy left school with a reputation for fighting. He had no
qualifications andwas unable to read or write, but was widely admired by
most of his peers for going out of his way to defend the weaker boys.
Many years later, once again refusing to be beaten, Paddy Monaghan
single-handedly taught himself how to read and write, beginning with the
ABC books designed for infant children. Paddy, a staunch Muhammad Ali
fan, displayed the same tenacity when he launched a one-man campaign to
protest the stripping of Ali's boxing license in 1967. Credited with
coining the phrase "Ali, the people's champion," Paddy's actions came to
the attention of the great man himself. And the next time Ali came to
the UK, he went to meet Paddy at his council house in Abingdon. This,
the first meeting of many, brought two men who were socially worlds
apart together in a friendship based on mutual respect and admiration.
Over the years rubbing shoulders with many a legend, Paddy Monaghan has
an extraordinary story to tell. This remarkable autobiography gives a
unique insight into Paddy's world of violencea world he only ever
entered in order to provide for his beloved wife and children."
