NJ Boxing Gyms to know
Need a place to box in New Jersey? Here’s a list of gyms that covers almost every corner of the state. Want to add your gym? Email me at ryansongalia@gmail.com
North Jersey
Park Elite Boxing Academy — Roselle Park
Address: 110 Chestnut Street, Roselle Park, NJ 07204
Park Elite Boxing, run by Percy Gayanilo, offers boxing and personal training. Is the home to pro flyweight contender Angelino Cordova. Long-time pro Joseph “Pop” Figueroa is one of the trainers.
D.O.R.C.A. Boxing — Newark
Address: 916 South Orange Avenue, Newark, NJ 07106
Based out of Boylan Street Recreation Center, former pro contender Nasir Graham runs one of the best public boxing programs in the state.
Elite Heat Boxing Gym — Newark
Address: 130 Mt. Pleasant Ave., Newark, NJ 07104
They don’t call it Elite Heat for nothing; it’s as hot as an Arizona sauna all year-round. Head coach Anthony McPhall can also fit you for a suit at his tailor shop after you spar.
World Boxing Gym — Jersey City
Address: 29 Division Street, Jersey City 07302
If you’re looking for a boxing gym with real history, few places in New Jersey can match this Jersey City staple. The former Rocky Marciano Gym, first opened in 1991 by Marciano’s brother, Lou, has hosted a who’s who of boxing royalty, including Arturo Gatti, Pernell Whitaker, Tomasz Adamek, Buddy McGirt and Gerry Cooney. Today, the gym sits on the third floor of a sprawling training facility and primarily serves personal training clients, but the boxing section is now run by former pro Patrick “Paddy Boy” Farrell, ensuring there is still plenty of old-school fight knowledge in the room.
Lyndhurst Boxing Gym — Lyndhurst
Address: 31 Ridge Road, Lyndhurst, NJ 07071
Lyndhurst Boxing Gym is one of the best understated gyms in the state. Has a main ring upstairs and another one downstairs. Pros Kristian Prenga, Michael Anderson and Alexander Collado train here under Muhammad Abdus Salaam and Michael Cupak.
Legacy Boxing Club — Belleville
Address: 341 Cortlandt St., Belleville, NJ 07109
Legacy had been hosting many of the best amateur shows in the area before a fire destroyed its building in May of 2026. That hasn’t slowed down Yessenia Montalvo, who has been hosting club training sessions at parks nearby. Legacy can’t get a roof over its head soon enough; the gym is the undisputed home of women’s boxing, hosting all-women sparring days and amateur shows.
Ringside Boxing Gym — Jersey City
Address: 479 Tonnele Ave., Jersey City, NJ 07307
Former Union City Boxing coach Guillermo “Lucky” Sanabria continues to train young fighters in Hudson County at Ringside Boxing Gym. Veteran professionals Juan Rodriguez Jr. and Nicoy Clarke are among the fighters who have called the gym home.
Bayonne Recreation Boxing — Bayonne
Address: 550 Ave. A, Bayonne, NJ 07002
Bayonne Recreation operates a PAL-style boxing program that gives amateur and professional fighters a public place to train. Former pro Bobby Rooney has continued his father’s legacy there, while fighters such as Robert Terry and Justin Penaranda have also trained out of the gym.
Elizabeth Recreation Boxing — Elizabeth
Address: Fred Erxleben Recreation Center, 513-515 Richmond Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07202
Elizabeth Recreation operates boxing programming out of the Fred Erxleben Recreation Center, with former amateur star/middleweight contender Derrick “Poppy” Rolon now running the public program he made famous. Former heavyweight pro Rodney Price is also one of the trainers at one of the best equipped gyms in the state.
Ike & Randy’s Boxing Gym — Paterson
Address: 98 Park Ave., Paterson, NJ 07501
One of New Jersey’s best-known traditional boxing gyms, Ike & Randy’s has been a fixture in the Paterson boxing scene since 1993. Former pro Phil Shevack named the gym after the building’s owner Ike Rhule and his brother Randy, while longtime trainer Ossie Duran continues to turn novices into champions. The gym has been home to former world champion Kendall Holt as well as Adrian Stone, Al “Ice” Cole and Buddy McGirt.
