Les hommes de lettres, spectateurs et acteurs de la boxe à la Belle Époque

This article analyzes the craze for boxing in the literary world of the Belle Époque. First, it ascertains writers’ interest in the controversial sport, demonstrating the ambivalence of an era that was constantly torn between the appeal of barbarism and that of modernity. Then it discusses the scale of this spectacle in the leisure activities of the elite, before shedding new light on the unique link between the professions of boxing and writing.