Beyond BOXR, a one-of-a-kind fitness facility, he also established a groundbreaking coaching business, Business Fight Camp, to help emerging gyms transform into successful fitness powerhouses
No matter how much we speak about a few founders and business owners who went against the tide and carved out unique niches for themselves in their chosen sectors, we still need more discussions about them for the world to recognize their genius. These high-performing founders have gone ahead and questioned the norms in their industries, paving the way for greater innovation and creating a wave of positive change. This is precisely what Matthew Steven Attalla, aka Mateo, has been consistently doing in the fitness world with his incredible businesses in the form of BOXR, a unique fitness facility, and Business Fight Camp, a consulting agency for helping other fitness businesses transform into success stories.
Matthew Steven Attalla didn’t just build a gym, but went ahead in redefining what a gym can be. Mateo is an Australian national boxing champion who began competing and winning at elite levels from the age of 13. He believes his true legacy lies in reinventing himself by walking away from comfort, tradition, and even certainty to disrupt the global fitness landscape with honesty, authenticity, culture, and community at its core.
Early in his career, Mateo began teaching boxing fundamentals internationally, experiences that planted the seeds for a people-first coaching philosophy. He understood something many fitness operators and business owners overlooked that the results are driven by trust, leadership, and human connection and not just equipment. Back in 2020, Mateo immigrated to the US and relocated to Miami. With no formal business education and no understanding of LLCs or a financial safety net, survival became his mission.
He began training clients in parking garages, parks, and outdoor spaces, removing dependency on physical infrastructure. He introduced a radical value-based model in which clients paid what they felt the training was worth. Out of necessity, grit, and vision, BOXR was established, which he believed could change the course of the fitness world for the better. Mateo converted his condo into a fully functional boxing facility, complete with a ring, turf, bags, recovery zones, and ice baths. Within just a year, BOXR scaled from zero to over 400 paying members, proving how fitness success doesn’t require traditional systems, but only culture, clarity, and results.
Mateo later discovered an abandoned warehouse in Downtown Miami and transformed it into a 20,000 sq ft mega facility that now serves more than 4,500 members. BOXR didn’t stop at boxing; it has today expanded into a multi-disciplinary performance ecosystem that incorporates strength training, recovery, mobility, and mental conditioning. Neighbouring gyms have been acquired and rebranded to form a multi-building fitness campus. Lifestyle elements have also been added, like a barbershop, lounges, and social spaces, blending fitness with culture. Mateo has further elevated the concept with BOXR Exclusive, a 24/7 private facility designed for elite athletes, fight camps, and high-level clientele. It’s a member-only space that delivers luxury without sacrificing authenticity, proving that premium experiences and real culture can coexist. BOXR today has attracted elite partnerships with ASRV, Celsius, Everlast, WBC, Xfinity, and more.
He became the first promoter in history to host a sanctioned WBC title fight inside the world’s #1 nightclub, E11EVEN, followed by hosting another WBC title fight inside his gym. Mateo even hosted Miami’s first Police vs Fire charity boxing event. Annual toy drives, school supply giveaways and charity fight nights have positioned him as a leader and community builder. In 2025, he was also recognized with the ‘Key to the City of Miami.’
Beyond BOXR, he even established Business Fitness Camp, a groundbreaking coaching platform that transforms gyms into thriving businesses using the same principles that drive BOXR. It is a 6-week immersive business training program to help business owners grow their enterprise. Mateo, with BOXR and Business Fitness Camp, hasn’t just built brands but redefined what fitness means in modern society.
