--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No American sport or activity has been so…" description: "\"“No American sport or activity has been so consistently and so passionately under attack as boxing, for \"moral\" as we'll as other reasons. And no Ameri..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/590/joyce-carol-oates-344_boxing_no-american-sport-or-activity-has-been-s_147674.png" --- # No American sport or activity has been so consistently and… ![“No American sport or activity has been so consistently and so passionately under attack as boxing, for "moral" as we'll as other reasons. And no American sport evokes so ambivalent a response in its defenders: when asked the familiar question "How can you watch . . . ?" the boxing aficionado…” quote by Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/590/joyce-carol-oates-344_boxing_no-american-sport-or-activity-has-been-s_147674.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/590/joyce-carol-oates-344_boxing_no-american-sport-or-activity-has-been-s_147674.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/590/joyce-carol-oates-344_boxing_no-american-sport-or-activity-has-been-s_147674.png) > ““No American sport or activity has been so consistently and so passionately under attack as boxing, for "moral" as we'll as other reasons. And no American sport evokes so ambivalent a response in its defenders: when asked the familiar question "How can you watch . . . ?" the boxing aficionado really has no answer. He can talk about boxing only with others like himself.”” [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Boxing faces moral criticism and ambivalence despite its popularity. **In simple terms:** Boxing is controversial and loved. Key Takeaway Recognize sport's complex cultural impact. Themes sports morality culture controversy Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - media analysis - sports fandom - policy discussion Key Concepts ethical debate public perception Questions to Reflect On - Why does boxing provoke strong moral reactions? - How can we discuss its merits responsibly? A Different Perspective Critics may overlook positive aspects like discipline. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boxing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boxing/) [Wrestling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrestling/) ## Related quotes > [On a week night I'll be with the family. I've got a six-year-old brother, Solomon, he's gonna be a boxer for sure, a world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-dubois/on-a-week-night-i-ll-be-with-the-family-i-ve-got-a-six-year-old/) [Daniel Dubois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-dubois/) > [Anthony Joshua has smashed it, he's one of the biggest sportsmen in the world but when you talk about boxing careers I've done just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-degale/anthony-joshua-has-smashed-it-he-s-one-of-the-biggest-sportsmen-in/) [James DeGale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-degale/) > [If, in 10 years, or 20 or 30 years, you sit down with your friends and talk about boxing, you need to remember my name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasyl-lomachenko/if-in-10-years-or-20-or-30-years-you-sit-down-with-your-friends-and/) [Vasyl Lomachenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasyl-lomachenko/) > [Throughout the history of the sport, the heavyweight champion has been... a reason to talk about boxing at the water cooler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/throughout-the-history-of-the-sport-the-heavyweight-champion-has-been/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [Some people that don't see it as palatable, they shouldn't watch boxing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdie-pacheco/some-people-that-don-t-see-it-as-palatable-they-shouldn-t-watch-boxing/) [Ferdie Pacheco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdie-pacheco/) > [I don't really watch YouTube boxing, I don't really watch boxing, I don't honestly really watch UFC ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-o-malley/i-don-t-really-watch-youtube-boxing-i-don-t-really-watch-boxing-i-don/) [Sean O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-o-malley/) > [I'm a boxer. I'm a boxer. If you're interested, just watch my boxing, not my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennady-golovkin/i-m-a-boxer-i-m-a-boxer-if-you-re-interested-just-watch-my-boxing-not/) [Gennady Golovkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennady-golovkin/) > [ I can't watch a \[Floyd\] Mayweather fight. I don't find it exciting. I used to watch boxing in the \[Michael\] Tyson era when it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/usain-bolt/i-can-t-watch-a-floyd-mayweather-fight-i-don-t-find-it-exciting-i/) [Usain Bolt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/usain-bolt/) > [I don't really watch much boxing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-calzaghe/i-don-t-really-watch-much-boxing/) [Joe Calzaghe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-calzaghe/) > [Boxing is an American sport - a 'so-called sport' to many - in which images of incalculable beauty and violence, desperation and ingenuity, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/boxing-is-an-american-sport-a-so-called-sport-to-many-in-which-images/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Life is like boxing in many unsettling respects. But boxing is only like boxing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/life-is-like-boxing-in-many-unsettling-respects-but-boxing-is-only/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [I actually like boxing away from home. It takes the pressure off you a little bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-degale/i-actually-like-boxing-away-from-home-it-takes-the-pressure-off-you-a/) [James DeGale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-degale/) > [Apart from my grandad, none of my family had really been into boxing so the sport was never discussed much at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-taylor/apart-from-my-grandad-none-of-my-family-had-really-been-into-boxing/) [Josh Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-taylor/) > [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/) [Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/) > [You know, it brings in a lot of different people; you take people off the street, and kids, and people from all different walks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-lamy/you-know-it-brings-in-a-lot-of-different-people-you-take-people-off/) [Michele Lamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-lamy/) ## More by Joyce Carol Oates > [“A woman who has lost her husband is invalid, thus an invalid. In”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/a-woman-who-has-lost-her-husband-is-invalid-thus-an-invalid-in/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Running! If there's any activity happier, more exhilarating, more nourishing to the imagination, I can't think of what it might be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/running-if-there-s-any-activity-happier-more-exhilarating-more/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [You need so much energy and encouragement to write that if someone says something negative, some of that energy goes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/you-need-so-much-energy-and-encouragement-to-write-that-if-someone/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [I learned long ago that being Lewis Carroll was infinitely more exciting than being Alice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/i-learned-long-ago-that-being-lewis-carroll-was-infinitely-more/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Paradox: