Read

Boxer Mike Lee: From Pain to Purpose

Creator:
Published:
March 12, 2024
July 20, 2019
Boxer-Mike-Lee|Boxer-Mike-Lee-Square

Professional boxer Mike Lee has built an impressive career while battling an autoimmune disease. We go behind the scenes and get to know the real man behind the gloves as he prepares for his world title match against a defending champion.

Video Transcript

Mike Lee: He’s 21-0

Mike Lee: July 20th, baby.

I fought at Madison Square Garden, Cowboy Stadium — some huge venues. But ultimately, I've always said this: The best feeling in life is when you're scared or nervous — you have those butterflies in your stomach — and you still do it. You still step through. It's just one of the most beautiful feelings in life. 

So July 20th, I fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on FOX — it's for a world title. And for boxing, it doesn't get any bigger than this.

In 2014, Mike was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis. AS is an autoimmune disease that causes severe pain. Mike was hospitalized regularly for two years. 

This helps. Right now, I'm achy after sparring. Right now, it’s at -180, -186. Here we go. Pop these on.

It's so much more than training for me. I'm constantly trying to repair my body. This autoimmune disease that I got diagnosed with is no joke and I feel like I need to do twice as much as the normal athlete to repair my body.

There were moments in my life that I thought that it was over for me. My darkest times — at one point I was in the hospital 14 days straight and trying to break the pain cycle and my immune system is shutting down just everything. I became really depressed.

So I started surrounding myself with positive things. Every single day I would visualize myself back in the ring or visualize myself out of the hospital or feeling good and feeling excited. And it's incredible that your body will listen to your mind.

From pain to purpose — I truly do believe that God put me through this pain to empathize with people. The next chapter in my life is going to be about helping people, about healing people. That's one thing I'm passionate about. And I'm going to win this title and continue to use this platform to help people. From pain to purpose.

Creators:
Grotto
Published:
March 12, 2024
July 20, 2019
On a related note...
The Promise of “One Day, You’ll Laugh About This"

The Promise of “One Day, You’ll Laugh About This"

Patricia Valderrama

Feeling Empty? Here are 3 Ways to Fill Your Cup Again

Feeling Empty? Here are 3 Ways to Fill Your Cup Again

Veronica Szczygiel

Take Me Home: A Grotto Short Film

Take Me Home: A Grotto Short Film

Grotto

The Perks of Shopping at Your Local Farmers' Market

The Perks of Shopping at Your Local Farmers' Market

Lauren Fritz

My Hands Were Made to Serve

My Hands Were Made to Serve

Chelsea Kau

4 Ways to Respond if the Pandemic Took Your Job

4 Ways to Respond if the Pandemic Took Your Job

Chris Hazell

An Open Letter to Anyone Sick with COVID-19

An Open Letter to Anyone Sick with COVID-19

Josh Noem

Why I’m Most at Home in a Library

Why I’m Most at Home in a Library

Shemaiah Gonzalez

How to Ask for Help with Depression

How to Ask for Help with Depression

Julia Hogan-Werner

Free Download: Spring Phone and Desktop Wallpapers

Free Download: Spring Phone and Desktop Wallpapers

Grotto

How to Be an Ally in the Fight for Racial Justice

How to Be an Ally in the Fight for Racial Justice

Kayla August

A First-Timer’s Guide to Taxes

A First-Timer’s Guide to Taxes

Joshua Mazrin

The Minimalist's Guide to Gift-Giving

The Minimalist's Guide to Gift-Giving

Dan Masterton

3 Ways to Love Those We’ve Never Met

3 Ways to Love Those We’ve Never Met

Mike Jordan Laskey

4 Steps to Lead Your Employer to a Greener Footprint

4 Steps to Lead Your Employer to a Greener Footprint

Jessie McCartney

6 Tips for Getting Your Passion Project Off the Ground

6 Tips for Getting Your Passion Project Off the Ground

Lillian Fallon

This Company Gives People a Second Chance at Life

This Company Gives People a Second Chance at Life

Grotto

God Sees the Color of My Skin

God Sees the Color of My Skin

Grotto Shares

Is This What Heaven Is Really Going to Be Like?

Is This What Heaven Is Really Going to Be Like?

Josh Noem

Unconventional Outdoor Hobbies to Try This Spring

Unconventional Outdoor Hobbies to Try This Spring

Lillian Fallon

newsletter

We’d love to be pals.

Sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll meet you in your inbox each week.