A man who loves boxing but was unable to compete at the age of just 19 due to a hand condition claims he intends to “change the world of boxing forever” with his new glove design.
Ben Amanna, founder and CEO of the Boxraw brand, which already offers a wide range of apparel, said, “Everything is made with a real purpose for boxers,” adding He claims that his offering is different in a market that has become more competitive.
“Everything has always been very honest to the boxing market and the same goes for the products we launch, especially equipment and things like that. It's all done based on real needs and the problems we're trying to solve. ” he says.
And arguably, there is no bigger problem for a boxer than a sore hand. Amanna has suffered from arthritis since childhood, something she knows from her own experience that ultimately kept her from competing.
He started acting in his hometown when he was 12 years old. “A club in Coventry was offering free summer classes to kids. I joined this summer class and the rest was history. I fell in love with it straight away. But , had to quit competitive boxing around the age of 19 because he developed arthritis in his wrists and finger joints.
“It took away the love for boxing for me. I had to spend a lot of time wrapping my hands and spend a lot of money buying expensive gloves in order to enjoy boxing.
“When I threw a shot over a heavy bag, I had to use less force or punch a certain way because I was worried about the effect on my wrist.
“Hand injuries in boxing and boxers are so prevalent that everyone seems to take them for granted. I was always shocked.
“When we looked at boxing gloves and compared them to other sports and equipment used, we saw a real evolution in how products combat specific issues. I get it. Boxing gloves, on the other hand, they all seemed to do the same thing.”
Amanna, now 33, is trying to change that. She says, “We have developed the most aerodynamic glove in the world, compared to all major competitors. People are using our 12 oz. [they say] It feels like a 10. People who use our 16 ounce gloves feel like a 12. That's because of its weight distribution and compactness.
“We want to create something where they are.” [boxers] No need to worry about silly injuries. I can't talk too much about the actual features, but in a nutshell, it's a glove that lets you punch harder and faster. ”
So when will this supposedly game-changing glove actually be released? Boxraw has been teasing it for three years throughout the research and development phase, but recent social media posts suggest the release has been put on hold. It seems to suggest that there is.
“This summer will change the world of boxing forever,” Amanna wrote on Instagram on February 19th in a caption accompanying a video about the creation of the brand's long-awaited boxing gloves.
While we wait for this announcement, Boxraw apparel is already being worn by sports stars, with endorsements from Terrence Crawford, Gervonta 'Tank' Davis, Amanda Serrano, and more. It is also seen on the big screen. creed movie franchise.
“Having them wear this brand has allowed us to establish a lot of credibility in the industry,” Amanna says. “It validates what we're doing. They're not getting paid to wear the brand, they're wearing the brand. [like] brand. They love what we do and see the value it brings to their lives. ”
The relationship with creed The film begins in the second installment, with Amanna contacting a costume designer and arranging for some of the extras to wear Boxraw-branded clothing. Lead actor Michael B. Jordan saw these on set, loved them, bought them in bulk, and organized them to further increase the brand's presence. Creed III.
But while such exposure is valuable, Amanna still feels she could have done better. “That was great, but for me the journey was more exciting: pursuing the idea and what I had to do to get there,” he says. “When I actually saw it in the movie, I was watching it thinking, “I could have done this better, I could have done that better.'' The reality is, where am I going to take this brand? I have a very big vision for it.”
And the vision is to promote not just the brand, but boxing itself. “I think a lot of other brands of boxing, both historically and currently, don't really have a mission to improve and move this sport forward,” Amanna says.
“I'm dying for this. I've always wanted to serve boxers, benefit them, improve their lives and help more people understand the benefits of this sport. That's what I want to do. It's a goal.
“It's really important for us to capture the emotion of the audience and make them actually understand the nature of the sport. It's not just two guys getting in the ring and trying to decapitate each other. , it's about so much more than that.'' It's about discipline, it's about mindfulness, it's about love and community. ”
It's this sense of love and community that explains why he remains so passionate about the sport, even though arthritis has kept him from competing.
When I asked Amanna what Boxraw's ultimate goal was, he answered plainly: “This is why the world is obsessed with boxing.”
