A Boxer's Life: "Control The Feet, Control The Fight"

In 2014, Edward Bowers conducted a qualitative piece of research for his project, during his final year at Durham University where he investigated how professional boxers performed at the highest level in the ring. This investigation explores and provides an insight into how professional boxers motivate themselves when preparing for a competitive fight, twenty minutes before walking out to the ring. In this qualitative piece of research, Edward was privileged to conduct in-depth interviews with four professional or retired ex-professional boxers. Some of the subjects have been former British, European, Commonwealth, and World Champions. During the interview process, the boxers expressed their personal experiences and opinions about their preparation, twenty minutes before a competitive fight. From this study, Edward explains the type of preparation and psychological strategies they used before a fight, so they were physically and mentally ready to achieve success in the ring. The purpose of this study is to inspire boxers from different levels of the sport, to gain a better understanding and insight into what it takes to compete at the highest level of boxing.