Looking to get started with boxing? Great idea. We’ve reviewed the best boxing gyms in Birmingham so you can find the right place for you. Let’s take a look:
My preference is always for those rare, pure, old school boxing gyms, free of ego, and full of passion for the sport. But sometimes I include the odd boxercise place because I know that not everyone wants the nitty gritty of actual combat.
Why listen to me: I’ve been boxing as an amateur for 6 years and trained in countless boxing gyms around the world from Seattle to Spain. I’ve learnt that picking the right gym can literally change your life and want to help you do the same. Learn more about me here.
PLEASE leave your own opinions and experiences about Birmingham boxing gyms in the comments at the bottom and I’ll continuously update this page to make it as useful as possible!
The 7 Best Boxing Gyms in Birmingham 🥊
1️⃣ Combat Sports Center
- Summary: The complete boxing gym.
- Address: Vulcan Rd
- Google rating: 4.7
- Opening hours: M-T: 7am – 9pm, F: 7am-7pm, Sa: 8am-2pm, Su: 9am-1pm
- Pricing: £35 / month (1 class)
- Best for: kids, beginners, pros, and everyone in between!
- Online: website, Instagram, Facebook
Combat Sports Center ticks all the boxes. It is owned and operated by Paul Gilmore, a former national and international champ with over 30 years experience in the sport of boxing. The facility is clean and modern. And the atmosphere is professional yet welcoming and friendly.
They have multiple classes throughout the day for you to choose from, including specific classes for kids, beginners, and competition fighters, so no matter what your boxing level, you’ll find something here for you.
This definitely is not some boxercise studio. They will teach you the real technique of boxing, and train you to fight in competition if that’s your objective.
They’re also great with kids here. The coaches don’t just teach the young ones the technical skills but also support the children in developing life skills like respect, self-discipline, and confidence.
It’s hard to find a bad word said about Combat Sport’s Center. Definitely one of the best boxing gyms in Birmingham. Highly recommended.
2️⃣ D&A Boxing School of Excellence
- Summary: Excellent by name, excellent by nature. Probably Birmingham’s best.
- Address: 29B Mary Vale Rd
- Google rating: 4.9
- Opening hours:
- Pricing: £60 / month (unlimited classes)
- Best for: kids, beginners, pros
- Online: website, Instagram, Facebook
D&A Boxing has over 300 5-star reviews. And for good reason. This place is awesome in every way. Everything from the cool black and yellow themed facility, to the quality of the coaches, to the passionate environment, makes for a perfect boxing gym.
They have group classes most evenings for kids, adults, and advanced boxers, as well as sparring sessions on Saturdays. Everyone is welcome. Lots of people also get 1-on-1 coaching to progress their skills faster. And at just £20 / hour of private coaching, it’s a pretty good deal.
This is a real, pure boxing gym that trains its members in proper technique, while ensuring they have a killer workout in a respectful and friendly atmosphere.
The fact that everyone who steps into this gym gets hooked on boxing tells you all you need to know. As far as boxing gyms in Birmingham go, it’s hard to beat D&A. Get there now!
3️⃣ Kronk Birmingham Boxing
- Summary: a top class boxing gym training pros and champions
- Address: St Andrews Center, Pike Drive
- Google rating: n.a.
- Opening hours: evening classes
- Pricing: n.a.
- Best for: pro fighters
- Online: Instagram, Facebook
Now this is a real, old school boxing gym.
The walls are covered in flags and boxing memorabilia, there always seems to be people going at some hard sparring in the ring, and it has that distinctive smell of leather and sweat that always reminds me of boxing. Love it!
Kronk is focused on training fighters for competition so it isn’t really suitable for beginners, but if you’re an experienced fighter and you’re looking to train with other bad asses and pros, then Kronk Birmingham is probably the place for you.
They’re so focused on their boxing that they don’t have a website, and they don’t bother with Google reviews either. But check out their Instagram and Facebook to get a feel for the style of this place.
If you’re interested in joining their team, then drop head Coach Wayne (a former IBF middleweight title challenger) an email at waynekronkuk@gmail.com.
4️⃣ Acocks Green Boxing Gym
- Summary: train with real fighters in this awesome facility
- Address: 18 Hay Hall Rd
- Google rating: 4.7
- Opening hours: M-F: 5:30-9pm
- Pricing: n.a.
- Best for: beginners, wannabe champs and everyone in between
- Online: website, Instagram, Facebook
The first thing that stands out about Acocks is the facility. It’s in an old car factory and is huge, spacious, and full of top quality electric blue kit. They’ve clearly put a lot of effort into making this a motivating space to train, and it’s really paid off.
Like Kronk, this is another pure boxing gym that places a big of emphasis on its competitive team, so it would be a great place for you to join if you’re looking to get in the ring and do some proper fighting with other wannabe champs.
Don’t let this intimidate you though, it’s open to boxers of all ages and abilities and they have classes especially for beginners too.
Owner Craig has put his heart and soul into this gym for years and created a rock solid community and vital pillar of the local area.
