Boxer hammering a heavy bag inside a gritty training gym
Est. 2009 · Manchester

Step In.
Throw Down.

No mirrors-and-machines fitness theatre. This is a real fight gym — heavy bags, a proper ring, and coaches who've been in the corner. Beginner or brawler, you leave sharper than you came in.

★★★★★ 4.9 / 5 from 600+ fighters trained
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Years In The Game
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Fighters Trained
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Classes A Week
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Title Belts Won
Atmospheric boxing gym with a full-size ring under low light
The RingFull competition canvas
Who We Are

A fight gym, not a fitness club

Southpaw was built in a draughty railway arch by ex-pros who were sick of watered-down "boxercise". Seventeen years on, we still run it the same way: hard rounds, honest coaching, and a room that doesn't care where you started.

  • Coaches who've competed

    Every session is led by a coach with a fight record — not a weekend certificate.

  • Beginners are welcome

    Three out of four people who walk in have never thrown a punch. We teach from zero, no ego.

  • Sparring when you're ready

    Controlled, supervised, optional. Nobody gets thrown to the wolves on day one.

Explore Training →
The Disciplines

Pick your weapon

01

Boxing

The sweet science. Footwork, the jab, head movement and combinations drilled until they're muscle memory.

Beginner → Competition
02

MMA

Stand-up, clinch and ground game. Wrestling, jiu-jitsu and striking fused into one cage-ready system.

Hybrid Striking + Grappling
03

Muay Thai

The art of eight limbs. Elbows, knees, kicks and clinch work from coaches trained in Thailand.

Striking · Conditioning
04

Strength & Conditioning

The engine behind the skill. Explosive lifting, circuits and roadwork that build a fighter's gas tank.

All Levels
Head coach Frankie Doyle with hands wrapped, standing in the gym
Frankie "Lefty" DoyleHead Coach · 41-3 amateur
Your Head Coach

"I don't build gym memberships. I build fighters."

Frankie boxed out of these arches before he ever coached in them. A southpaw who fought 44 amateur bouts and cornered fighters to two regional titles, he's the reason the gym carries the name it does.

His philosophy is simple: master the basics until they're boring, then make them dangerous. Whether you want to drop a stone, sharpen your hands, or chase a white-collar debut, you'll get the same eyes-on coaching he gives the comp squad.

Worn red leather boxing gloves resting on the ring apron
Earn Your Stripes

Every glove here has a story

We don't hand out participation. You log rounds, you spar when you're ready, and you walk out with skills that hold up under pressure.

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Heavy & speed bagsAlways a free station
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Full competition ringSparring & pad work
24/7
Member gym accessTrain on your schedule
View Memberships →
First Round

From the door to the bag in 3 steps

1

Book your free trial

Drop us a line and pick a beginner-friendly session. No kit needed — we'll loan you wraps and gloves.

2

Learn the fundamentals

Stance, guard, the jab. A coach walks you through it on the pads — no being left at the back of the room.

3

Find your fight

Stick with fitness, chase a competition, or just punch the day's stress into the bag. Your gym, your goals.

Word On The Floor

Trusted by the people who turn up

★★★★★
"Walked in twenty kilos overweight and terrified. Six months later I had my first white-collar bout. These coaches actually care whether you improve."
L
Liam HargreavesMember · 2 years
★★★★★
"I tried three big-chain gyms before this. Southpaw is the only one where someone learned my name and corrected my guard in week one."
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Aisha RahmanBoxing & S&C
★★★★★
"Frankie took me from clueless to cornering my own debut in under a year. The sparring is controlled, the coaching is sharp, the place is electric."
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Danny WhitlockAmateur MMA
Your First Round's On Us

Stop scrolling. Start training.

Your first session is completely free — no card, no contract, no pressure. Just turn up, wrap your hands, and find out what you're made of.