James Collings has been boxing and coaching for more than 15 years and decided it was the right time to take the next step in his career.
The Jab Lab, which is located on New Road, is set to be a community space where people from beginners to those more experienced can keep fit, train and have fun.
James Collings (Image: The Jab Lab) The 36-year-old said: “I’ve been in the industry for over a decade now. I worked part-time at the gym I was training at and then went travelling to Australia with my wife and continued to coach. We moved back in 2020 and since then, I’ve really wanted to open my own space for boxing. I feel like it was the next step in my career.
“I want to create a space for more than just boxing. It has opened a lot of doors for me and it is more like a respite and a place to hangout.
“There is a fantastic boxing scene in the area including Mikey’s Boxing Gym, but whilst they are more focused on professional boxing, we are very much focused on white collar boxing. I’d encourage everyone to come down and give us a try. You could also use it as a stepping stone to competitions.”
The new gym will offer classes from Monday to Friday (Image: The Jab Lab) The new gym will officially open its doors tomorrow (Saturday, January 4) at 11am with special guest English light-heavyweight champion Ricky Summers.
The Jab Lab, which said health and safety is a priority, is set to offer classes from Monday to Friday at 6am and 6pm for an hour.
Classes include a variety of activities on different days from sparring on Friday at 6pm to pad mastery at 6am on Monday.
There are also children’s sessions at 5.15pm on Monday and Thursday.
Mr Collings, who is from Kidderminster, said: “We’ve had a lot to prepare but I am very excited for the launch day. I have a lot of clients from the area who have already expressed an interest in trying us out and we’ve also had a great reactions from new clients.
“It was also amazing that Ricky offered to come down to celebrate the launch. He didn’t know me but he is a friend of one of my clients and he wanted to help out.
“Everyone is welcome to just turn up to the launch event from 11am and Ricky will be happy to take photos. I will also be around for a chat if people want to find out more or sign-up to the gym. I’m so grateful for the support from Ricky and the community and I can’t wait to create a hub for everyone in the town to enjoy.”