Introduction

In this case study, I demonstrate how Eric embodies his masculinity through the medium of boxing, and how he strives to accomplish masculine ideals that prioritise domination, violence, endurance and winning. I will argue that the accomplishment of these ideals can – and does – lead to injury and anxiety for Eric, as I consider how injuries and violence are thought of as commonplace in the gym environment and how these are negated through fear of emasculation.

I will argue these points by illustrating Eric's career in the sport of boxing and how this impacted on his life-course and relationships both in and outside of the gym. I begin with Eric as a small child, discussing his first experience of injury and violence and, subsequently, his first experiences with boxing. I follow this with his narrative of winning the Light Middleweight British title, and finish with his present story as a boxing coach ten years after relinquishing his belt. Throughout the case study, I present Eric's subsequent understanding of violence and why boxing was initially appealing for him, particularly as he has been participating in the sport for over 30 years.

Eric's story

Eric's was the first face I saw when I entered the gym to begin my research, and I came to realise over the six months that I spent in the boxing gym, that Eric was the gym. He spent every day there, training the professionals, encouraging the amateurs and scouting for further talent. At 51 years old, Eric looked good, with his sculpted torso and his enviable ability to do hundreds of sit-ups. Boxing gyms have implicit hierarchies, and the trainer's past victories and titles place them at the top. Their photographs adorn the walls, and belts and trophies are usually on display for all to see. Much of the discussion centres on the trainer's heyday, and this serves to encourage the dreams and aspirations of the younger men in the gym. This is not dissimilar to Wacquant's (2004:35) observations: ‘In both layout and adornment, the gym constitutes something of a temple of the pugilistic cult by the presence on its walls of the major fighters, past and present, to whom the budding boxers from ghetto gyms devote a selective but tenacious adoration’.