Mayweather Boxing and Fitness
There’s a battle brewing in brick-and-mortar boxing.
The latest: Boutique franchise Mayweather Boxing + Fitness acquired KickHouse Fitness, a kickboxing franchise with 26 locations.
Between the lines: Founded by former boxing champ Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2018, the franchise boutique studio has 65 US locations open or in development.
KickHouse, meanwhile, only materialized in 2020 (in the midst of the pandemic). Pushing hyper-growth, Mayweather will leverage KickHouse’s proven infrastructure for franchise development.
Why it matters: On the rise since the mid-2010s, sustained interest in boxing classes that blend HIIT and strength training with fighting technique has led to major boutique franchise expansions:
- In January 2021, BoxUnion, a three-location boutique brand, acquired TITLE Boxing, operator of 166 boxing-focused health clubs in three countries.
- Two months later, Xponential Fitness bought Rumble, an 11-studio boxing concept; by Q1’22, it eclipsed 200 signed franchise agreements.
- As of this year, UFC GYM counted over 150 locations in 37 countries, with 800+ in development globally; its CEO aims to open one new location every week.
Takeaway: F45’s recent stumbles should be a cautionary tale about hyper-growth franchising. A tale of the tape, boxing franchises will have to pack a punch beyond licenses sold.
