Mind games in amateur boxing

This paper investigates how boxers play mind games to affect their opponent's confidence during the three pre-bout periods of weigh-in, warm-up and ring entrance. Perspectives from four senior male amateur boxers at three boxing gyms in the Greater Manchester region were examined using semi-structured interviews; transcribed verbatim and data coded thematically. It was found that amateurs imitated professional boxers, with the more experienced amateurs adopting a broader range of mind games. This indicated that a form of behaviour modelling may evolve with growing experience in the sport.