Product guide

The Boxer by Nikesh Shukla

The Boxer by Nikesh Shukla is a young adult novel about Sunny, a teenager who turns to boxing after a racist attack and finds friendship and support at a local club. Framed around the ten rounds of his first fight, the story also follows rising racial tensions and his concern about his friend Keir’s radicalisation.

At a glance

Follows seventeen-year-old Sunny as he joins a boxing club after a racist attack.
Explores friendship, belonging, racism and radicalisation.
The story moves between events after the attack and a tense fight, structured over ten rounds.

Price

£6.34Save 37%

Reference price: ~~£9.99~~

Price checked: 12 Nov 2026

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Pros and cons

Pros

Combines a boxing-club setting with themes of friendship, finding community and belonging.
Its ten-round structure links Sunny’s first fight with events leading up to it.

Technical specifications

10 specifications

Book details
Publisher	Hodder Children's Books
Publication date	27 Jun. 2019
Language	English
Print length	288 pages
ISBN-10	1444940694
ISBN-13	978-1444940695
Reading age	12 - 15 years
Grade level	2 - 12

Dimensions and installation
Dimensions	13.02 x 1.91 x 20 cm
Weight listed	1.05 kg

What to know before buying

The listed reading age is 12 - 15 years. The plot includes a racist attack, rising racial tensions and radicalisation, which may be relevant when choosing for a young reader. The listed grade level is 2 - 12, a broad range that does not specify an equivalent age.

Who is it for?

A good fit for

Young adult readers interested in stories about friendship, belonging and community.
Readers looking for fiction that addresses racism and radicalisation through a boxing setting.

Less suited to

Readers seeking a light sports story without themes of racism or radicalisation.

Customer reviews on Amazon

4.5 / 5 · 133 ratings

5 stars65%65%
4 stars28%28%
3 stars6%6%
2 stars0%0%
1 star1%1%

Aggregate ratings are mostly in the four- and five-star categories, with a small share of one- and three-star ratings and none in the two-star category. This indicates generally favourable ratings overall, but the figures do not explain what readers liked or disliked, so they cannot establish specific strengths or concerns about the story.

Frequently asked questions

What is The Boxer about?

It follows seventeen-year-old Sunny, who joins a boxing club after a racist attack and finds support there, while his friendship with Keir is strained by rising racial tensions and radicalisation.

How is the story structured?

The story is told across the ten rounds of Sunny’s first fight, moving between the aftermath of the attack and the fight itself.

What age range is listed for this edition?

The listing gives a reading age of 12 - 15 years and a grade level of 2 - 12.