The Best Boxing Clubs in Manchester City Centre
Within a two-mile radius of Manchester, City Centre are some of the UK’s best boxing clubs. Join us as we explore the vibrant boxing scene in the centre of Manchester and review four of the best boxing clubs.
Introduction
Learning Boxing can feel like a big feat for anyone. Learning Boxing in the city of Manchester can feel like even more of a brave challenge given the city’s heritage and reputation as a breeding ground for elite-level boxers. With so many clubs and gyms offering boxing, how can one be sure of what to expect or where they should try first? We explore the following and more below. So whether you’re just learning the ropes, are looking to get back into the ring or are an aspiring amateur or white-collar boxer, we outline the best boxing clubs in Manchester city centre that you can attend.
Corner HQ - Boxing Gym
Located only minutes away from the railway arches of Manchester Piccadilly Station is Corner HQ. Perhaps one of the most technologically advanced boxing gyms in the UK, it is the home of Corner’s operations and technological innovations including their own boxing trackers. It is the newest addition to the Manchester Boxing Clubs and only opened in 2022. The club welcomes amateur boxers, professional fighters, fitness fanatics, and everything in between. Offering a range of boxing classes to suit every level of ability with expert boxing coaches and their boxing punch tracker technology. Head Coach is Professional Boxer Marvin Tomlinson who leads the pure boxing sessions. There are also a number of boxing and combat trainers who lead fitness-focused sessions.
One standout about this club is the welcoming nature and how personal the sessions are. The small club environment means everyone is able to introduce themselves to one another at the start of the session. It’s pretty easy to remember names too - as the interactive leaderboard at the heart of the gym displays everyone's stats (more on this later). The small boutique-style sessions mean the coach running the session is able to have plenty of 121 interactions with each person attending. The constant interactions mean that you really feel you have developed something each session and are being pushed to your limits.
The club features six large heavy boxing bags, which are ideal to work on in pairs or individually, several water bags, a ring and a free weights section that includes a full squat rack. The really special thing about this club is the Boxing Punch Trackers you get access to. The trackers provide real-time analysis on all sorts of metrics that you can access by downloading the Corner App [available on Android and iOS]. Meanwhile, a large monitor in the centre of the gym is used to display the four most important metrics per boxer: punch count, speed, power and KO Points (a multiplier metric of the previous two). The coaches use these throughout the session in a variety of ways to encourage you to compete against yourself or others in the gym, round on round. All of this is linked to the large display screen and surround sound music system. This unique feature really motivates you and helps you to track your progress across sessions and rounds.
A mix of sessions caters for different levels of experience. Sessions include: dedicated Sunday sparring sessions, boxing training, boxing fitness boot camps, women's only boxing classes and boxercise-style HIT classes.
With a greater variety of classes than standard boxing classes, you will find that each session is matched to your ability. The Just Box sessions are incredibly tough and put you through your paces whilst mixing in technique, drill work and technical sparring. The Box HIIT sessions are designed to provide a fitness-focused boxing workout that targets the whole body. Sunday Sparring Sessions are split to cater for beginner and intermediate/advanced sparring.
Find out about our sessions here
Moss Side Fire Station ABC
Located just behind the Asda in Hulme, within the Fire Station complex, Moss Side Fire Station ABC boasts 15 bags, one large ring and an outdoor area the club is able to cater for outdoor training. MSFABC is a large club that is arguably one of the most esteemed boxing clubs outside of London. Led by head coach Nigel Travis, the boxing club was founded in 2008 through a partnership with Moss Side Firestation. As an amateur boxing club, there is only one focus which is developing amateur boxers.This can be those training as junior amateur boxers and senior amateur boxers. Training here you will be exposed to some highly talented amateur boxers, including those who represent team GB, such as Conner Tudsbury, and many Regional and National level amateur boxers train and visit for sparring. Due to the popularity of the club, the boxing club offers boxing sessions every day of the week, but some are exclusive for those with a medical card.
One thing that should be acknowledged, is the challenge of running a much larger club. Often it means that the boxing coaches' time is under far more demand and their availability to give 121 advice is limited. Many boxing clubs operate in a similar way and only start to devote time to developing a boxer once they have shown dedication and potential. For those learning boxing, it can take a while to be shown the basics or to receive some one-to-one attention.
That said, the size of the club means that every session is busy with a great variety for sparring, with different levels of ability and styles. The club also does incredibly well to train boxers to become fighting fit. With a number of fitness classes throughout the week, the club will take beginner and advanced fighters through their paces with high-intensity cardio boxing sessions. The classes are well structured with a focus on sparring, bag work and fitness circuits. Carded amateur boxers are invited to exclusive training sessions held three times a week. Sessions advertised: include Junior Carded Amateur Boxers, Senior Carded Amateur Boxers, Mixed Adult Boxing Fitness, Women’s Boxing Class and Ladies' Fitness session.
MSFABC does a lot to integrate with the local community, including hosting a number of club shows, and running fundraisers and community programmes.
