The Italian Boxing Federation (FPI) is moving to raise the maximum age for professional boxing from 40.
The FPI's health department has given its approval for raising the limit for a three-year trial period.
Until now Italian boxers over the age of 40 were forced to go abroad to continue their professional careers.
The FPI said the decision to lift the age limit was also made in view of the fact that European and world boxing associations did not have similar limits and thus Italian boxers were at a disadvantage.
In its recommendation to lift the limit, the FPI observed that a boxer's age was not determined by a calendar but by his physical and mental condition.
