Boxer disheartened by an old enemy (4)
I believe the answer is:
boer
'an old enemy' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps there's an association between them I don't understand?
'boxer disheartened' is the wordplay.
'disheartened' says to hollow out the word (remove centre letters) (the middle or heart is removed).
'boxer' with its middle removed is 'BOER'.
'by' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for boer that I've seen before include "South African such as President Kruger" , "South African of Dutch ancestry" , "once our enemy" , "Wars between British Empire and South Africa" , "Afrikaans speaker" .)