Introduction

In this chapter, I discuss the enduring appeal of boxing and why it also continues to be a popular sport, particularly among young workingclass men. I begin by briefly outlining the history of boxing and how it was viewed as cultural entertainment in the 19th century. I further demonstrate how, towards the end of that century, the middle classes distanced themselves from the ideology of contact sports, in particular boxing, and refocused their attention on more definable class-based sporting activities. In other words, sport became stratified, and different activities became appealing to different classes of men.

Considering the ways in which boxing forms part of class and masculine discourses, I discuss the appeal of boxing from a class-based masculine perspective. I therefore outline how contact sports form part of male working-class identities, particularly those that are informed by ‘hardmen’ discourses and motivated by violent working-class habitus ideals1 (Hobbs 1995; Winlow 2001).

I present literature that suggests that these male discourses are perpetuated by a gender order inherent in sporting practice, whereby men are able to accomplish their masculinity by validating their domination towards women and other males (Connell 1990; Messner 1990; Messner and Sabo 1990). Thus, boxing's appeal is enduring, as it not only supports and perpetuates identity formation among men who use violence as a mechanism of control and domination, but further allows them to express this in their performance of masculinity and sport. I then go on to discuss how boxing clubs have a long history of engaging young men in what is seen as a positive healthy activity and are often perceived as conducive to a sense of routine and discipline, whereby they engage youths who otherwise would be left to their own devices.

In theory, boxing may or may not be anything other than a place of incapacitation, a community centre/ gym that simply occupies young people's time as opposed to changing their outlooks or behaviours. This would suggest that the sport of boxing does not necessarily offer a change mechanism, and that any sport that detains young people when they otherwise may be involved in criminal activity would suffice. Where boxing excels above other sport, however, is in its appeal. Indeed, young men flock to boxing gyms, as they do to football pitches, for the image it represents.