Early career Boni played in the youth ranks of birth town side Fulgor Codogno before joining
Unione Cestistica Piacentina of the fifth division Serie C2 in 1982. The next year he moved to
American Eagle Vigevano of the second division
Serie A2, they were relegated to the
Serie B a year later. He stayed 9 years with the
Tuscany based club, forming a famous duo with
Andrea Niccolai that saw them nicknamed "i gemelli" (the twins). They were both crucial in the successive promotions of Montecatini, first in Serie A2 after the 1986–87 season, then for a historical first promotion to the top tier
Serie A in 1989. Boni denied the doping charges despite the B-sample also coming back positive, he claimed to have unwittingly used an American drug to cure a fever. However the explanation was described as ridiculous by the judge, with the player subsequently banned for two years by the
Italian federation. Despite not playing for the rest of the 1993–94 season, he finished as the league's top scorer with 30,5 points per game on average.
Foreign forays Boni later moved to the United States, joining
United States Basketball League side
Memphis Fire on 4 June 1994. He stayed with the Fire for only a week, leaving on 11 June 1994. A stint with the
Yakima Sun Kings of the
Continental Basketball Association followed, he finished his U.S. career with 9 and 11,7 points per game respectively for each side. He later described that period as difficult, citing lack of motivation and modest playing conditions. After the suspension was reduced to 18 months by the federation, Boni rejoined Montecatini, by this time back in Serie A2, staying for the 1995–96 season. At the end of a season, with the team underachieving, the president told Boni that the budget would be reduced and his contract could not be assured. Taking advantage of the recent
Bosman ruling, the Italian signed with
Greek Basket League side
Aris B.C. in 1996. Struggling to adapt to the Greek game and out of favour with the coach, he had to wait until the arrival of coach
Slobodan Subotić to become a starter. After winning the
Greek Basketball Cup in February 1998, Signing with Serie A side
Calze Pompea Roma in February 1998, Boni only played a handful of games before a doping test revealed the presence of the anabolic steroid
clostebol in his body after a 15 March match the same year. Risking a life suspension for his second doping offence, the 35-year-old was instead suspended for 2 years in April 1998, with the admission by doctor Andrea Billi of using a spray containing the product on the player not given credence to. However the player, vocally claiming his innocence, appealed the sentence, it was overturned shortly after by the federal court who accepted Billi's story. He stayed another year with Rome before joining Spanish
Liga ACB side
Cantabria Lobos in 1999. Moving to Spain at 36, he struggled to adapt to the league, leaving before the end of the season, with 5,6 points in 18 minutes on average and poor shooting (41% and 27% from the 2 and 3 point line).
Later career Returning to Italy permanently in 2000, he finished the season with
Roseto Basket, earning yet another promotion to the Serie A, where he played for two seasons. The next year, with
Teramo Basket of the Serie A2, he also helped the team promote to the first division. During the
Serie A 2003-04 season, he finished - at 40 - as the league's
second best scorer Boni stayed in Serie A, joining
Sicc Cucine Jesi in 2004, where he reunited with Subotić. However, after publicly criticising some teammates on radio, he was suspended by the side in March 2005, moving to
Virtus Pallacanestro Bologna. Finishing the season with Virtus, in the second division, he was part of his fifth career promotion as the team won the playoff final. He returned to Montecatini in 2005, in the second division, there he was reunited with Niccolai on the court, playing a final season together. Boni moved on to
Unione Cestistica Casalpusterlengo of the Serie B1 in 2006, but could not achieve another promotion in the two years he spent there. ==Amateur career==