A Deviant Sports Career: Toward a Sociology of Unlicensed Boxing

The aim of the study was to investigate the largely undisclosed and officially unsanctioned deviant sporting activity of unlicensed boxing in the United Kingdom. A qualitative life history approach was used, whereby an understanding of participant values, perspectives, and motivations was sought through the experiences of a recently retired protagonist. Information was gathered through a series of in-depth, reflexive interviews. Emergent themes included critical incidents from school days, perceived local tradition, motivations for participation, and the meaning that winning and staying undefeated provided for the subject. The data were in turn interpreted within the framework of a sports career model, with the accompanying social critique placing the respondent's actions within the wider societal context. The implications of the findings lie in the development of a greater awareness and understanding of the activity of unlicensed boxing, which, in turn, reflects the existence of a sporting subculture of the socially disadvantaged.