5️⃣ Pat Benson’s Boxing Academy
- Summary: A true old school, authentic boxing gym
- Address: 50 Adderley St
- Google rating: 4.6
- Opening hours: M-F: 9am-9pm, Sa: 9am-1pm
- Pricing: £5 / class
- Best for: aspiring young champions
- Online: website, Instagram, Facebook
Pat Benson’s Boxing Academy has been training young champions for decades and is one of the most successful boxing clubs in the country. This is truly a place that lives and breathes boxing.
It’s all about the strength of the community here, and the club is involved in all sorts of awesome initiatives like boxing for the disabled, victims of crime and much more. This tells you how solid their values are here.
The main focus is on training young people, so if that’s you, or if you have a child who’s keen to get into serious boxing, then there is nowhere better than Pat Benson’s. They also have plenty of adult classes too though.
All the coaches are professional and respectful, and make sure to give everyone enough personal attention so that all can improve. They will make you work hard though so come prepared!
There’s nothing flashy about Pat Benson’s but that’s just how boxing gyms should be. Go check it out!
6️⃣ Women’s Boxing Club
- Summary: a great all-female boxing gym but not many classes
- Address: 54 Bissell St
- Google rating: 4.8
- Opening hours: M & W: 6:30-7:30pm, Sa: 11am-12pm
- Pricing: n.a.
- Best for: women, obviously!
- Online: website, Instagram, Facebook
Women’s Boxing Club was set up back in 2014 as a way of encouraging more women to get into the sport of boxing.
Knowing that boxing gyms can sometimes be intimidating for women and full of too much testosterone, WBC provides a space where women can feel comfortable and confident.
The club has won countless awards over the years and full credit to owners and coaches Mav and Jason who have decades of experience in coaching and fighting, and who have dedicated their lives to advancing the sport of boxing in the UK, particularly for women.
WBC is open to female boxers of all levels for their group classes, but it best suited to beginners and intermediates.
Each class is also a high intensity workout, so even if you just want to get into boxing to get fit, then these classes are perfect for you. The only problem is that they only have 3 classes in the whole week, so if you want to train outside of those times you’ll need to get some 1 on 1.
7️⃣ Hall Green Boxing Club
- Summary: a very successful amateur boxing club
- Address: Olton Blvd W
- Google rating: 3.8
- Opening hours: M-F: 5:30-9pm
- Pricing: n.a.
- Best for: serious boxers
- Online: Facebook
Since its founding in 2000, Hall Green ABC has produced a string of top class boxers and has won over 70 midland area titles, 15 national titles, and had 5 young boxers represent England, among other accolades.
It’s safe to say they really know what there doing here when it comes to boxing. Bear in mind that this is a place for serious boxers, and not suitable for beginners.
There’s very little info available about Hall Green as they don’t have a website or use social media but its members praise the quality of the coaches and the positive impact that this gym has had on their lives in general.
Worryingly, there are some complaints that this gym hasn’t been welcoming in the past of people of Asian descent. It’s hard to know if there’s any truth in the allegations but when it comes from several people it warrants caution.
Related articles:
- The Best Boxing Gyms in Manchester
- The Best Boxing Gyms in Leeds
- Should I Start Boxing? (7 Reasons Why Hell YES!)
How to pick a Birmingham boxing gym❓
- Coaches – an experienced, motivating coach makes all the difference. Not just when it comes to improving your technique but also in encouraging you to keep coming back time and time again. Becoming a good boxer takes a long time and so it’s important you find a coach that you click with if this is something you want to do for many years. Reviews will often focus on coaches so try looking for those for some insights.
- Convenience of location and class timings – this is key. My boxing gym is on the same block as my home so I have no excuse not to go almost everyday, even if I’m not feeling up to it. Finding a gym that’s close to home or work will make your life much easier and help to make going to boxing training a habit. The same applies to class timings, if you have to massively disrupt your day to get to a class because it doesn’t fit your schedule then you’re going to be less likely to go.
- Gym focus – I don’t have a problem with boxercise classes, but make sure you know what you’re signing up for if you join one of these. Boxercise is very different than actually learning how to fight and getting sparring experience. If you truly want to learn how to box then you need to box. That involves punching other people and getting punched yourself.
- Trial class – most boxing gyms will allow you to have a free trial class so you can get a feel for the place before you sign up. This is a great way of evaluating whether you like the coach, the energy, and the focus of the gym. Always worth asking for a free trial class if you’re not sure whether it’s offered.
How much do boxing gyms in Birmingham cost? 💰
- Monthly memberships: Some places change by class, some by month. But expect to pay around £5 / class or £60 per month. Some places offer unlimited classes to their members. Be sure to check for this.
- One-on-one personal training: Depending on the gym, costs are around £20 per hour as a minimum.
- Drop-in boxing classes for non-members: ~£5 per class
- Initiation fee: not all places make you pay one of these (and I’m not a fan of it) but those that do usually charge a one-off fee of £20
12th Round 🔔
This is a passionate city, and it’s no different when it comes to boxing. There are plenty of class boxing gyms in Birmingham for you to choose from like Combat Sports Center, Pat Benson’s, D&A, and others. Pick whichever feels right for you and get those gloves on.
Happy fighting! 🥊🥊
“Boxing is not always about standing in the middle going toe to toe. It’s about poise and grace under extreme pressure.”
Peter Berg
