Special Night: First Tuscan Boxing Match Between Wheelchair Athletes

Florence, June 17, 2025 - As Nelson Mandela said: sport has the power to change the world, speak a language that young people can understand, unite, give hope and courage. And the world of boxing is indeed changing, if it is true that on Wednesday evening, at the Stadio Comunale Bozzi alle Due Strade, the match between Matteo Fabbri, a Tuscan boxer, and the Venetian athlete Gianluca Perale will take place. The event was organized by the Dinamika Special Boxe gym in Porta Romana, which regularly welcomes people in wheelchairs, tetraplegic children and Parkinson's patients for free. "Boxing is a discipline that aims to "use" sport to communicate a message of equality, inclusion and to address very important social issues in this period we are living in," explain the organizers. The initiative of a gym open free of charge to the disabled has also deserved applause from the city authorities, who have recognized the merit of the project of Simone Vannuzzi, federal coach and Italian champion of the super heavyweight category over 51, who has been able to create a self-managed and "special" gym, which organizes free boxing courses for people with disabilities. An absolute novelty in Italy, a sporting and social pride for the city, started from the meetings with Cosimo Guccione, former sports councilor and current President of the City Council. "We are talking about that discipline that is not by chance called a "noble art", where it often happens that the protagonists are champions of life and courage - explain the promoters of the meeting - or (as in this case) real athletes capable of punching destiny and fate, limitations and handicap conditions, transforming existence in a wheelchair into a challenge full of passion and, why not, competition. Boxing as "social redemption" and reason for living. Because with sport the existence of many young people has changed." So, tomorrow an evening of Special boxing at the Bozzi Stadium granted by the Councilor for Sport of the Municipality of Florence, Letizia Perini, an evening based on matches of a selection of elite amateur boxers from Florence but the highlight of the event will be, in fact, the presentation of the Special Boxing match of the wheelchair athlete Matteo Fabbri, trained by Simone Vannuzzi, who will meet Gianluca Perale, a Venetian athlete trained by Nicola Masiero, federal master. The ring, mounted on a stable and protective platform, will be placed on the grass of the Porta Romana Stadium, adjacent to the Palestra Dinamika and the entrance will be accessible to the public at a cost of 5 euros, intended for solidarity purposes for the purchase of a Special wheelchair for meetings and training.