In the darkest days of the Troubles, when Northern Ireland was synonymous with violence, sectarianism, and division, a small boxing gym in Belfast became an unlikely refuge. Punches of Hope, by Guardian journalist Donald McRae, tells the true and moving story of Gerry Storey, a coach who defied hatred with boxing gloves. From his gym in the heart of IRA territory, Storey opened his doors to young Catholics and Protestants, despite threats, bombs, and hostility from those who opposed any form of reconciliation. He trained boxers such as world champion Barry McGuigan and Olympic medalist Hugh Russell, but his greatest achievement was offering an escape route—and hope—to an entire generation marked by violence. With the narrative pulse of a great chronicle and the emotion of a story of redemption, McRae masterfully reconstructs how boxing achieved what politics could not: building bridges between enemies. After years of research and intimate interviews with the key figures in this story, this book is a powerful account of courage, humanity, and the power of sport to change lives.