Boxing Gyms in San Jose – Reviewed [Top 8 in 2024]

There’s a lot more to San Jose than tech companies and sunshine: it also has a handful of quality authentic boxing gyms like Dreamland, Relentless, and several others.

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 San Jose boxing gyms in the comments at the bottom and I’ll continuously update this page to make it as useful as possible!

The 8 Best Boxing Gyms in San Jose🥊

1️⃣ Dreamland Boxing

• Summary: San Jose’s premier pure, authentic boxing gym
• Address: 2047 Woodard Rd (Cambrian)
• Google rating: 4.6
• Opening hours: M-T: 10am-1pm & 4-9pm, F: 3:30-9pm, S: 9am-12pm
• Pricing: $130 / month
• Best for: beginners, pros, and everyone in between
• Online: website, Facebook, Instagram

Dreamland Boxing is often described as one of the few, true boxing gyms in San Jose.

Since being founded back in 2004, it has produced a bunch of champions so they really know what they are doing. But don’t let that intimidate you, there’s a very friendly environment and strong sense of community here.

Both staff and clientele are humble and are there for the love of boxing. Great for all ages and skill levels, whether you’re just starting out or want to compete (they have a team that regularly participates in tournaments and they often host fights at the gym).

A big added bonus is that Dreamland is a mission-focused gym. It is a 501c(3) non-profit and fund raises for scholarships and more recently an anti-bullying fund.

This place ticks all the boxes and is well worthy of its top spot in this list.

Note that boxing classes are daily at 4:30-5:45pm and 6:00-7:15pm.

2️⃣ Relentless Boxing & Training 

• Summary: Real deal boxing gym lead by former champ
• Address: 2354 Calle Del Mundo (North San Jose)
• Google rating: 4.8
• Opening hours: M-F: 7am-12pm, 3:30pm-7:30pm (closes early on Weds and Fri), S: 7-11am
• Pricing: n.a. – on inquiry
• Best for: beginners, pros, and everyone in between
• Online: website, Facebook, Instagram

Relentless is the real deal. It is led by pro fighter and former champ, Arturo Quintero, who has created a culture of positivity and hard work.

Welcoming to fighters of all skills, this place is a pure boxing gym that will train you in the fundamentals of the sport while giving you a serious workout.

The gym itself also looks cool: it’s very spacious and complete with all the equipment you could need.

Note that boxing classes are on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 5pm and 6:30pm, and on Saturday at 10am. Otherwise it is open gym time and personal training.

Spots at classes need to be reserved online in advance. For sure one of the top boxing gyms in San Jose – check it out.

3️⃣ San Jose Boxing & Fitness (aka Cali Boxing & Fitness)

• Summary: High quality boxing & fitness studio
• Address: 3469 McKee Rd (Alum Rock)
• Google rating: 4.5
• Opening hours: very varied – check website
• Pricing: $150 / month
• Best for: everyone
• Online: website, Facebook, Instagram

Cali Boxing and Fitness is a humble gym nestled in the foothills of the Alum Rock hills with a wide variety of boxing classes catering to everyone from young kids to experienced adult fighters.

It’s members talk of friendly, patient, experienced staff who genuinely care about their students and helping each of them achieve their own personal goals.

The gym itself is well maintained and with nice equipment. It has between 6 & 7 classes every weekday for you to choose from (including a 5:30am fitness session!), as well as dedicated sparring sessions in the evenings if you want to practice actual combat.

4️⃣ Checkmate

• Summary: Much loved fancy boxing/fitness studio
• Address: 157 W San Fernando St
• Google rating: 5.0
• Opening hours: M-T: 6:30am-8pm, F: 6:30am-4pm, S: 8am-4pm
• Pricing: $300/month for 12 sessions
• Best for: fitness fanatics with a big budget
• Online: website, Facebook, Instagram

Checkmate is very popular among its members – I can’t find a bad word said about it. Most reviews focus on the clean and well-maintained facilities, the professional and friendly staff, and the welcoming environment for boxers of all experience levels.

Coaches Anthony and Amy are very popular figures who will focus on teaching you the real technique of boxing while giving you a serious workout.

It feels like more of a fitness studio than an authentic pure boxing gym but, nevertheless, it’s a great place to hone your skills and certainly is one of the best boxing gyms in San Jose.

