Boxing and Society: An International Analysis (Sport, Society & Politics S.) - Softcover

"Boxing and society" is the first comparative, sociological investigation of the subculture of amateur and professional boxing, John Sugden begins by tracing the social, economic and historical roots of boxing, one of the world's oldest sports. He goes on to examine the various positions taken in the ethical, moral and political debate over the future of boxing and highlights the need for a more informed sociological analysis of the sport as a significant aspect of world culture. A major section of the book centres around three detailed case studies of boxing clubs working in three very different national contexts; a ghetto boxing club in the United States; the complex community politics of Belfast, Northern Ireland; and finally, the context within which the world's finest amateur boxers are devoted in Castro's Cuba. The book concludes by setting the moral debate over the future of boxing in a comparative socio-economic context and in terms of the experience of those who actually set foot in the ring.