The career trajectories of two world champion boxers: interpretive thematic analysis of media stories
2020 (English)In: Sport in Society: Cultures, Media, Politics, Commerce, ISSN 1743-0437, E-ISSN 1743-0445, Vol. 23, no 4, p. 560-576Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Athlete development can be described through transitions that mark turning phases throughout athletes’ careers. Our authors explored media data to unpack the career developments of two prominent world champion boxers from their early lives to world championship status. Employing thematic analysis, five themes were identified: (1) weathering hardships of early life (subthemes: the rough life of an innercity kid; abject poverty in war-torn Philippines), (2) entry into sport (subthemes: groomed to fight; boxing to escape poverty), (3) amateur experience (subthemes: Olympic medallist en route to the pros; struggling amateur with dreams of greatness), (4) launching a professional career (impressive American prospect; a charismatic unpolished slugger) and (5) capturing a world title (subthemes: the much-anticipated world champion; the unexpected world champion). This exploration augments our understanding of how two worldrenowned boxers’ career developments were represented through sport media and interpreted by the researchers, suggesting parallel pathways for future career boxers and those who work with them. © 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Abingdon: Routledge, 2020. Vol. 23, no 4, p. 560-576
National Category
Applied Psychology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:hh:diva-37879DOI: 10.1080/17430437.2018.1463727ISI: 000521043500002Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85046425641OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hh-37879DiVA, id: diva2:1244513
2018-09-022018-09-022021-10-25Bibliographically approved