Someone had the bright idea of booking an academic convention and several boxing entourages at the same hotel on the weekend of the biggest fight of the season to date. There’s a joke somewhere in there about Jocks and Nerds inheriting the same space. In the end it was a great thing to be in the shared space. I was able to observe a part of life that I don’t usually see. I was able to watch prizefighters and their entourages prepare for a fight card.
The boxing card was a series of smaller matches leading up to the title fight between Garcia and Martinez. In the days leading up to the match and match day itself it was interesting to see the various entourages and fighters coming and going. The atmosphere was cordial but competitive with the older trainers explaining to each other why their fighter would certainly win. The outfits are what set everyone apart. The entourage wore mob-esque jump suits with their team name emblazoned on the front and back while the women wore hardly anything at all—Short skirts, high heels, ring girl attire, etc.
Boxing, like any sport, has more significance when you assume a personal connection to the people involved. The Darchiniyan v. Donaire card thus became relevant because we’d seen the fighters, listened in on some of the conversations, and had a chance to identify with members of the entourages on both sides.
There is a lot of ego built into the sports I’ve played. Baseball has some and football has a lot more, but witnessing how important every single match is to boxing—in fact every single round—really blew me away. Say what you will about the intelligence of boxers, but their earnest passion and their courage and heart are unmatched in any sport I’ve been around. This, of course, doesn’t mean certain prejudices and presumptions do not exist on both sides.
What I found most interesting about the whole situation were the conversations. At one point we met a man at the bar who was obviously a trainer and very clear about his supposed love for teachers and the teaching profession. Sadly, after he bought my group a round of drinks and praised us, the bartender told us that he was saying a lot of negative things about us—claiming we thought we were better than him.
I think people put a lot of their own ideas and prejudices on to a role, no matter what or who the person holding the role is. Role Identity is a real thing from an internal and external perspective.