With party season in full swing, YouTube
vape vlogger and reviewer Vinny Luciano of
SVAWorld stepped into the ring for a charity
boxing match to raise money for Cancer
Research UK in November.
The showdown took place at the Mercure Hotel in Brand’s
Hatch Place, Dartford, hosted by Ultra White Collar Boxing.
Mirroring Olympic rules, UWCB’s fights last for three, two-
minute rounds. Vinny needed less than one, knocking his
opponent out in one minute and 34 seconds.
Vinny went in as the vaping industry’s sole representative,
and this wasn’t the first time he did us proud. Vinny won his
first charity fight in December 2017 on points and so raised
his winning streak to 2-0.
Vinny’s victory came in the middle of a globetrotting tour – he
had just come back from the US and went straight on to a
trip to China, but his busy schedule didn’t stop his plans to
(literally in this case) fight for what’s right.
Speaking to Vapouround after the bout, Vinny said:
“Vaping personalities and reviewers aren’t celebrities to the
wider culture in any sense of the word, but we have a more
prominent place in our own communities. We should use our
position to take part in things like this and encourage others
not just to be aware of charities, but to be generous with them.
I’ve always wanted to do things that make a difference, and if
YouTube gives me the opportunity to raise a few more pounds
for Cancer Research UK then I’ll step in the ring, fighter or
not.”
In November, Vinny even made it a family affair. His brother
Antonio also walked away with a first round victory, his in
one minute 42 seconds, exactly as long as Muhammad Ali’s
knockout of Sonny Liston 54 years ago.
It wouldn’t have been right for Vinny to return to the ring
without a proper nickname. He now goes by ‘Mani di Pietra’
(Hands of Stone) in honour of his Italian heritage and as a
tribute to his favourite boxer Roberto Duran, the Panamanian
legend who went by Manos de Piedra. Vinny considers Duran
a hero, not just for his accomplishments in the ring, but his
charity work outside of it.
Vinny sees the vaping industry as perfectly compatible with
cancer research charities. At its core, vaping is about smoking
cessation: a public good.
“When I first got involved in this, I was really surprised,
because obviously there’s nothing like this community around
smoking. I hope we never lose our way. I couldn’t have picked
a better charity. Smoking is still one of the biggest causes of
cancer and we’ve all come from a smoking background.”
“I’VE ALWAYS
WANTED TO DO
THINGS THAT MAKE
A DIFFERENCE, AND
IF YOUTUBE GIVES
ME THE OPPORTUNITY
TO RAISE A FEW
MORE POUNDS FOR
CANCER RESEARCH
UK THEN I’LL STEP
IN THE RING”
Unsatisfied with his first performance between the ropes,
Vinny worked on a new strategy. He took inspiration from
Duran, coming in with a game-plan centred around counters
and body punches. Vinny ended the bout with a rare, risky but
devastating punch: the liver shot.
“It played out exactly how I planned it.”
According to the Cancer Research UK’s rules, this second
fight will be Vinny’s last for them, but he has no plans to stop.
He’s a lifelong boxing fan and feels encouraged by finding
something that lets him simultaneously help others stop
smoking and pursue a passion. Vinny has even been in talks
with former world cruiserweight champion Enzo Maccarinelli
about visiting his gym in Wales for a training session.
“I want to carry on, do it for other charities or even potentially
organise events myself. Even if I raise as little as £50, it’s still
money that Cancer Research wouldn’t have otherwise, plus
it’s great for my personal fitness.”
Vinny also pointed out that though he kept vaping throughout
the training and build-up (though never during sessions) his
cardiovascular fitness wasn’t affected in the slightest.
“If I had been smoking to the same extent, I would have been
destroyed!”
Stopping an opponent inside a round before they can dish out
any damage isn’t our usual definition of ‘harm reduction’ but
the result speaks for itself.
VM21 | 201