For a long time now, Italian boxing fans have looked back on the golden years of our boxing scene with deep nostalgia. Packed arenas, televised events with record-setting audiences, world title fights staged in our cities… a wonderful reality that slowly faded away. Yet in recent years something has begun to change, and among the architects of this awakening — still partial for now, but undoubtedly promising — there are several emerging promoters whose innovative ideas and entrepreneurial courage have injected fresh energy into the movement.
Boxe Punch has therefore decided to give you a closer look at the story, ambitions, and perspectives of three leading figures who, in the recent past, have breathed new life into boxing in our country. They are Edoardo Germani, founder of the revolutionary promotional entity TAF; Alessandra Branco (A&B Events and Team Magnesi), whose DNA contains, for obvious reasons, the genes of top-level boxing; and Riccardo Bizzo, the young and ambitious President of Italian Ringside Promotions.
Here is how they answered our interview questions. To keep things fair, we alternated the order of their responses for each question.
When and how did your passion for boxing begin? What sparked the flame?
R. Bizzo: My passion started when I was a child: my father boxed, and in 2010 he opened his first gym. I began at 8 years old, competing in about 30 bouts. Between 13 and 18 I had the honor of attending several training camps with the national team and wearing the Italian colors. I won two youth trophies, beating Cristian Zara in the final of one of them.
A. Branco: I was born into this world. My father was a multiple-time world champion, and I come from a family of boxers, including my uncle Gianluca, a former European Champion. I was born on January 3rd, 1992, and a month later my father fought for his first Italian title — that gives you an idea of my connection to boxing. I’m a “child of the trade,” so I couldn’t have chosen another path. I lived through all my father’s fights: first during training camps, then at ringside, then in the locker rooms. My passion was born very early, and I cultivated it until, in 2011 at just 19 years old, I began my promoter career. Today I’m 33 and still doing what I love most in the world. I wake up talking about boxing, I go to sleep talking about boxing. Boxing is fully part of my life.
E. Germani: I fell madly in love with this sport the first time I walked into a boxing gym and met my coach Antonio Leva, who unfortunately passed away just over a month ago. On one hand, the technical aspect struck me: I’ve always loved competition, and boxing gave me something I still lacked. On the other hand, meeting Coach Leva allowed me to learn not just technique, but the mental side and the values that this sport transmits. That passion eventually pushed me to create TAF. Back then, I sparred at a good level with many athletes and even boxed in about ten amateur matches.
When did you decide to become a promoter? What ambitions drove you?
E. Germani: I was lucky to receive a call from Bellator — which doesn’t exist anymore but was then the second-biggest MMA federation in the world. I got to see how they worked from the inside, both at an event in Milan and at their first show in Paris. Since I was passionate about boxing and somewhat disappointed with some events I had seen live, I felt the urge to give it a try myself. So we started organizing our own events, beginning with our debut show in March 2022.
R. Bizzo: After spending some time away from boxing because of work, I rediscovered my motivation through professional boxing — not as a fighter, but as a trainer/promoter. I’m already a Level 1 coach, and seeing so many talented young fighters with strong motivation and ambition, I felt I could offer them opportunities I never had, helping them box at a high level with someone who genuinely cares about their careers.
A. Branco: As I mentioned earlier, I began this path in 2011. I had just finished my third year of Economics. It’s not that I didn’t like studying, but I already knew my life path was going to be different. I went to my father at the gym and said: “Listen dad, next year I’m leaving university to dedicate myself entirely to being a promoter.” He was skeptical — he always told me boxing is a world of sharks, even if it’s a fantastic world. And it’s also an almost entirely male environment; I think I’m one of the few female promoters internationally. It’s not easy to navigate a world run mostly by men. He warned me it wouldn’t be easy, but I insisted: “I want to do this.” My first event was in November 2012 in Civitavecchia, with Salvatore Cherchi’s then-OPI 82. I organized my uncle Gianluca’s European title fight — quite a debut. Cherchi trusted me, and I began this journey.
Which of your events are you most proud of, and why?
A. Branco: I’m especially proud of two events. The first was my father Silvio’s retirement fight — his last match, for the WBC Silver Cruiserweight World Title, at Stadio Fattori in Civitavecchia, against Juho Haapoja. It was July 2013: I was very young, and organizing an international event made me proud of myself. Exactly ten years later, in 2023, I organized the same title — the WBC Silver belt, this time at super featherweight — between Michael Magnesi and Ayrton Gimenez. Organizing that title fight, ten years later, made me think: “Wow, after ten years I’m still here, with another prestigious title.” I also managed to bring Masanori Rikiishi to Italy, closing a deal with his Japanese team, and I brought Khalil El Hadri last year. But those two events are the ones that made me proudest.
