10th Round began not as a novel, but as a screenplay — a raw, emotional boxing drama I wrote to capture the power of redemption, legacy, and family. At its core, it was always about more than the sport; it was about fathers and sons, the passage of time, and the fight that never leaves you, even after the final bell.

The screenplay version followed Mickey Brannigan, a once-great Boston fighter facing the end of his life and the consequences of years spent chasing glory. As I developed the script, I realized the story wanted more space to breathe. The characters — Mickey, his estranged son Danny, and the young fighter he mentors, Tyrell — had inner lives, memories, and regrets that could only be fully explored on the page.

What began as a tight, dialogue-driven film script evolved into a deeply layered novel, expanding on the backstories, relationships, and emotional history of its characters. The process allowed me to step beyond the boxing ring and dive into the quiet moments — the long nights, the ghosts of the past, and the small acts of forgiveness that define a life.

The novelization of 10th Round preserves the cinematic rhythm of the screenplay but adds new depth — more history, more Boston grit, more humanity. It’s the same story that first came alive in screenplay form, now told the way it always deserved to be told: as a novel about fighting for redemption long after the crowd has gone home.