Oates On Boxing
- contact283249
- Oct 4
- 2 min read
Written by Joe Hicketts
This article explores Anatole Broyard’s 1987 New York Times review of On Boxing by Joyce Carol Oates, a book that examines the sport with rare clarity and depth. Broyard reflects on how Oates cuts through the sentimentality and romanticism that often colour boxing writing, instead revealing the sport’s raw physicality, emotional intensity, and philosophical weight.
Photo from The Fighter (2010)
Article Topic
Anatole Broyard an editor of The Book Review discusses On Boxing a book written by Joyce Carol Oates in the New York Times following its release in 1987.
Sentimentality and Romanticism in Boxing Writing
Anatole Broyard deeply appreciates the recently released book. She cites that like many subjects such as jazz, boxing often brings with it a certain air of sentimentality and writers often struggle to see past what boxing is said to be by others rather than what it actually is in ring.
Within the book, Joyce likens boxing to ‘primitive’ actions in the same way that birth, love or death is, and that boxing being so physical in nature forces us to accept that these spiritual moments that happen in boxing and events such as life and death etc are no more than physical events that we imprint a certain level of meaning onto.
While Joyce dismisses the idea that boxing is somehow a metaphor for life she does at times speak about boxing with a certain level of romanticism stating that boxing is ‘intimate’ and that ‘everything will be exposed’, perhaps being driven by being introduced to the sport at a young age by her father.
Possible Extensions in Topics for the Book
Anatole could see the book as taking itself further in its material wanting Joyce to expand on the ideas of the increased levels of crudeness by boxers outside of the ring on the basis of promotion, and the dichotomy of boxers being hyper aggressive outside of the ring and then falling to show that same aggression when the bell rings.
Conclusion
Despite this, Joyce does deeply enjoy the book and sees it as a true reflection of boxing and not a hyper manufactured ode to the sport. It is a strong recommendation and Joyce states that given that women are no stranger to the levels of emotions that men have like anger, pain or desire the fact that a woman has written such a good book about boxing should be no surprise.
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