The Manliest Sport

In this society men are expected and allowed to be strong, aggressive, violent, tough, competitive, etc. I believe the manliest sport is boxing. I base my argument on some stereotypes of masculinity.The ancient Greeks began fighting because they believed the Gods would play the sport. The winner of the fight would be viewed as the strongest competitor, and would be glorified. In the late 1800s churches supporting the muscular Christianity movement began running their own gyms with their own fighters. The muscular Christianity movement believed boxing was a way to increase their physical strength. Today the goal of boxing is to knock down the opponent, or win the most rounds. There are some rules in boxing that prohibit punching certain areas, kicking, or spitting but nonetheless it involves fighting. This is the manliest sport because it allows those who practice it to use aggression and violence to win without any equipment (other than equipment for their own protection). To be a successful boxer you not only have to be strong and fit but also need stamina and a high threshold for pain. One website I visited went as far as calling it “the manly art of self-defense.” I also came across a body building forum where users argued that boxing was manlier than mixed martial arts. Some comments I read argued that it’s even manlier than mma because the winner in a boxing match has to do so only with punches whereas in mma the competitors can use other forms of fighting such as kicking. When boxing was popular in the 70s, the best boxers became famous. Men like Mohammad Ali and Joe Frazier became famous during that time because of their winning streaks. They were viewed as manly men because they often won a sport that involves fighting. Unfortunately some boys are taught from a young way that an appropriate way to defend yourself is to fight.