One downside is that at $300/month for 12 sessions, it’s very expensive compared with others gyms. For that price you would expect unlimited classes.

5️⃣ Rumble City Boxing

• Summary: Part boxing, part fitness. Very popular among members.
• Address: 866 Park Ave (Downtown)
• Google rating: 4.9
• Opening hours: M-F: 6am-9pm, S: 8am-2pm, S: 9am-12pm
• Pricing: $15 / class
• Best for: fitness fanatics
• Online: website, Facebook, Instagram

Rumble City Boxing is a very welcoming community with great coaches, classes, and facilities. On the surface it looks more like a fitness studio than a pure focused gym but it does have a “Fight Team” for those who want to take their boxing to the next level and start competing.

They host a variety of different classes throughout the week: cardio, Kids Boxing, and Adult Boxing, so there is something here for everyone.

Rumble City is very popular among its members who praise the skilled, friendly, and highly passionate coaches. Unlike many other cardio boxing classes, here the coaches actually correct and focus on your proper boxing technique.

While it’s not an old school boxing gym, it certainly feels like a great place to train and workout in San Jose. Worth giving it a try.

6️⃣ American Kickboxing Academy 

• Summary: World famous kickboxing gym with boxing classes
• Address: 7012 Realm Drive (Sant Teresa)
• Google rating: 4.8
• Opening hours: M-T: 3-9pm, F: 3-8pm
• Pricing: $169 / month
• Best for: those looking for mixed combat training
• Online: website, Facebook, Instagram

As the name suggests, AKA is primarily a kickboxing / MMA gym rather than a boxing gym but it does hold daily boxing classes and it is world-renowned, which is why I have included it on this list.

It has over 100 5* reviews on Google, where people rave about the world class level of instruction, incredible facilities, and friendly atmosphere that is welcoming to people of all ages and abilities.

Honestly, go check out the reviews, people love this place, including UFC champions like Khabib Nurmagomedov and Cain Velasquez.

It’s only open in the afternoons though so if you need to train before work in the mornings, you’ll have to look elsewhere.

7️⃣ Royal Boxing

• Summary: Down-to-earth boxing / fitness gym
• Address: 1111 Felipe Ave (Downtown)
• Google rating: 4.9
• Opening hours: M-F: 4:30-8:30pm
• Pricing: $10/class
• Best for: beginners, kids, and fitness junkies
• Online: Instagram

This low key place hosts a mixture of boxing and fitness classes throughout the afternoons during the week. It has a great community vibe to it and is regularly hosting non-boxing events like markets and movie nights at its large facility.

The gym itself is spacious and clean and the instructors are praised for ensuring all classes here are great workout.

I wouldn’t say it’s a pure boxing gym though, as more focus seems to be on the fitness side of things rather than the art of boxing.

8️⃣ San Jose PAL Boxing 

• Summary: Police boxing initiative for youths
• Address: 680 South 34th Street (Downtown)
• Google rating: n.a.
• Opening hours: M & W: 4:30-5:30pm
• Pricing: $100/year
• Best for: kids
• Online: website

PAL stands for Police Activities League which is a non-profit organization that partners with law enforcement agencies to promote positive relationships between police and young people in the local community.

There are two classes a week, coached by a member of the police force, that focus on boxing technique, strategy, physical fitness, nutrition, and injury prevention. 

At just $100 for the entire year it is very cheap but it’s only open to people between 12-21 years old.

Related links:

• The Best Boxing Gyms in San Francisco
• The Best Boxing Gyms in Oakland
• The Best Boxing Gyms in Sacramento

How to choose a boxing gym in San Jose❓

• 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 – for me this is so important. 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 San Jose cost? 💰

• Monthly memberships: ~$150-200 per month. Most places offer unlimited classes to their members. Be sure to check for this.
• One-on-one personal training: This can vary a lot but expect to pay around $100 per hour as a minimum.
• Drop-in boxing classes for non-members: ~$15-$30 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 $50-$100

12th Round 🔔

There’s a real range of boxing gyms to choose from in San Jose. From the gritty old-school joints like Dreamland to the high-end boxercise studios like Checkmate, San Jose has something for everyone wanting to put the gloves on and fight. We don’t mind which you choose, so long as you DO choose.

Happy fighting!🥊🥊

“When people say I can’t or I musn’t, ​I always say I can and I will.” – Oscar De La Hoya