The gender of bruising: A critical literature review on gender in boxing

Abstract

This article provides a critical review of the scholarship on gender in boxing since the formal recognition of women's boxing internationally in 1994. The article is divided into three parts, each addressing a different aspect of the relationship between gender and boxing. The first part discusses the beginnings of boxing scholarship that mostly focussed on men and masculinity, the second part explores the research on boxing since the inclusion of female boxing in international competitions and examines organizational aspects of boxing, and the last part outlines the scholarship that explores gender identities in boxing. The review is based on qualitative textual analysis and attempts to identify gaps in the scholarship, providing suggestions for future research directions. Overall, the article argues that while the scholarship on gender in boxing is saturated, there are still a few areas that would benefit from further research. These are studies on the relationship between volunteering, refereeing, heterosexuality, and gender in boxing.