To conclude, I will discuss the overarching themes that emerged from the findings and also from the case studies of Frank, Eric and Leroy. I will briefly discuss the commonalities of each case and also the differences, and summarise my overall conclusions in relation to both the appeal and desistance potential of boxing.

I argue that the gym – and ‘gym life’ – incapacitates to the extent that it consumes men's time, but offers little in the way of positive behavioural change or cognitive transformation (Giordano et al 2002). The discourses inherent in the gym and the broader habitus of these men reinforce a self-concept that views violence as a solution to selfperceived problems of masculinity. Boxing traps men in a culture of ‘respect’ and constructs habits of proactive and reactive violence that are not always conducive to criminal desistance. I finish with a discussion of the implications for the sport, and for future youth policy and practice, and thus close with a brief discussion of ways forward for the sport and its relationship to desistance from crime.

The enduring appeal of boxing

The enduring public appeal of the boxing gym resides in an ill-conceived notion that it can offer a ‘way out’. In this study, men often perceived the sport as capable of helping them overcome some form of economic, social or academic barrier. In their words, boxing was about “money, status and fame”, and “getting out from round ‘ere”. It was personal for most of these men, and many saw the gym as being more than just a place to “let off steam”. However, beyond the veneer of these status accomplishments and ‘routes out of poverty’ statements, boxing also offered a way for these men to deny fragility and previous victimisation, and invest in specific discourses that contributed to them achieving what they deemed to be “respect”. The masculine discourses inherent in this social world reinforced this ideal, as men built their physical capital not only to gain a sense of respect, but also to increase their sense of status among peers both inside and outside the gym setting.

Men viewed the concept of ‘respect’ as being coterminous with ‘fear’. The very idea of being disrespected or perceived as weak was so abhorrent, that they would do anything in their power to avoid it.