Counterpunch: The Story of a World Champion Boxer is a work of fiction in the sporting, interpersonal drama, and action sub-genres, and was penned by author Chris Shaw. Written for mature reading audiences due to the presence of some scenes of violence, inside and outside of the boxing ring, this is an engaging and inspirational tale of keeping up the fight through a long period of history. We follow Sam Smith as he starts out his boxing career in England in the 1960s, through to his rise to world championship status and the incredible life experiences and assistance which he gets from all sorts of unusual sources.

Author Chris Shaw has crafted a tale that sports fans of all ages are highly likely to enjoy and get a lot of satisfaction from. Boxers and fighters will especially enjoy the technical aspects of the work and the vibrant atmosphere of the piece, which really gets into protagonist Sam’s head as he goes through the many different stages which make him an ultimate champion. The plot progression has a few little surprises, but overall it builds in a very logical structure and gets more inspirational with every chapter. I really loved the supporting cast of characters who each contribute something to Sam’s journey, and I felt they were diversely penned with plenty of variation and character quirks. Overall, I would certainly recommend Counterpunch: The Story of a World Champion Boxer for fans of action-packed sports drama that really packs a punch. 

— K.C. Finn for Readers' Favourite