From parks to tournaments — how one free boxing program in Tulum is building champions and community, one kid at a time through GoFundMe
Everyone deserves a fighting chance. Not everyone gets it.
And that’s exactly what Coach Matthew Wise — a professional boxing trainer — is doing in Tulum: training young boxers for free, not just to build champions, but to help them grow into respectable, well-rounded citizens of the world.
Training with Matthew showed me that boxing can be so much more than just a sport — it can be a source of discipline, purpose, and self-respect. He gives these kids a sense of belonging, a safe space to grow, and the tools to channel their energy into something powerful and positive. And he does it all for free.
Bryan, a 15-year-old who trains with Matt, puts it best:
“I started training with Matt in a park. We were a big team and at first it was a little difficult, since the techniques were different — but I adapted. The training is intense, it’s good, it makes you strong. Matt makes you see something more that maybe you don’t see yet. He makes you believe in yourself, and that’s very cool.
We started going out to fight just in 2025 — and we’re winning. The preparation is great, the process is great. I feel invincible. In the future, I want to become a professional and be a world champion one day.”
Now, this incredible program is at a turning point.
After 3.5 years of running classes in public parks and out of his home-built gym, Matthew is finally moving into a real gym space — a place these young fighters can truly call their own. But he can’t do it alone.
That’s why he’s launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for:
- Gym rent
- Mats, gloves, bags & essential gear
- Travel expenses to attend tournaments
- Food and shoes for the kids
Matthew has funded everything himself until now — every glove, every tournament trip, every meal. But as the community grows, so does the need for support.
Let’s help him continue this life-changing work. Every donation brings us one step closer to creating not just athletes, but empowered young citizens with a future.
🥊 Support the campaign here: GoFundMe — Raising Money for Young Boxers in Tulum
Thank you for reading, supporting, and believing in the power of boxing to build something bigger than any one of us.
