Australia-born UBX Opens First US Fitness Studio

From Down Under to New York suburbs, UBX is preparing to duke it out with America’s top fitness boxing brands.

The latest: Australian boutique boxing and strength franchise UBX (pronounced “you box”) opened its first Stateside location in Larchmont, New York last weekend.

The seven-year-old brand, co-founded by four-time world champion boxer Danny Green, combines boxing drills with HIIT and strength exercises in a 45-minute workout.

Of note, the concept has no class times, allowing exercisers to turn up at any time and initiate their workout through interactive digital screens, alongside ongoing support from trainers.

Weighing in. With 100 studios in six countries already open, the brand is rapidly expanding its footprint, debuting its first studios in the UK and Ireland in May and the first three of a 145-unit master franchise agreement in Japan this August.

Along with 400 total units under development, UBX wants to “aggressively” scale across the US, beginning with the Tri-State Area. According to co-founder and managing director Tim West, boxing-fitness crossovers are still on the way up:

“Boxing is experiencing a new golden era and demand follows public interest. This is a great time to enter the U.S fitness arena with a proven boxing product.”

Tale of the Tape

Over the past couple years, the popularity of kickboxing-style bootcamp classes has only been matched by strength training and sculpt sessions, with their progressive programming striking a chord with results-minded exercisers.

Trading spaces. UBX won’t be alone in the fight for more members. Since the end of pandemic lockdowns, American fitness-boxing operators have been pressing the advantage at home and abroad.

• Along with aggressive expansion in Canada and the US, TITLE Boxing Club signed a nine-country licensing deal for Southeast Asia last fall.
• Both Mayweather Boxing + Fitness and UFC GYM are scaling up in the Middle East, with the latter opening “two to four” global properties per week over the next two years.
• Xponential Fitness-owned Rumble has signed 100-unit master franchise agreements in both Australia and Japan.

Meanwhile, functional fitness has become a major export for Australia, with Fitstop and STRONG Pilates joining F45 and BFT in targeting North America.

Punchline: UBX isn’t the first boxing/strength mashup, schedule-free concept, or tech-integrated studio in America. But its deep investment in all three areas gives it a fighting chance to gain ground.