The rapid rise of a Coventry-based boxing apparel and equipment start-up is only set to continue as it looks to revolutionise fight analysis using the power of AI.
Boxraw, founded by Ben Amanna in 2017, is set to launch Boxraw Labs – a system which can intelligently record and analyse punch statistics during fights and sparring to give boxers, trainers and pundits better data – after a stellar first half of 2025.
The company, based at the Herbert Art Gallery in Coventry, played a central role in the Conor Benn v Chris Eubank Jr match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier this year.
Boxraw’s branding was displayed in the ring, on all promotional materials and across all social media channels promoting the fight. With an estimated 67,000 fans in attendance and more than 620,000 pay-per-view buys, Boxraw was a key part of one of the biggest British boxing fights of all time.
Weeks later, Boxraw was once again in the spotlight as part of the first-ever boxing event to be held in Times Square, New York. The card featured some of the sport’s biggest names, such as Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney, with Boxraw adverts running across the iconic location’s billboards long into the night.
These two events cemented Boxraw’s position as a driving force behind the sport’s resurgence.
Now, Ben and the team are looking to the future. Boxraw Labs is set to transform how boxing is analysed, understood and trained through artificial intelligence and machine learning. It’s a bold step that signals Boxraw’s intent to disrupt the foundations of the sport.
To help bring the project to life, Ben secured £50,000 in funding from Innovate UK Launchpad Programme, focussed on Immersive and creative industries, with a further £100,000 expected to follow later this year. A separate £25,000 grant from Coventry City Council, obtained with the support of Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub, has been used to scale up Boxraw’s office space and operations ahead of launch.
This support demonstrates Coventry’s drive to be at the forefront of innovation and the emerging AI sector by backing businesses that are shaping the future of their industries.
Ben said: “I’ve been working on Boxraw Labs for nearly five years – long before AI became the trend it is today.
“Fight analysis has long lagged behind other sports, relying on humans to rewatch fights and manually log punch data. It’s slow, error-prone, and the insights are basic at best.
“Boxraw Labs can capture full biomechanical data in real time – from punch accuracy and damage to deeper patterns, like strengths, weaknesses, and long-term performance trends.
“That data unlocks deeper insights for boxers, real-time analytics for broadcasters, and more accurate predictions for bookmakers.
“We first collaborated with the Harvard boxing captain and Harvard Innovation Labs to develop the system. More recently, we brought on a U.S.-based AI expert—who helped build the ChatGPT language model—as our CTO. We’re confident Boxraw Labs will redefine what’s possible in boxing.
“It’s a really exciting time for Boxraw, and we think Boxraw Labs will play a massive part in helping us disrupt and improve the boxing world alongside our apparel, equipment and community work.”
Since Boxraw was founded, Justine Chadwick, Account Manager at the Growth Hub, has provided business advice to Ben and the team, especially around sources of funding.
“We owe a lot of our early success to Justine and the Growth Hub,” Ben added.
“Knowing what funding to apply for and whether we were eligible was often difficult, so her advice on that was invaluable, and has helped us get to where we are today.”
Justine said: “It is incredible to see how far Ben and Boxraw have come since we first started advising them.
“To see a Coventry business grace the billboards of Times Square and continue to make huge waves in the boxing world is a fantastic story, and Boxraw is only set to reach greater heights once Boxraw Labs is launched.
“Helping businesses such as Boxraw access the funding they need to thrive, as well as business referrals, recruitment advice, and training, are crucial parts of what we do, and we are delighted to see Ben and the team flourishing as a result.”
Cllr Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change at Coventry City Council, said: “We are pleased to support pioneering businesses like Boxraw that are putting themselves and Coventry on the global map. Their work using AI to transform the way data is collected in the sporting world demonstrates how revolutionary technology can be used to support growth and opportunities across the region.
“Coventry is committed to being at the forefront of innovation and the growing AI sector by championing businesses that are shaping the future of their industries. I look forward to seeing what comes next for Boxraw Labs.”