MICHAEL Brodie has swallowed all the hurt, the anger and the frustration, channelling each fresh disappointment into his bid to become a world champion.
And that dream is just one fight from reality for the quiet man from Manchester who faces Korean tough nut Injin Chi for the WBC's featherweight title at the Manchester Evening News Arena tomorrow night.
Brodie has had more than his share of heartache. After a deprived childhood - his mother died when he was 15 - he split up with his wife Donna just weeks before his last fight, against Juan Cabrera in June.
But every negative that life throws at Brodie, outside a boxing ring or inside it, he turns into a positive, using it as motivation to reach the summit of his sport.
His latest blow was the break-up of his marriage to Donna, whom he married just a week after his last challenge for a WBC title, which he controversially lost on points to Willie Jorrin in September, 2000.
One of the reasons the marriage failed is that Brodie was devoted to his sport, which he had to be to reach the heights he had already scaled as an undefeated British, Commonwealth and European champion.
The break-up means he no longer sees his daughters, 13-year-old Daryll and Bonnie, seven, as often as he would like, but they are also a powerful motivation.
Brodie told M.E.N. Sport: "Donna walked out nine weeks before the Cabrera clash, and my head was in turmoil for that fight.
"But I am a strong person, and have come through a lot in my life.
"I lost my mum at 15 and was brought up by my elder brother.
"But I have turned all the hurt and the anger into a good thing. Those things are with me when I go into a fight.
"I will always love my kids and will be there for them. I am going to win this belt for them because I want them to have all the things I didn't have.
"I am over Donna now and getting on with my life. I have a new girlfriend and my marriage is in the past."
Donna became a familiar sight at Brodie's fights, in a red, white and blue dress specially made to match Michael's trunks.
The pictures of her tearful disbelief when Jorrin was awarded the verdict at Bowlers three years ago are an enduring memory of a bad night for boxing.
And 29-year-old Brodie took their separation badly. "I know it's hard living with a boxer sometimes but I met Donna when we had just turned pro and we had nothing," he said.
"I bought a house for the pair of us, and we went from rags to riches, in my eyes. I did it for us.
"But that's the past and I have nothing against her, she's the mum of my kids and they mean the world to me.
"When it gets hard in a fight, I remind myself that I am doing it for them. I see the man across the ring as someone who is trying to take it away.
"This bloke is after their toffees, their clothes, and all the good things they have.
"It inspires me even more to win the fight."
Brodie has also been dogged by the failure of the media and the public to give him the recognition his talents and achievements have deserved, but he is not bitter on that score.
He even rejects the tag given to him by one Sunday newspaper, that he is "the unluckiest boxer in Britain".
"I don't really feel unlucky at all," he said. "Unlucky in what way?
"I have achieved almost everything I wanted to achieve, as undefeated British, Commonwealth and European champion.
"How many fighters can say they have done that?"
By Stuart Brennan
Brodie deserves a break
:)mike brodie
I don't think it is a sad tale, on the contrary, i think Mikie is an inspiration to thousands of young boxers in the country, many of whom will have stories similar to that of his.
Mike must use his skills to win tonight, and certainly not get involved in a trade-off with Chi. I hope Mike Brodie wins and gets his rewards for never giving up.
Mike must use his skills to win tonight, and certainly not get involved in a trade-off with Chi. I hope Mike Brodie wins and gets his rewards for never giving up.