Introduction

This chapter describes the case study of Leroy. It looks at the original and enduring appeal of boxing for him and also its relation to his early home life, including his relationship with his father. I discuss Leroy's upbringing in an environment surrounded by violence, and offer insights into how this may have contributed to Leroy's understanding of violence. I conclude by discussing whether or not the sport of boxing has any influence on the way he views and employs violence in his everyday life.

Leroy's story

Leroy was a professional boxer of British descent. He was relatively small and stocky in appearance, and his shaved head and tattoos added to his overall demeanour of a fighter. He was in possession of many trophies, and his photographs also adorned the walls of the gym. Yet Leroy did not boast of his success like other men in this book, nor did he chide the amateurs, which was common practice among the professionals. He was a sensitive interviewee and also slightly nervous: he constantly checked in with me with regard to his answers being “right” and seemed anxious about what I thought of his ability to communicate. This became apparent throughout the interview, as he disclosed that he was “street-smart but put a piece of paper in front of me and game over”. In fact, Leroy seemed quite concerned about his ability to communicate with those he perceived as “cleverer” than him, and he often referred to himself as “thick” and incapable of doing anything other than boxing. He left school without any qualifications after long spells of truancy and “just signed on”, until he “got picked to fight for England and made it”.

Leroy grew up in a relatively deprived part of the city with his parents and sister. His dad was also a professional boxer and, according toLeroy, he could often be seen out drinking and being “Jack the Lad on the beer after the boxing”. A dominant but absent figure in Leroy's life, his father often disappeared for days on end, even fathering another child with a local woman. Leroy's primary relationships were with his mother and sister, who he claims are his “best mates”, going so far as to say that his sister “would back me up on anything”.