Draft:Ben Amanna

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Ben Amanna (born 1992) is a British entrepreneur who founded and currently serves as chief executive officer of BOXRAW, a boxing lifestyle brand headquartered in Coventry, England, which he established in 2017.[1][2]

Amanna was named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list in 2021 in the Retail & E-Commerce category[3] and has received the Young Entrepreneur of the Year award, issued by the Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2021.[4] Under his leadership, BOXRAW received the Queen's Award for Enterprise: International Trade[5] and was ranked the 13th fastest-growing company in the United Kingdom by The Times[6] in 2022. The brand has also partnered with the American film and distribution company MGM on the film Creed III (2023)[7]

Early Life and Education

Ben Amanna was born and raised in Coventry, England, where he attended Coventry Blue Coat Church of England School. He has described being bullied during his childhood and turning to boxing as a means of building confidence and discipline.

He subsequently attended Bristol University where he started a boxing club that gained more than 900 members with sessions over six days.[8]

Career

Founding of BOXRAW (2017)

Amanna founded BOXRAW in 2017, initially operating from his bedroom in Coventry.[9] The brand was conceived as a response to what he perceived as a lack of premium, fashion-forward apparel designed specifically for the boxing lifestyle, clothing that could be worn at the gym and in everyday settings. The company's early growth was driven principally through direct-to-consumer e-commerce. [10]

By 2021, BOXRAW had grown into a seven-figure e-commerce business.[11]

Growth and Recognition (2021-2023)

In 2022, BOXRAW received the Queen's Award for Enterprise: International Trade[5] and was ranked the 13th fastest-growing company in the United Kingdom by The Times[6] .

In 2023, BOXRAW served as the lead brand partner for Creed III, the third instalment of the Rocky franchise spin-off series, starring and directed by Michael B. Jordan. The collaboration represented a expansion of the brand's cultural profile beyond the boxing community. Amanna discussed the partnership in an interview with Athletech News, describing it as validation of BOXRAW's positioning as a lifestyle brand rather than merely a sportswear manufacturer.[7]

Amanna was featured on a podcast produced by Warwick Business School the same year, in which he discussed brand-building, resilience, and his trajectory from amateur boxer to entrepreneur.[12] He has also been featured on BBC News and BBC Radio programmes in connection with his business activities.[13]

High Profile Partnerships and BOXRAW Labs (2025-)

In 2025, the brand's ringside signage and promotional involvement featured prominently at the Conor Benn versus Chris Eubank Jr bout held at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which attracted an attendance of approximately 67,000 and over 620,000 pay-per-view purchases.[14]

Shortly afterwards, BOXRAW was involved in the first boxing event to be staged in New York's Times Square.[14]

In mid-2025, Amanna announced the forthcoming launch of BOXRAW Labs, an artificial intelligence system designed to record and analyse punch statistics during fights and sparring sessions, with the aim of providing improved data to boxers, trainers, and analysts.[14] The initiative was reported by Coventry City Council and represented the company's first significant foray into sports technology.[14]

Boxing is Love

Ben Amanna stated that the company established a charitable wing called "Boxing is Love". Citing his Indian background and his experiences visiting places with a noticeable lack of opportunity, he said this made him appreciate available resources while recognising disparities elsewhere.[15]

The provides underprivileged youth with opportunities to learn and grow through boxing across the UK, USA and Africa.[16]

Amanna currently serves as the Chairman of the Board with Spencer Lee Boya as its Chief Executive.[17]

References

  1. "Ben Amanna". Forbes. Retrieved 2026-05-05.
  2. Souza, Naomi de (2021-11-28). "Coventry man who built sportswear empire from his bedroom". Coventry Live. Retrieved 2026-05-05.
  3. "Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe 2021: Retail & Ecommerce". Forbes. Retrieved 2026-05-05.
  4. Chandler, Martin (2021-11-24). "Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2021". Pathway Group. Retrieved 2026-05-05.
  5. Mullen, Enda (2022-05-18). "Fast-growing Coventry sportswear brand plans to create 200 new jobs". Coventry Live. Retrieved 2026-05-05.
  6. Times, The Sunday (2022-07-01). "Boxraw". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 2026-05-05.
  7. Ostertag, Elizabeth (2023-03-02). "CEO Corner: Ben Amanna on Boxraw's Knockout Collaboration with 'Creed III'". Athletech News. Retrieved 2026-05-05.
  8. Souza, Naomi de (2021-04-11). "Forbes nod for entrepreneur who began with schoolboy sweets hustle". Coventry Live. Retrieved 2026-05-05.
  9. Souza, Naomi de (2021-04-11). "Forbes nod for entrepreneur who began with schoolboy sweets hustle". Coventry Live. Retrieved 2026-05-05.
  10. "'We want to be the reason the world got into boxing' | Boxing News". boxingnewsonline.net. 2021-05-24. Retrieved 2026-05-05.
  11. Eliza (2022-06-01). "Why BOXRAW Is the Epitome of a 'Come-From-Behind' E-Commerce Brand - Sourcify". Retrieved 2026-05-05.
  12. "Boxing, branding, and bouncing back: Lessons in resilience | podcast library". Warwick Business School. Retrieved 2026-05-05.
  13. "CEO Secrets: Boxing boss reveals his punishing routine". Retrieved 2026-05-05.
  14. Hunt, Will. "Coventry business to revolutionise fight analysis using AI". Coventry City Council. Retrieved 2026-05-05.
  15. "'We want to be the reason the world got into boxing' | Boxing News". boxingnewsonline.net. 2021-05-24. Retrieved 2026-05-05.
  16. "Ben Amanna". midlandskingsawards. Retrieved 2026-05-05.
  17. "Our people". Boxing is Love. Retrieved 2026-05-05.