They fled Ireland during the 1850s to escape from poverty Ward was a three-time New England Golden Gloves champion boxer who turned pro in 1985, winning his first fourteen fights.

[2] During Ward's time away from the sport, he used some of the funds from his day job on a road-paving crew to have surgery on his right hand, which had given him problems during several bouts.

[3] Ward's left hook to the body later resulted in a first-round knockout of Steve Quinonez, and a nine-count knockdown of Arturo Gatti in their first fight.

[6] Ward still lives in Lowell, where he is part owner of both a boxing gym as well as an outdoor hockey rink.

He manages the boxing gym he owns with his half-brother and former trainer, Dicky Eklund, who trains new boxers entering its academy.

[8] In his 2012 autobiography, Ward revealed that he had been sexually abused as a child by a friend of Dicky's, another boxer referred to only by his nickname, "Hammer".

In 2011, Wahlberg confirmed to Spike TV that The Fighter 2 is in the works, which will focus on the legendary fight trilogy between Ward and Arturo Gatti.

[10] Lowell hip hop artist D-Tension released the song, '’One Hit to the Body'’ which Micky used as his ring entrance music for the On May 18, 2002 Ward-Gatti bout.

The album The Warrior's Code by Dropkick Murphys features Ward on the cover, and he is also the subject of the title song.