how do we know what we have failed to see because we have no language to express it, thus we cannot know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/paradox-how-do-we-know-what-we-have-failed-to-see-because-we-have-no/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [At all crucial moments in our lives we want to speak without knowing what to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/at-all-crucial-moments-in-our-lives-we-want-to-speak-without-knowing/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [A writer’s life is in his work, and that is the place to find him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/a-writer-s-life-is-in-his-work-and-that-is-the-place-to-find-him/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [The challenge is to resist circumstances. Any idiot can be happy in a happy place, but moral courage is required to be happy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-challenge-is-to-resist-circumstances-any-idiot-can-be-happy-in-a/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [The first sentence cant be written until the final sentence is written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-first-sentence-cant-be-written-until-the-final-sentence-is-written/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [“Did you know, Marianne: how by breaking the code that day, you broke it forever? For us all?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/did-you-know-marianne-how-by-breaking-the-code-that-day-you-broke-it/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > ['The Accursed' is very much a novel about social injustice as the consequence of the terrible, tragic division of classes - the exploitation not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-accursed-is-very-much-a-novel-about-social-injustice-as-the/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Keep a light, hopeful heart. But expect the worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/keep-a-light-hopeful-heart-but-expect-the-worst/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [And this is the forbidden truth, the unspeakable taboo - that evil is not always repellent but frequently attractive; that it has the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/and-this-is-the-forbidden-truth-the-unspeakable-taboo-that-evil-is/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [I don't think that writer's block exists really. I think that when you're trying to do something prematurely, it just won't come. Certain subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/i-don-t-think-that-writer-s-block-exists-really-i-think-that-when-you/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [... such speculation is like staring into the hot white sun. you know the sun is there but you can't see a thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/such-speculation-is-like-staring-into-the-hot-white-sun-you-know-the/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) [Explore all 658 Joyce Carol Oates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) ## More Boxing quotes > [You know, it brings in a lot of different people; you take people off the street, and kids, and people from all different walks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-lamy/you-know-it-brings-in-a-lot-of-different-people-you-take-people-off/) [Michele Lamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-lamy/) > [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/) [Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/) > [Apart from my grandad, none of my family had really been into boxing so the sport was never discussed much at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-taylor/apart-from-my-grandad-none-of-my-family-had-really-been-into-boxing/) [Josh Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-taylor/) > [You don't think. It's all instinct. If you stop to think, you're gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-robinson/you-don-t-think-it-s-all-instinct-if-you-stop-to-think-you-re-gone/) [Sugar Ray Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-robinson/) > [I actually like boxing away from home. It takes the pressure off you a little bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-degale/i-actually-like-boxing-away-from-home-it-takes-the-pressure-off-you-a/) [James DeGale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-degale/) > [Whether it's Marcos Maidana, Shawn Porter, Amir Khan or Kell Brook, there are a lot of fights out there that I think would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-thurman/whether-it-s-marcos-maidana-shawn-porter-amir-khan-or-kell-brook/) [Keith Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-thurman/) > [I'm a fighter, I love boxing, it's what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-mosley/i-m-a-fighter-i-love-boxing-it-s-what-i-do/) [Shane Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-mosley/) > [I first got into boxing when I was quite young. I was about 12 when I won my first boxing match.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-parker/i-first-got-into-boxing-when-i-was-quite-young-i-was-about-12-when-i/) [Joseph Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-parker/) > [Boxing can be so important to young people, it keeps you off the street and you can channel your energy and aggression in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-benn/boxing-can-be-so-important-to-young-people-it-keeps-you-off-the/) [Nigel Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-benn/) > [I'm too fast. I'm too smart. I'm too pretty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-m-too-fast-i-m-too-smart-i-m-too-pretty/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I somewhere along the way became fascinated with exploring characters who are willing to put themselves into violent situations, whether it's football, hockey, boxing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-berg/i-somewhere-along-the-way-became-fascinated-with-exploring-characters/) [Peter Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-berg/) > [I liked wrestling a lot better than boxing. I remember thinking at that time that wrestling was a pure demonstration of strength, which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-carpenter/i-liked-wrestling-a-lot-better-than-boxing-i-remember-thinking-at/) [Scott Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-carpenter/) > [I always tried to be different from everyone else. Then I found out about boxing. That was the way I could be different from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riddick-bowe/i-always-tried-to-be-different-from-everyone-else-then-i-found-out/) [Riddick Bowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riddick-bowe/) > [One day we'll have championship boxing in Cleveland and people will support it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-porter/one-day-we-ll-have-championship-boxing-in-cleveland-and-people-will/) [Shawn Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-porter/) > [I've grown up with Bollywood, and I continue to enjoy it. But boxing remains my passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijender-singh/i-ve-grown-up-with-bollywood-and-i-continue-to-enjoy-it-but-boxing/) [Vijender Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijender-singh/) [Browse all 2,214 Boxing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boxing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“No American sport or activity has been so consistently and so passionately under attack as boxing, for \"moral\" as we'll as other reasons. And no American sport evokes so ambivalent a response in its defenders: when asked the familiar question \"How can you watch . . . ?\" the boxing aficionado really has no answer. 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