Boxen und Männlichkeit – eine intersektionale Mehrebenenanalyse des „Underdog“-Narrativs

Summary This article explores constructions of masculinity in boxing through an intersectional lens. It focuses on the underdog narrative, which portrays boxing as a space of social mobility for marginalized masculinities—particularly along the lines of class, race, and migration. Drawing on interview data with eight male amateur and professional boxers, the study examines how this narrative materializes in subjective self-interpretations, symbolic representations, and structural conditions. By using the intersectional multi-level analysis proposed by Degele and Winker (2007), the article reveals tensions between self-empowerment and normative discipline and critically interrogates hegemonic modes of subjectivation.