True Warriors Boxing and Fitness Club — Paterson
Address: 85 5th Ave., Paterson, NJ 07524
Chances are you’ve been here if you’ve fought in a Golden Gloves show or needed to renew your USA Boxing book. Former pro Jose Concepcion and his wife Ramona run the gym, located along a stretch of Paterson warehouses, while professionals such as Zhilei Zhang, Norman Neely and Rajon Chance have all trained there.
Lou Costello Sportsmen Club — Passaic
Address: 104 Lexington Ave., 2nd Floor, Passaic, NJ 07055
Oscar Suarez Jr. revived the boxing program where his legendary father once served as head trainer. The gym’s current generation is still developing, but Golden Gloves champion Ezekiel Suarez has emerged as one of the top fighters in the program.
Dover Boxing Club — Ledgewood
Address: 1039 US-46, Ledgewood, NJ 07852
Located inside Alpha Fitness in Ledgewood, Ed Leahy brings decades of boxing experience to the Dover Boxing Club team as a former boxer, judge and longtime amateur coach. I know I’m not alone in saying we miss his Dover (NJ) vs. Dover, England boxing shows. One of Morris County’s longest running boxing programs.
Aces Boxing Club — Boonton
Address: 718 Main Street, 3rd Floor, Boonton, NJ 07005
Run by Joe Zabry, Aces Boxing Club has been one of the most active amateur boxing venues in recent years. It’s not an accident that the gym has probably the best ring in the state; Zabry also puts up rings for many boxing events.
Central Jersey
Strategic Combat Academy — Sayreville/Old Bridge area
Address: 4450 Bordentown Ave., listed by some directories as Sayreville, NJ 08872 or Old Bridge, NJ 08857, depending on the day.
The program hit the jackpot when long-time Union City Boxing coach Joe Botti came out of retirement to rebuild this program. Program is still being built up but Botti has developed some open class fighters from scratch. Huge location with MMA facilities as well.
Knuckle Game Boxing Team — Trenton
Address: 210 East Miller St., Trenton, NJ 08611
Several of Trenton’s top fighters from previous generations now pass on their knowledge at Knuckle Game Boxing Team, including Robert Smarr and Terry “Slim” McCoy. It’s not uncommon to see former National Golden Gloves champion Michael Hilton and rising pro Shinard Bunch getting work in at the gym.
Brunswick Boxing Stars
Address: 784 Carolier Lane, North Brunswick, NJ 08902
Run by John Thompson, Brunswick Boxing Stars is a spacious gym with no shortage of solid sparring.
Jersey Shore / South Jersey
Gleason’s Gym Jersey Shore — Long Branch
Address: 515 Bath Ave., Second Floor, Long Branch, NJ 07740
The Jersey Shore branch of the famous Gleason’s name is run by NJ LBC President Jackie Atkins, and produced international amateur standout Tyric Trapp.
Semper Fit Boxing Club — Freehold
Address: 64 Thoreau Drive, Freehold, NJ 07728
Johnny Rodriguez runs a great youth program. It’s not uncommon to see the doors open and the amateurs running laps during warm weather.
Juice Boxx Boxing Gym — Freehold
Address: 191 B Throckmorton St., Freehold, NJ 07728
Better make sure you’re in shape if you spar here: they have the smallest ring of any gym on this list. That’s probably why John Leonardo, who trains here, is such an effective inside fighter. They also have a food/juice bar near their entrance. Super middleweight contender Junior Younan stays in shape there when he’s not at camp in Colorado, and Oscar Barajas is another pro in the gym.
Gladiator Boxing — Forked River
Address: 120 N. Main St., Forked River, NJ 08731
Trainer Shawn Darling has helped develop both amateur and professional fighters at this Jersey Shore-area boxing gym. Team Gladiator has become one of the more active boxing programs in Ocean County, producing competitors on both the local and national levels.
TKO Fitness — Cherry Hill
Address: 1615 Kings Highway North, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034
Run by former professional boxer and current promoter Alex Barbosa, TKO Fitness is home to many of the top amateurs and professionals in the Philadelphia and South Jersey area. The gym also features an MMA cage and regularly hosts amateur boxing shows.