E. Germani: Every event has made me proud in a different way. The latest one was particularly important because now the spotlight is starting to shine on us, and attracting people outside the boxing world — making them excited and giving them a new kind of experience — makes me extremely proud. My job is to bring investors into this sport. I often talk to marketing directors who have no idea what we’re doing until they see it live. This time, all the people I brought who had nothing to do with boxing were genuinely happy and impressed. But the first event will always stand out — it was a huge challenge, especially considering how expensive a boxing event is to produce.
R. Bizzo: Definitely the first one. It was a new experience and a new beginning for me. I had already helped organize mixed amateur-pro cards, but organizing a full professional event myself, including title fights, is something else — thrilling, adrenaline-filled, spectacular even for non-experts. Real boxing, raw and pure.
What are the key ingredients needed to fill arenas again like in the past?
R. Bizzo: 1) Real Fights: Competitive, balanced, unpredictable matchups — real, raw boxing. 2) Youth Engagement: Promote the sport through digital strategies to build tomorrow’s audience. 3) Quality Events: Venues, production, atmosphere — an elite-level event must feel prestigious. 4) Fighter Promotion: Build and narrate the stories of boxers to create compelling characters and hype.
A. Branco: I’ve been trying for years to bring boxing back to a high level. Many others are doing the same, and we hope to see interest return. But we need TV networks, major media partners, major newspapers. Not Rai Sport at 10:30 pm. Not Mediaset 20 at 11:30 pm in delayed broadcast. Not small newspapers. We need Corriere dello Sport, Gazzetta dello Sport, Il Messaggero, Canale 5, Italia 1. Rai 1, Rai 2, Rai 3, Sky. And in prime time, and live, because nothing else matters.
We need real fights — no circus acts or trash talking. We need real personalities, real champions. These are some of the keys that could bring us, not now but in several years, back to what we once were. For now, we’re still very far from that reality.
E. Germani: These are the very ingredients we’re trying to apply. I truly believe people aren’t stupid: offering increasingly interesting events, with uncertain outcomes, is essential. Then there’s the spectacle of the event itself, and especially the communication leading up to it — that’s what convinces even non-fans to come and fill arenas. I always say we’re not inventing anything new: this is how it used to be, and worldwide arenas are full for boxing. We just need seriousness, consistency, and constant work. The fans are there — even in Italy. It’s up to us to create events that are increasingly fun and innovative.
What is the biggest obstacle to high-level boxing in Italy?
E. Germani: Making the wrong proposals, lacking professionalism, mishandling human and relational aspects. Opening a door is hard; getting it shut is easy. In one word: mistakes.
R. Bizzo: One of the biggest issues for casual fans is the overload of sanctioning bodies, minor titles (often self-created or of little international relevance), and “inflated” belts. It becomes hard to distinguish a quality event from a low-profile one. This erodes trust and discourages ticket sales.
Lack of real events and real stars leads to a vicious cycle: less quality → less audience → fewer investments.
There’s also a lack of clear, impartial information: new content creators are helping fill the gap, but it’s a slow process.
A. Branco: The biggest obstacle, as I said earlier, is the lack of major TV networks, media partners, and high-level sponsors.
Final question: How long will we have to wait to see a world title fight from one of the four major organizations return to Italy? And who will organize it?
A. Branco: This is a spicy question. Michael Magnesi is very close to the WBC world title. As you know, I handle both his promotion and his management — I’m also his wife. I may sound arrogant, but I truly believe he is the only Italian boxer who can realistically reach a world title. He’s one step away: his next step is a final eliminator against Mark Magsayo, the WBC No. 1, while Michael is No. 2. The winner — in January 2026 — will face the WBC Super Featherweight World Champion.
So Magnesi is the only one who can reach a world title in the next months. To host it in Italy, I would need institutional support, sponsors, major TV networks, and major newspapers. If all these forces worked together, I assure you I would bring the world title to Italy. Everyone else is far behind.
E. Germani: I can’t say. At the moment I don’t see a future world champion in Italy, but I’m sure that as current athletes inspire new generations, we will eventually have one. Enrollment among children aged 3 to 12 is increasing. Boxing is becoming popular again. And importantly, regional and national institutions are once again supporting boxing as an educational sport. So I’m sure that in the coming years boxing will explode. As for organizing the world title… it will certainly be us.
R. Bizzo: I hope to be the one who organizes it. My goal is to make it happen within three years. This is my great ambition, and I hope to achieve it.