Gloria Peritore - The European champion who conquered violence and inspired the world

Introducing Gloria Peritore, the history-making fighter who inspires the world with the WBC

Boxing is, above all, a tool for transformation and survival.

Few athletes embody this truth with as much strength and elegance as Italy’s Gloria Peritore.

With a relentless career path that has taken her from martial arts to professional boxing, Peritore has not only become one of the most respected figures in European pugilism but also a global beacon of hope and resilience.

An Elite Warrior Inside the Ring

Following a highly decorated world-class career in kickboxing—where she won the prestigious Oktagon tournament three consecutive times and became the first Italian woman to capture a world title in Bellator—Gloria made the leap to professional boxing in 2023. Her technical evolution has been nothing short of meteoric. After conquering the EBU Silver championship, she captured the undisputed European (EBU) title.

Despite suffering a severe hand injury that kept her away from the ring for nearly a year, the Italian returned with astonishing ring maturity.

In her comeback, she reclaimed the undisputed European crown by shutting out the previously undefeated British fighter Laura Pain (9-0) on the judges’ scorecards. This masterclass performance also had the WBC International title on the line. Currently ranked No.17 in the WBC world rankings at 37 years old, Peritore and her team are already planning a defense of her European crown for November, consolidating her definitive path toward a shot at the absolute world title of the World Boxing Council.

The Shadow Project: Crossing Borders Against Gender-Based Violence

The true driving force behind Gloria Peritore goes far beyond championship belts. Before putting on boxing gloves for the first time,

Gloria was a victim of gender-based violence. That painful experience transformed her life and drove her to find her inner strength through combat sports.

With the firm objective of ensuring that no woman ever feels alone, she co-founded the organization “The Shadow Project” (TSP) in 2020 alongside her trainer and former fighter Manuele Raini.

This association utilizes the core values of combat sports to promote female empowerment, inclusion, and the prevention of physical and psychological violence through safe sports. Through innovative programs like FightWork (a non-contact combat training system focused on building resilience and confidence) and the #FightTheViolence campaign, the organization offers support networks and workshops in schools, corporations, and communities.

The impact of her social work has taken on a global dimension. Recently, at the invitation of the Consuls General of Italy in Philadelphia and Detroit, Cristiana Mele and Allegra Baistrocchi, Gloria Peritore and Manuele Raini traveled to the United States as part of the “Day of Italian Sport in the World” (Giornata del Sport Italiano nel mondo). The champion delivered inspirational speeches to students at Central High School in Philadelphia and Lawrence Technological University in Detroit, carrying her message of self-improvement and equality all the way to the iconic steps of the “Rocky” statue.

The Values of an Authentic WBC Ambassador

Gloria Peritore’s story aligns perfectly with the social mission that the World Boxing Council has historically championed under the leadership of its President, Mauricio Sulaimán. Her life is a living example that fighting is not synonymous with violence, but rather with discovering the inner strength required to move forward. With her heart firmly set on the WBC family, Gloria does not just fight for sporting glory; she is positioning herself as an extraordinary global ambassador for the organization’s social initiatives, proving that the greatest champions are those who help others rise from the canvas.