Boxing gyms in London

Want to float like a butterfly and sting like a bee? Get yourself over to Arches Boxing Gym in Bethnal Green, where Muhammad Ali’s brother, Rahman Ali, is a patron, so you know you’re in capable (not to mention very strong) hands. The gym offers classes for all levels and has two boxing rings, 13 punch bags and a strength and conditioning area to get you fighting fit.

186 The Arches, Globe Road, Bethnal Green, E1 4ET

Designed to be a boxing space for all – regardless of age, gender, or background – London Community Boxing gym runs kids’ workshops for £1, donation-only community classes and women-only sessions.

Units 3-4, Bellenden Road Business Centre, SE15 4RF. Peckham Rye Overground. 

If you’ve had a jab at a few boxfit classes and are inspired to learn to fight properly, head to Paragon Gym in Shoreditch. Its eight-week boxing and kickboxing courses will soon have you, ahem, hooked.

6-8 Boundary St, E2 7JE. Shoreditch High St Overground. 

There’s something for everyone at Miguel’s Boxing Gym. And we mean everyone. As well as one-to-one training, they offer women-only classes, white-collar boxing, a ten-week ‘beat obesity’ programme, sessions for over 60s (yes, really) and even £1 stress-busting workouts for the unemployed. The gym is tucked away under the railway arches near Loughborough Junction, but once you spot the Muhammad Ali mural, you’ll know you’re in the right place.

Railway Arches, 261-262 Hardess St, SE24 0HN

What do James McAvoy, Denise Van Outen and Sharon Small have in common? They’ve all trained at the North London Boxing Club, where the 90-minute classes will knock you out (not literally, with any luck). The classes start with circuit training, which includes sparring, shadow boxing, skipping and punch-bag drills, before ending with a cardio blast that’ll leave you seriously sweaty. If you don’t fancy venturing north, there’s also a sister branch in east London.

Unit 2A, The Mews, Truro Road, N22 8EL

Compared to some of London’s boxing clubs, Glove Up is relatively new on the scene. But they’re keen to stress their traditional approach: this is not boxercise, it’s proper boxing. They offer boxing, thai boxing, MMA classes and white-collar boxing, as well as circuit and conditioning classes to improve your overall fitness. There’s a professional boxing ring, punch bags, a weights studio and those all-important skipping ropes.

22 Hardwicks Square, SW18 4GS

Thought boxing was just for burly blokes with pent-up aggression? The folks at Left Hook don’t think so. Their ethos is that boxing should be for everyone, and they run classes for all abilities throughout the week. If you already know what you’re doing, they host competitive boxing sessions on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and they also offer personal training if you really want to work on your left (or right) hook.

Unit 1, 1 Martha Street, Shadwell, E1 2PX

Feeling flash? Swanky studio Kobox offers fast and furious HIIT classes combining heavy-bag sparring and functional strengthbuilding. Try the 30 Min Express.

Multiple locations. 

If you’ve always wanted to take up boxing but never had the time, Box Clever Sports is the place for you. Their classes cater to all schedules, including a morning ‘wake up session’, a super-speedy 30-minute ‘lunchtime express’ class, as well as a ‘Saturday morning blitz’ to sweat out that hangover. They also offer personal training and private group classes for three-five people, if you and your pals want to learn the ropes together.

Lowerwood Court car park, Westbourne Park Road, W11 1EU

It might be hard to believe, but when it comes to fitness, Clapham isn’t all hot yoga and pilates studios. 12 Rounds Boxing gym is run by John and Kat Bryson who are on a mission to prove that anyone can get into the ring (yes, that means you). They even offer on-site childcare, so that stay-at-home parents can attend the morning sessions. The classes are split into four levels and you can work your way up as you get more experienced, starting with ‘boxing fundamentals’ and finishing with the slightly terrifyingly named ‘warzone’.

1A St John's Hill, Clapham, SW11 5EW