Dennis Verhoeven's Story

Read the story of our boxing trainer Dennis Verhoeven below.

A world-class boxing champion.

🥊 Sign up for a training via our website

🥊 Weekly on Wednesdays at 20:00 - the training sessions are completely free.

🥊Maria van Bourgondiëlaan 2 (primary school gymnasium)

🥊 This Wednesday, a guest lecture by none other than Bas Vorstenbosch!

𝗗𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘀 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗵𝗼𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 – 𝗔𝗸𝗮 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿

You can find videos of him on YouTube, Omroep Brabant, and articles in local daily and weekly newspapers.

You can watch episodes of 𝗠𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗶𝗷𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗱 and find radio broadcasts about this boxing trainer from Eindhoven.

Dennis Verhoeven. A hero in Brabant. An example for many who have a disability.

Because Dennis is a European and World boxing champion, gives training for Eindhoven Maatjes, and is a very positive-minded man. And all of this with a physical disability.

Licentiate is beautiful

Dennis was born with clubfeet and has a muscle disease. For example, he cannot make a fist because his muscles do not cooperate.

Actually, I should have been in a wheelchair. Because my disease is normally progressive. I am lucky that I can still do so much.

You could call his disability his trademark. But he doesn't want to make a big deal out of having these inconveniences either.

He says about it himself: 'For me, 𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 has a limitation. You can achieve what you want to achieve. A body is just a shell; it is about how you treat it 𝘃𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗻.'

I run, I train, I have been working for the same boss for 28 years, and I am in a steady relationship.

𝐸𝑢𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑠- 𝑒𝑛 𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑑𝑘𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑖𝑜𝑒𝑛

'They can knock me down, but I'll get back up.' That statement can be taken both figuratively and literally. With this attitude, Dennis became champion multiple times. He became European amateur champion against the Irishman Shane Mac Donald and professional champion in his weight class against Victor Tatarov.

The story of Rocky Balboa is *his* own story for Dennis. The core of that story is about the underdog who regains his self-worth through perseverance.

Dennis, with his clubfeet and muscle disease, manages to become a champion using these qualities and hold his own in life.

Book launch for Endehaven Maatjes

Every Wednesday evening, Dennis gives boxing training.

The lessons cost nothing and yield great results.

Besides meeting others, I enjoy being able to help people work on their fitness and self-confidence, and showing that there is a champion in everyone.

Dennis may have a disability, but he doesn't feel that way. He emphasizes that the training sessions he provides are intended for everyone.

I want people with and without disabilities to come to our training sessions. To me, no one has a disability. Everyone can participate in our training.

By Nills Bouman