The Irish American Subculture.

For much of the nineteenth century boxers fought under the London, or Broughton, Rules, with bare fists, battering each other through endless rounds, until only one combatant remained standing. Known as bare-knuckle prizefighting, this type of boxing had special appeal to the working-class Irish American male subculture. Often ostracized from respectable occupations and mainstream American culture, some Irish American males sought opportunities in occupations that required little education and could produce quick rewards in a society that placed a high value on material success. Since many of these activities, including prizefighting, were against the law, Irish Americans developed a certain political savvy, often entering the political arena themselves to establish the rules, and even enforce them, as many police officers were of Irish descent.

The Role of Fighting.

The prizefighter, usually an Irish American himself, was the hero of the...