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...
How to Start Consuming Seafood Sustainably

How to Start Consuming Seafood Sustainably

Lauren Fritz

Marine Restorer Educates and Inspires Children

Marine Restorer Educates and Inspires Children

Grotto

How to Have a Good Conversation When You Disagree

How to Have a Good Conversation When You Disagree

Sophie Caldecott

Hope for Uvalde

Hope for Uvalde

Javi Zubizarreta

Father of 6 Speaks to the Challenges and Rewards of Parenting

Father of 6 Speaks to the Challenges and Rewards of Parenting

Grotto

Inspired By His Sister With Sickle Cell Anemia

Inspired By His Sister With Sickle Cell Anemia

Grotto

Quarantine Doesn’t Have to Threaten Your Marriage

Quarantine Doesn’t Have to Threaten Your Marriage

Erin Ramsey-Tooher

Palm Sunday Spotify Playlist | #GrottoMusic

Palm Sunday Spotify Playlist | #GrottoMusic

Grotto

Mother Teresa's Timeless Call to Love

Mother Teresa's Timeless Call to Love

Grotto Shares

3 Ways Anyone Can Cut Back on Plastic

3 Ways Anyone Can Cut Back on Plastic

Dan Masterton

“Ordinary Stories, Clothed in Love”

“Ordinary Stories, Clothed in Love”

Molly Cruitt

Dear Therapist: I Don’t Want to Be a Controlling Mom, But I Can’t Help It

Dear Therapist: I Don’t Want to Be a Controlling Mom, But I Can’t Help It

Grotto, Brya Hanan

Backyard Fundraiser Grows to Raise $3 Million | Little Ways: Fundraise

Backyard Fundraiser Grows to Raise $3 Million | Little Ways: Fundraise

Grotto

How to Set Resolutions — Without Setting Off Your Anxiety

How to Set Resolutions — Without Setting Off Your Anxiety

Lauren Lawson

What It’s Really Like to Be In Your 20s and 4 Years Sober

What It’s Really Like to Be In Your 20s and 4 Years Sober

Erica Tighe Campbell

How to Survive Pregnancy and Delivery

How to Survive Pregnancy and Delivery

Tamara Stacey

3 Lessons from this Pandemic That Might Shape Our Future

3 Lessons from this Pandemic That Might Shape Our Future

Chuck Lamphier

5 Paintings That Have Shaped My Understanding of God

5 Paintings That Have Shaped My Understanding of God

Maureen O'Brien

5 Ways to Cope with Loneliness Over the Holidays

5 Ways to Cope with Loneliness Over the Holidays

Julia Hogan-Werner

“Dying with Dignity”

“Dying with Dignity”

Molly Cruitt

newsletter

We’d love to be pals.

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