A history of boxing in Mexico : masculinity, modernity, and nationalism /

Mention boxing in Mexico, and images come to mind of fights exhibiting a kind of unrestrained toughness, of fighters battling long after others would have called it quits. Of course, not all Mexican boxers conform to the stereotype, but enough do to give it some semblance of credibility. Moreover, as Allen (California State Univ., Bakersfield) reminds us, buried in Mexico's boxing style and in the personalities of its legendary fighters are important cultural touchstones. As anthropologist Clifford Geertz noted in his study of Balinese cockfighting, the events provided "a story they tell themselves about themselves." Allen uses the careers and stories told about Rodolfo Casanova, Raúl Macías, Vicente Saldívar, Rubén Olivares, and José Nápoles as windows into Mexican culture. Exploring themes of nationalism, modernity, and masculinity, he demonstrates the cultural importance of boxing that transcends class and other social barriers. Embedded in the history of boxing are stories of progress and transformation, of persistence, optimism, and anxiety. More than anything, boxing is a lesson in manhood and character, perhaps in no country more so than Mexico. Well-researched and convincingly written, A History of Boxing in America is a valuable contribution to the sport's larger narrative. Summing Up: Recommended. All readers. --Randy W. Roberts, Purdue University