Best Boxing Gyms Ever

In the history of boxing, there have been many legendary gyms established. Fight fans often debate the best boxing gyms in the world.

Here’s a list of the best boxing gyms in history. Check out the history of these great gyms, the trainers, and the great fighters they produced.

Best Boxing Gyms

Wild Card Gym

• Date Established: 1995
• Location: Los Angeles, California
• Trainer/Owner: Freddie Roach
• Notable Fighters: Manny Pacquiao, James Toney, Mike Tyson, Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto

Wild Card Gym is always one of the first gyms brought up when talking about the best boxing gyms. Owner and head trainer Freddie Roach was lucky enough to inherit the space from actor Mickey Rourke.

Roach opened the doors at Wild Card in 1995 and quickly gained international attention. Fighters from all over the world have traveled to LA to train at Wildcard. 

Legends like Manny Pacquiao, James Toney, and Mike Tyson made Wild Card home during their career.

Floyd Mayweather Boxing (TMT)

• Date Established: 1999
• Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
• Trainer Owner: Floyd Mayweather Sr./Floyd Mayweather Jr.
• Notable Fighters: Floyd Mayweather, Gervonta “Tank” Davis, Ishe Smith, Badou Jack

Since Floyd Mayweather Boxing(TMT) in 1999, it quickly became one of the best boxing gyms ever. It is the home base of undefeated legend Floyd Mayweather Jr.

This is the gym where Floyd had all of his training camps. Since retiring from boxing, Mayweather Jr. has taken over the gym and is taking it to new heights.

He helped expand his brand while helping fighters like Tank Davis transform into superstars. 

5th Street Gym

• Date Established: 1950
• Location: Miami, Florida
• Trainer Owner: Chris & Angelo Dundee
• Notable Fighters: Joe Frazier, Sugar Ray Leonard, Muhammad Ali
• The legendary 5th Street Gym is set next to a beautiful Miami beach. Since 1950, some of the greatest boxers of all time had their training camps at 5th Street.

Everyone from Joe Frazier, Muhammad Ali, and Sugar Ray Leonard put in countless training sessions in the gym. It’s a place associated with great fighters, which makes many believe it’s one of the best boxing gyms ever.

5th Street Gym is still running today and open to the public.

Kronk Boxing Gym

• Date Established: 1978
• Location: Westland, Michigan
• Trainer Owner: Emanuel Steward
• Notable Fighters: Thomas Hearns, Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis

When discussing the best boxing gyms in the world, Kronk Boxing Gym must be mentioned. The late great Emanuel Steward created one of the most grueling gyms in history.

Steward’s Kronk boxing gym was a gritty gym that matched the feel of Detroit’s tough environment. Champions trained there in the 100-degree gym, going to battle to prepare for their highly publicized bouts.

All-time greats like Thomas Hearns, Evander Holyfield, and Lennox Lewis called Kronk Boxing Gym home.

The Catskill Boxing Club 

• Date Established: 1970
• Location: Catskill, New York
• Trainer Owner: Cus D’Amato
• Notable Fighters: Mike Tyson, Floyd Patterson, Jose Torres, Kevin Rooney

If you’re a hardcore boxing fan, you are very familiar with the history of the Catskill Boxing Club. The Catskill boxing gym was opened by the legend Cus D’Amato in 1970. 

D’Amato had a reputation for training some of the best heavyweights in the world—everyone from boxing great Floyd Patterson to the icon “Iron” Mike Tyson.

Just about all of the training highlights you’ve seen of Tyson and Patterson took place at the Catskill- an iconic gym and easily one of the best boxing gyms ever.

Gleason’s Gym

• Date Established: 1937
• Location: Brooklyn, New York
• Trainer Owner: Bobby Gleason
• Notable Fighters: Roberto Duran, Larry Holmes, Jake LaMotta

New York is known for having the best boxing gyms in the world in walking distance from one another. The hard knocks Gleason’s Gym is the most decorated boxing gym in NY and the oldest running gym in New York.

Over 132 world champions and counting have called Gleason’s Gym home. Everyone from Roberto Duran, Larry Holmes, and Jake LaMotta spent most of their careers training at Gleason’s Gym.

The gym welcomes drop-ins if you ever visit New York and want to see a special place in boxing history.

Julian Magdaleno Gym 

• Date Established:
• Location: Guadalajara, Mexico
• Trainer Owner: Julian Magdaleno
• Notable Fighters: Canelo Alvarez, Jaime Munguia, Rigoberto Alvarez

On the outskirts of Guadalajara, Julian Magdaleno opened a small boxing gym over two decades ago. Magdaleno is the uncle of multiple-time world champ and current superstar Canelo Alvarez.

Canelo’s stardom led to Magdaleno’s gym getting international recognition. This led many of the best Mexican fighters and international fighters to make a trip to train in Guadalajara.

Like Canelo, Magdaleno has also trained champions like Rigoberto Alvarez and rising star Jaime Munguia. Magdaleno’s gyms are now considered by many as one of the world’s best boxing gyms.

Peacock Gym

• Date Established: 1978
• Location: London, England
• Trainer Owner: Tim & Martin Bowers
• Notable Fighters: Sir Henry Cooper, Prince Naseem, Frank Bruno

England is where the modern sport of boxing was created, and it’s home to a few of the world’s best boxing gyms. One of the most notable is the Peacock Gym in London, England.

Since Tim & Martin Bowers opened the gym’s doors in 1978, many of the UK’s best boxers have called the gym home. In just about every era of boxing, the Peacock Gym has produced a world champion.

Everyone from Sir Henry Cooper, the KO artist Frank Bruno, and the flashy and gifted Prince Naseem trained there. This variety of boxing champions with different styles shows the Peacock Gym deserves its respect as an all-time great gym.

Repton Boxing Gym

• Date Established: 1884
• Location: London, England
• Trainer Owner: Repton School
• Notable Fighters: John H. Stracey, Maurice Hope, Micky Carter, Billy Taylor

Repton Boxing Gym is the first boxing gym in the world that opened in 1884. This is where the foundations of the modern sport of boxing were first put into practice.

In its heyday, Repton was easily one of the best boxing gyms in the world. Champions from numerous eras, like John H. Stracey, Maurice Hope, and Micky Carter, put in grueling work inside Rapton.

The gym is still running and welcomes everyone from tourists to boxing enthusiasts.

Cuban Boxing Federation

• Date Established: 1962
• Location: Havana, Cuba
• Trainer Owner: Cuban Government
• Notable Fighters: Teofilo Stevenson, Felix Savon

The last gym on our best boxing gyms in the world list has a reputation for greatness. The machine known as the Cuban Boxing Federation created the perfect system to create the world’s best amateurs.

Since the mid-1960s, Cuba has dominated the sport of amateur boxing. There is rarely an Olympic or international event that the Cubans don’t dominate.

This is the only boxing gym in the world that has produced two 3-time Olympic gold medalists in boxing. All of the stories you’ve heard about Cuba’s boxing program are true, and they are just that good.