Website: https://mosssidefirebox.co.uk/
Champs Camp - Moss Side Amateur Boxing Club
With a heritage that dates back to the Manchester Riots, the club was founded by Light Heavyweight Champion Phil Martin in 1981. Located above the Phil Martin Community Centre on Princess Road, Moss Side, the club features one ring, a number of variations of boxing bags, and additional aerobic exercise machines. The old-school gym caters for white-collar boxers, junior amateur boxers, women boxers and professional boxers. The club has drawn in young lads, and more recently lasses, in their masses and turned many into amateur and professional boxing national champions.
Boxing sessions are led by the hard-hitting, straight-talking Maurice Core, a former British Light Heavy Weight boxing champion. Paying homage to Phil Martin, the club is renowned for its
sense of discipline and tough approach to sparring and training. Prior to passing, Phil Martin, in ten years, the boxing gym steered Tony Ekubia, Frank Grant, Maurice Core, Carl Thompson and Paul Burke to British and Commonwealth title success.
The boxing gym continues to work with a number of professional fighters today. One benefit of having a professional boxing connection in the gym is the opportunity to spar and train alongside professional boxers. This can be particularly beneficial for those amateur boxers looking to turn over to the professional ranks to understand what is required from the lifestyle.
Today, the boxing club offers a variety of boxing training for different goals. This includes Champs Camp a professional boxing outfit, Tropical Thunder for Women Boxing, and a number of White Collar Boxing events. It also has Moss Side ABC, an amateur club, that operate from the gym. This club is considered to be medium in its size and is ideal for boxers who are training towards any of the aforementioned reasons. Advertised classes include Amateur Boxing and Fitness Training and Junior Amateur Boxing Training. Each session will often include a mix of technical drills, body sparring and full-contact sparring.
Website: http://www.mosssideboxing.co.uk/
Longsight Boxing Club
Perhaps one of the most underrated boxing clubs in Manchester is Longsight ABC. The amateur boxing club is located at Unit 42 in the Longsight Business Park and is run by Coach Omar Ali Al-Wandawi. The club is solely focused on Amateur boxers, both junior and senior boxers, but has ambitions to take some of its homegrown talent to the professional ranks.
One standout from this club is that they do not try to get the boxer to mould into a specific style, but build out their own. They encourage boxers to experiment with their style and hone it through sparring. With many national champions and golden gloves winners, the boxing club has a high amount of talent for its small footprint within Manchester.
The boxing club arguably has the best heavy bags in Manchester, which are perfect for partner drill work. The club also has a large array of Strength and Conditioning equipment which is regularly incorporated into the training. If you are a big fan of S&C there are also separate sessions that run at the gym on alternative days.
The boxing club features one ring, around 10 bags, a multitude of free weights and squat and hack bars. The boxing club also utilises the business unit's sheltered driveway between units allowing shuttle runs, skipping and additional room for skill work.
Similarly to Corner HQ, you are always welcomed by name and Coach Omar does a brilliant job of remembering everyone’s names. It is always something special when the newest member is treated as fairly as those who have been at the club for a long while and attention is given to all equally.
Although Longsight ABC does not have a website you can contact them via their Facebook or Instagram
Boxing Clubs outside of Manchester City Centre
Other boxing clubs that are located in the suburbs of Manchester worthy of mention include:
Northside Amateur Boxing Club, 217 North Rd, Manchester M11 4WQ
Jimmy Eagen’s Boxing Academy, Mullacre Road, Wythenshawe, Manchester M22 8DJ
Moston and Collyhurst Boxing Club, Lightbowne Rd, Manchester M40 9EG
St John Amatuer Boxing Club Chequers Rd, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 9DX
Timperley Amateur Boxing Club - 5 Mainwood Rd, Timperley, Altrincham WA15 7JU
Conclusion
It should be noted that there are many other boxing clubs in Manchester, each with its own reputation, coach speciality and training perks. If you are considering how to find the best boxing club for your boxing ambitions, you may find it useful to read our blog ‘how to find the best boxing club for you’.
Corner HQ
Located in the center of Manchester is Corner HQ. No ordinary Boxing Gym, Corner HQ is the heartbeat of Corner’s operations and technological innovations. Welcoming amateur boxers, professional fighters, fitness fanatics, and everything in between, we host a range of boxing classes to suit every level of ability with our expert boxing coaches and technology.
Join us for sparring sessions, boxing training, boxing fitness boot camps and boxercise-style classes.
Find out about our sessions here.
Corner Wearables
Corner Wearables are designed to enhance combat sports athlete performance with real-time analysis. Whether you are training for boxing or MMA (mixed martial arts), Corner punch trackers help your progress with intelligent analysis and session insight. Learn how to punch harder and punch faster with our market-leading technology and app.
Join fighters worldwide and take part in on-demand sessions through the Corner App, available on iOS and Android.
With Corner you can take boxing training anywhere anytime.
