We had the good fortune of connecting with Mateo Attalla and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mateo, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
What makes BOXR special THE PEOPLE. There is an energy you feel as soon as you walk through the doors. I made this very clear before I built it, this will be the mecca of gyms, like walking into a Las Vegas fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The aesthetic, music, art, exotic cars, and lights… but the glue of the culture of BOXR that holds it all together, is the people. This is large in part to our classes, the people are the foundation of BOXR. Once you join a class with one of our world class coaches, you’re forced to interact with others and build bonds with so many people due to the competitiveness and the friendly atmosphere of wanting to get better together. A lot of our members take back-to-back classes. The best part about BOXR is its networking ability, Entrepreneurial Hub. You could be in a class with a business mogul, a recording artist, athlete, you never know. While in BOXR, we are all equals, and you can feel that.

When the COVID-19 Lockdowns began in 2020, I decided to take boxing training back up. I had a strong desire to make a comeback into the ring. A lot of people in Miami noticed my skill set: Strength, Speed, Shadowboxing, and Boxing. They were curious to learn how I moved the way I did and how I punch so hard, because they had never seen anyone move or throw punches with such intensity. I began thinking creatively in ways I could train and teach people the fundamentals of boxing without any equipment or facility. I would teach people in parking lots, on the beach, at their residents, anywhere i could. I taught people because of my love for the sport of boxing and I wanted to test myself to be more than just an exceptional athlete — I wanted to see if I could be a teacher rather than always being the student. I started taking on private clients. Being brand new to coaching I had no idea what to charge for my services so I let the people decide my compensation based on their results and how they felt my knowledge and coaching was worth. They would tip me or give me what they thought was fair for my time and value and people started to see real results fast. Since the gyms were closed, I ended up doing this in my parking garage, then in the parking lot outside in front of my building. In the following phase, I began teaching classes for a local bodybuilding gym, where for the very first time I was finally able to use a adequate space that gave my training a professional feel.

Very quickly I noticed I need to give my boxing services a name. Thinking back to my childhood I resurrected my old nickname from school. Kids at school would call me BOXR or Attalla which is my last name. In Australia we speak a little differently and like to take the “E” out of names. So instead of calling me “BOXER” they cut it to BOXR. Talking with my partner Cami who is the Co-Founder of the gym she agreed that BOXR was an amazing name and I should use that for my brand which still is to this day.

After finding quick success with my rogue boxing classes I was inspired to create my very own facility. Unsure of the market conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic I decided to open my very first BOXR facility in my condo. I removed all traditional living furniture and furnishings, like a bed, couch, and tables and replaced all my furniture with Boxing equipment. I built a ring in the living room, put some heavy bags upstairs, attached some double end bags under the stair case, created speed drills on one balcony, and a recovery jucuzzi and cold plunge in the other balcony. I had prepped meal plans for my clients in the fridge and created the first BOXR.

In only a month, my clientele grew so quickly that I realized I needed much more space to grow, so I began looking for a bigger space. I scheduled a meeting with a gym owner and showed him what I created upstairs in my condo. He was absolutely blown away so I proposed I sublet a small unused area in his facility to create a unique boxing gym. He agreed and after 10 months BOXR grew from 30 members to over 400. During that time of growth I was able to recruit some of the BEST boxing trainers in the country and created the BOXR curriculum and full class schedule.

Nearing the end of 2021 I was fortunate to come across an abandoned warehouse in downtown Miami. Walking into the space I immediately knew this was the space to finally allow my vision to come to life and have my first space I could finally call my own. BOXR is now a complete 30,000 sq ft facility with a complete boxing area with two rings 20 bags, speed bags, double end bags, and jump roping section. Upstairs we have a full MMA area, two body building sections, yoga/pilates studio, indoor basketball court, sanded outdoor training section and the largest set of classes with the most variety that any gym offers in Miami, probably even the state if not the country.

BOXR is not just a gym, it’s a lifestyle facility. A community of amazing, like-minded individuals, who want to reach their maximum potential. Inside of BOXR we offer sports therapy (RECVR), barbershop (The Dapper Scoundrel), beauty / aesthetic company (JV Aesthetics), and a nutrition focused smoothie company which offers amazing shakes, vegan protein doughnuts and other nutritional foods and beverages (Blends Nutrition) all inside our facility. Everything you need to look and feel your best under one roof.

Our gym is made for all people, from beginners to professional athletes. We also have a very popular youth/kid classes ranging in ages from 5-15. We have people who are just starting their fitness journey to boxing elites such as, Floyd Mayweather and Andre Berto who train at our facility frequently.

BOXR is known for of course Boxing. But we do not only specialize in “BOXING” we also offer a variety of classes and diciplines. From kickboxing, muay thai, MMA, jiu jitsu, yoga, pilates, crossfit, weight training, full body excercises and spin. We have world class trainers with years of experience In their specific fields.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
When the COVID-19 Lockdowns began in 2020, I decided to take boxing training back up. I had a strong desire to make a comeback into the ring. A lot of people in Miami noticed my skill set: Strength, Speed, Shadowboxing, and Boxing. They were curious to learn how I moved the way I did and how I punch so hard, because they had never seen anyone move or throw punches with such intensity. I began thinking creatively in ways I could train and teach people the fundamentals of boxing without any equipment or facility. I would teach people in parking lots, on the beach, at their residents, anywhere i could. I taught people because of my love for the sport of boxing and I wanted to test myself to be more than just an exceptional athlete — I wanted to see if I could be a teacher rather than always being the student. I started taking on private clients. Being brand new to coaching I had no idea what to charge for my services so I let the people decide my compensation based on their results and how they felt my knowledge and coaching was worth. They would tip me or give me what they thought was fair for my time and value and people started to see real results fast. Since the gyms were closed, I ended up doing this in my parking garage, then in the parking lot outside in front of my building. In the following phase, I began teaching classes for a local bodybuilding gym, where for the very first time I was finally able to use a adequate space that gave my training a professional feel.

