An Elephant and Castle gym owner, who went from banking to boxing, said he took a ’50 per cent pay cut’ but is not looking back.
Mani Johal runs Fight City Gym on New Kent Road, which he said has ‘its own community’ despite only being open for 18 months.
Before running gyms, Mani was working as a financial analyst in the city – but ‘always loved’ combat sports.
“I’ve always loved them – I was doing Muay Thai at the time,” he told us.
But the dad-of-two said he struggled to find any gyms that had everything in one place.
“Most of them had great coaches, but the facilities were in a bit of disrepair, leaky roofs, mould, you wouldn’t go in the changing rooms.
“They didn’t have the gym equipment. So you had a separate membership at a gym – which was expensive.
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“And all of them focused on one main discipline which was usually the owner’s background – so I just thought it could be brought into one.”
With his two partners, personal trainer Ross and professional Muay Thai boxer Leon, the first Fight City Gym was built in Moorgate.
Mani said although it thrived – he was still at his job during the day. “It was more of a passion project at first.”
He said even though the money was good, his job wasn’t fulfilling him at the time.
“I couldn’t see my kids much and we were working long hours.
“So in 2018, I fully quit my city job when we decided to open the second gym in Balham.”
Asked if his salary took a hit when he switched from his job in banking, he said: “I took a 50 per cent pay cut. And since then, that’s never gone up.”
If it isn’t money driving him to open these gyms, then what is it?
“The impact we’re making,” he said. “I believe in this idea.”
“One of the kids’ parents emailed us a few months ago to thank all the coaches.
“She said her son was being bullied at school and the classes have made him more confident.”
Not only that, Mani said the boy was pushed at school ‘by a bully’ but because of what he’d learned in jiu-jitsu he didn’t get hurt.
“He landed and broke his fall. That’s one of the first things we teach them – how to fall properly.”
“Feedback like that is why we do this job.”
The feedback I get from our members is that we’ve created a community and each gym has its own.
“We have parties for all our members in the summer and at Christmas.”
At the New Kent Road gym, Mani said their clients are young professionals who have moved to the area and live around Elephant Park.
“Some people come here and they don’t know anyone so it’s a good way to come and meet people.”
Southwark is known for grassroots boxing clubs – but many of the volunteer-led gyms are struggling in recent times.
We covered the story about the Lynn AC club last year, which had closed after falling into disrepair and then had to be saved by Eddie Hearn’s company, Matchroom.
Mani commented on this: “At these clubs, people are paying five pounds per session – and I know lots of people wouldn’t be able to afford to come to this gym.
“But to be sustainable we have to charge a bit more – whilst offering more facilities and different sports.”
They currently teach classes in Jiu-Jitsu, Mixed Martial Arts, Muay Thai and Boxing. Members can take part in any of the classes.
He added that it was ‘very important’ they kept it at a price point where enough people could still afford it – so as many could attend as possible. “We have off-peak memberships which are a lot cheaper than regular ones.”
In a bid to get more of the community active, they are holding free ‘Mums of Steel’ classes for parents whose kids attend the gym.
“We have a lot of parents who bring their kids and some of them have requested it,” he said.
“But I know at the moment people are struggling so the classes will be free for three months.”
The Mums of Steel classes will start next week. Register your interest by contacting the gym.
The gym is at Fight City, Elephant Park, 62 New Kent Road, SE1 6TJ