Introduction

In this chapter, I discuss the themes that emerged from my research, particularly those that relate to boxing's enduring appeal, and also those that demonstrate how the sport can be a fundamental source of masculine accomplishment and status. I begin with a reflection on the initial appeal of boxing for some of the men in the gym, and also consider how that relates to their understanding of why they continue to attend. Furthermore, I discuss how boxing is a response to personal and structural vulnerability for the majority of men in this sample, and therefore present data to illustrate how the appeal of boxing has changed for them over their life-course.

Moreover, I present evidence to demonstrate how these men's journeys throughout their amateur and professional careers have changed, and whether or not there are differences in the reasons why they persist. Indeed, I explore the tension between the straightforward ‘surface’ reward-statements of men (money, status, fame, health, discipline, and so on) and what are interpreted as ‘deeper’ motivations, suggesting that the gym is a physical, social but also a psychological space for accomplishing masculinity, and for creating and sustaining selfworth in the face of chronic autobiographical and structural limitations.

Reflections on the appeal of boxing

During the six months that I spent in the field in the world of amateur and professional boxing, it became increasingly evident that the gym was an important and valuable space for the men who attended. The conversations I had with these men, and the time I spent hanging around this inner-city gym, allowed me a brief glimpse into their social world, and thus permitted me access to their worldview. Most of the men I spoke with had a personal reason for participating: some talked of getting fit and losing weight, whereas others talked of boxing being their ‘life’. Others perceived themselves as contributing to the night-time economy, or overcoming some form of social, economic or academic barrier.

One of the successful professionals I spoke with proclaimed that boxing, “Proved I was capable of doing something, that I was worthy of something” (Leroy, 32 years old, professional).