Picture the boxing hero, arms thrown up, blood pouring from one eye, furious glory and pride to clamorous applause and snapping cameras: the 'bad man'. Now picture the former boxer, bloated body, slurred speech, too violent, too real: the bad man. Celebrate the former, look away from the latter.

Who are these men we build into heroes then abandon when they are mutilated - why do we love the glory, hate the tragedy. And what does that mean for the men themselves. How do you cope with being a hero when you live to see yourself become an embarrassment, once loved and now just an embodiment of our worst natures.

This book is the story of twelve of those men - twelve loosely connected boxers who tell a story of fury, ferocity, pain and powerlessness. Each chapter will tell the story of the triumph, and show the truth of what remains after it fades. Joe Frazier abandoned in a hotel room; Sugar Ray Robinson, tap dancing on tv; Mike Tyson, national nightmare; even Tyson Fury, undefeated, drinking beer on a yacht.

This is the story of masculinity and what it does to us, from violent delights to violent ends.