Very quickly I noticed I need to give my boxing services a name. Thinking back to my childhood I resurrected my old nickname from school. Kids at school would call me BOXR or Attalla which is my last name. In Australia we speak a little differently and like to take the “E” out of names. So instead of calling me “BOXER” they cut it to BOXR. Talking with my partner Cami who is the Co-Founder of the gym she agreed that BOXR was an amazing name and I should use that for my brand which still is to this day.

After finding quick success with my rogue boxing classes I was inspired to create my very own facility. Unsure of the market conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic I decided to open my very first BOXR facility in my condo. I removed all traditional living furniture and furnishings, like a bed, couch, and tables and replaced all my furniture with Boxing equipment. I built a ring in the living room, put some heavy bags upstairs, attached some double end bags under the stair case, created speed drills on one balcony, and a recovery jucuzzi and cold plunge in the other balcony. I had prepped meal plans for my clients in the fridge and created the first BOXR.

In only a month, my clientele grew so quickly that I realized I needed much more space to grow, so I began looking for a bigger space. I scheduled a meeting with a gym owner and showed him what I created upstairs in my condo. He was absolutely blown away so I proposed I sublet a small unused area in his facility to create a unique boxing gym. He agreed and after 10 months BOXR grew from 30 members to over 400. During that time of growth I was able to recruit some of the BEST boxing trainers in the country and created the BOXR curriculum and full class schedule.

Nearing the end of 2021 I was fortunate to come across an abandoned warehouse in downtown Miami. Walking into the space I immediately knew this was the space to finally allow my vision to come to life and have my first space I could finally call my own. BOXR is now a complete 30,000 sq ft facility with a complete boxing area with two rings 20 bags, speed bags, double end bags, and jump roping section. Upstairs we have a full MMA area, two body building sections, yoga/pilates studio, indoor basketball court, sanded outdoor training section and the largest set of classes with the most variety that any gym offers in Miami, probably even the state if not the country.

BOXR is not just a gym, it’s a lifestyle facility. A community of amazing, like-minded individuals, who want to reach their maximum potential. Inside of BOXR we offer sports therapy (RECVR), barbershop (The Dapper Scoundrel), beauty / aesthetic company (JV Aesthetics), and a nutrition focused smoothie company which offers amazing shakes, vegan protein doughnuts and other nutritional foods and beverages (Blends Nutrition) all inside our facility. Everything you need to look and feel your best under one roof.

Our gym is made for all people, from beginners to professional athletes. We also have a very popular youth/kid classes ranging in ages from 5-15. We have people who are just starting their fitness journey to boxing elites such as, Floyd Mayweather and Andre Berto who train at our facility frequently.

BOXR is known for of course Boxing. But we do not only specialize in “BOXING” we also offer a variety of classes and diciplines. From kickboxing, muay thai, MMA, jiu jitsu, yoga, pilates, crossfit, weight training, full body excercises and spin. We have world class trainers with years of experience In their specific fields.

What makes BOXR special THE PEOPLE. There is an energy you feel as soon as you walk through the doors. I made this very clear before I built it, this will be the mecca of gyms, like walking into a Las Vegas fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The aesthetic, music, art, exotic cars, and lights… but the glue of the culture of BOXR that holds it all together, is the people. This is large in part to our classes, the people are the foundation of BOXR. Once you join a class with one of our world class coaches, you’re forced to interact with others and build bonds with so many people due to the competitiveness and the friendly atmosphere of wanting to get better together. A lot of our members take back-to-back classes. The best part about BOXR is its networking ability, Entrepreneurial Hub. You could be in a class with a business mogul, a recording artist, athlete, you never know. While in BOXR, we are all equals, and you can feel that.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We would bring them to @BOXRGYM the ultimate gym/fitness/boxing/fighting experience in Miami.

30,000 sq ft 2 story facility with 10 sections, indoor basketball court, two weight sections, two rings, yoga studio, recovery lounge, barbershop, nutrition and smoothie bar, pro shop and lounge.

This Gym is like walking into an event everyday. It is action packed with professional fighters, world class athletes, and entrepreneur hub.

The average time duration members spend in the gym at a time is over 2 hours.

There are always celebrity members, business moguls, artists, and Miami’s top entrepreneurs all under one roof.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The co-founder and co-owner of BOXR without her nothing would be as it is today with the gym and brand. I want to shoutout my team. Without them boxrgym would not exist.
Shoutout to all 1400+ of our members whom we have dedicated our lives to in providing the ultimate fitness and fighting experience for all ages, genders, and skill levels.

Website: www.boxrgym.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mateoboxr/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BOXRMIAMI/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BOXRStudios

Image Credits
All Photos were taken by @danielmarcusabreu

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutMiami is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.