The Economics of Sport
  • Sports Economics
  • About
  • Workshop
  • Selected Publications
  • Book Reviews
  • A Primer on Gaelic Games
  • Upcoming Events
  • Media
  • Education
  • Resources & Links
  • Data

Identity and Meaning Making Implications in Boxing

13/5/2015

 
By Stephen Brosnan

Recently John Considine wrote (here) on the topic of values, identity and economics within team sports. While watching the ‘Fight of the Century’ between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao last Saturday night it was apparent that identity and its meaning making implications are just as evident in individual sporting contests.

The fight itself was the most lucrative in boxing history. The fighter’s identities were at the forefront of the pre-match hype with the fight being billed as a Good versus Evil affair. Pacquiao, the clean living family man carrying the hopes of a poverty stricken nation on his shoulders against ‘Money’ Mayweather, the arrogant, undefeated champion who boasts about an extravagant lifestyle and has been spent time in prison on domestic violence charges. At times, the contest seemed less a sporting contest and more a morality play, with each fighter playing up to their role.

Before the fight analysts predicted Pacquiao to dominate the early rounds, his identity as an aggressive all action fighter preceding him. However, the fight itself never quite got going. Mayweather, an expert in the art of defensive boxing, used his jab, quick reflexes and counter punching ability to nullify Pacquiao’s speed and aggression, thus stripping the Filipino of his identity as an all-action boxer.

However, during the latter stages of the fight the commentators noted that boxing can be a subjective sport with each person associating different meaning making implications to different events. The commentators questioned whether the judges would place greater value on Mayweather’s defensive tactics or would reward Pacquiao as the aggressor, throwing flurries of punches without causing much damage.

In the end, Mayweather won by unanimous decision to a chorus of boos from the crowd. Those in attendance who had identified the bout as ‘The Fight of the Century’ felt angry and disappointed with the lack of action. Pacquiao himself insisted “I thought I won the fight,” adding, “He (Mayweather) didn't do nothing.” Pacquiao evidently didn’t place much value on Mayweather’s style of fighting which he described as “running”.

However, none of this is likely to bother Mayweather too much. Mayweather fought a fight equivalent to Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea ‘parking the bus’ to claim the Premier League title this week. Mayweather and Mourinho have been branded ‘boring’ for their style yet their identity has always been ‘winners’ rather than entertainers. The only thing that matters to two of the best in their respective fields is the end result. While Mayweather and Mourinho always seem to run out winners, it’s the fans that often tend to end up being the losers.

Stephen Brosnan is a Research Assistant at the Department of Economics, University College Cork

Comments are closed.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013

    About

    This website was founded in July 2013.

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    American Football
    Athletics
    Baseball
    Basketball
    Behavioural Economics
    Boxing
    Broadcasting
    Competitive Balance
    Cricket
    Cycling
    Darts
    David Butler
    Declan Jordan
    Drugs
    Ed Valentine
    Epl
    Esports
    Expenditure
    F1
    Fifa World Cup
    Finances
    Funding
    Gaa
    Gaelic Games
    Gambling
    Game Theory
    Gary Burns
    Geography
    Golf
    Greyhound Racing
    Guest Posts
    Horse Racing
    Impact Studies
    John Considine
    John Eakins
    League Of Ireland
    Location
    Media
    Mls
    Mma
    Olympics
    Participation
    Paul O'Sullivan
    Premier League
    Regulation
    Research
    Robbie Butler
    Rugby
    Simpsonomics
    Snooker
    Soccer
    Spatial Analysis
    Sporting Bodies
    Stephen Brosnan
    Swimming
    Taxation
    Teaching
    Technology
    Tennis
    Transfers
    Uefa
    Ufc
    World Cup
    Wwe

Related

The website is not formally affiliated to any institution and all of the entries represent the personal views and opinions of an individual contributor. The website operates on a not-for-profit basis. For this reason we decline all advertisement opportunities. 

Contact

To contact us email sportseconomics2013@gmail.com or find us on Twitter @SportEcon.