He Fought for a World Title with Lyme Disease | Mike Lee

He graduated from Notre Dame, signed with Top Rank, fought at Madison Square Garden and Cowboys Stadium, starred in national Subway commercials, and earned a shot at a world title. What almost nobody saw was what was happening behind the scenes. For years Mike battled chronic pain, autoimmune disease, misdiagnoses, and Lyme disease while trying to keep his career alive. He fought through broken ribs, endless medications, and training camps where his body was telling him to stop long before his mind would listen. In this conversation, Mike opens up about growing up in Chicago, the pressure to make his father proud, becoming one of boxing's top contenders, the relief that came after his only professional loss, finding purpose beyond the ring, and why he now believes health is the greatest fight of all. This is a conversation about identity, resilience, and knowing when enough is enough. Thank you to our sponsors Wild Roman: wildroman.com/rideout Code “RIDEOUT15” Timeline: timeline.com/rideout Code “RIDEOUT” Ken’s book now available here: https://www.theothersideofhard.com/ Chapters (00:00) Meet Mike Lee (00:24) Subway Sponsorship Story (02:05) Chicago Roots Boxing Start (03:43) Notre Dame Bengal Bouts (04:35) Golden Gloves Breakthrough (06:18) Dad Pressure Motivation (08:18) Broken Rib Hospital Night (10:13) Caleb Plant Fight Setup (11:28) Weight Cut Autoimmune Struggles (14:27) Fight Stoppage Relief (17:29) Skincare Ad Break (18:53) Career Perspective Big Moments (20:49) Cowboys Stadium Jerry Jones (24:11) Why Fighting Captivates (25:07) Turning Pro With Top Rank (26:56) Early Pro Opponents (27:32) Target on My Back (27:59) Grooming vs Real Threats (29:46) UFC Losses vs Boxing (31:16) Money and Corruption (32:27) Why Losses Matter (34:57) Top Rank Lion’s Den (36:25) Spence Crawford Aftermath (38:48) Gym Culture and Identity (45:50) Reading Fighters on the Bag (47:11) Mitochondria Ad Break (49:58) Fatigue and Quiet Quitting (54:46) Life After the Spotlight (57:47) Lyme Misdiagnosis Journey (59:25) Hospital Rock Bottom (59:56) Functional Medicine Pivot (01:00:37) Comeback Fight Hollow Win (01:01:36) Opioids to Cannabinoids (01:02:29) Soul CBD vs THC Brand (01:03:35) Hemp Ban and Lobbying (01:08:15) Alcohol vs Cannabis Shift (01:13:36) Edibles Safety and Dosing (01:17:34) Pivoting Beyond Hemp (01:19:50) Kids Online and AI Future (01:28:40) Farewell and Subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices