Our Story
It's an exciting time to be a part of North Shore Boxing Club.
On Monday 1st December 2025 we waived good bye to our beloved PCYC on Falcon Street and relocated to 123 Willoughby Road, Crows Nest.
We have created a facility that gives aspiring and experienced boxers alike, all the tools to help them fulfill their potential and maximize their abilities.
NSBC embodies a rich tradition of boxing with a modern perspective to teaching and practice. Our program can trace its beginnings to 2012 and we have operated under different names and at locations, yet the goal has always been the same. To build boxers from the ground up, brick by brick, with no shortcuts.
Hard work and commitment is our preferred currency. A strong community where our most experienced operators always strive to assist our newest recruits, is everything to us.
At NSBC we are dedicated to inclusivity, respect for the sport & one another, offering diverse programs and practical facilities.
Join us in the ring for an unforgettable boxing experience.
Timetable
Tech
Tech is our flagship class where we really delve into the art and science of boxing. Whether your goals are improved fitness, weight loss, skill acquisition or you aspire to step through the ropes one day and compete. This class will tick all of those boxes and more, because of the variety of our syllabuses and number of tools at our disposal. Our style of teaching is heavily influenced by the Cuban, Soviet and American schools of boxing. That being said we always come back to the credence that everything must be built off of a solid base of fundamentals. Footwork and a strong yet fluid stance is everything to us. Our students learn different footwork patterns such as; conventional, diagonal and striding methods. To help them understand that real boxing is the ability to work going forwards, backwards or laterally. Technique is honed through structured shadow-boxing, padwork, bagwork and partner work. Touch and body sparring are exercises we also use as an introduction to full-contact sparring and as a means of honing specific techniques, tactics and strategies. It is also great fun for those that don't harbour ambitions of competing or want to spar hard, but still want to get stuck in. Tech is an all-levels class and is open to beginners, novices, hobbyists and advanced boxers. Fundamentals will always be the bridge that unites different aptitudes and our instructors are able to adapt techniques and drills, increasing or simplifying complexity to suit all abilities. Our resident Boxing Coaches are all active or former competitors that are still engaged in the never ending pursuit of improving their craft. This means that our style of teaching is smart, creative and constantly evolving.
Fundamentals
We teach from the ground up in our Fundamentals class. This means that before you actually throw a punch, you will learn a basic understanding of stance and footwork. From there we will use structured shadow boxing, bagwork, padwork and partnerwork to help you develop correct punch-mechanics, head-movement, truncular & hand defence and introduce you to the concept of tactics & strategy
Sparring
The purpose of sparring is to sharpen offensive and defensive skills (footwork, punches, head movement, counters etc…)It builds timing, accuracy, and ring awareness. The sparring classes at North Shore Boxing Club help our hobbyists and competitors adapt to different styles of opponent (e.g., aggressive, defensive, or technical opponents). While simultaneously building stamina and mental toughness under pressure. We use different intensity levels depending on what our goals are as a collective. “Light Sparring” is a level above touch-sparring and focuses on technique with minimal power to avoid injury. Sitting in the middle is what we consider a “Move-around” which is a balanced effort, closer to real fight pace but still controlled. “Hard Sparring” is near-full intensity and is sometimes referred to as “Comp Sparring” and is often used in advanced fight camps to simulate real competition. This often takes place in our Open Sparring sessions, which is open to external boxers and coaches that we are familiar and friendly with. Iron may sharpen iron, but safety is always first and foremost in our minds. Sparring classes are always supervised by a Boxing Australia certified coach to ensure proper form and unnecessary damage. Participants must wear headguards, mouthguard and 16+oz gloves. Groin protection is highly recommended, as coach Ayo often says “It’s a lesson you only need to learn once. The focus in sparring is on learning rather than winning. Sparring bridges the gap between drills and actual competition, helping boxers refine their instincts and strategies before stepping into a real match. However, excessive hard sparring can lead to injuries or burnout, so trainers balance it carefully.
Open Sparring
In this class we invite external boxers and coaches from other clubs that share a working relationship with us, to join us for sparring. In sparring boxers from different gyms our students are exposed to varied styles and body-types, which offers the chance to assess weaknesses and develop problem solving skills in a high pressure scenario.
Getting started
Which class do I attend?
If you’re a raw beginner or have been doing boxercise classes for a few months, we strongly suggest you get started with our Fundamentals classes on a Monday morning or Wednesday evening. This will give you the best opportunity to become familiar with some of the principles we adhere to regarding stance, basic movement patterns and punch technique. Those that have previous experience in other striking disciplines would also benefit from these classes, as our coaches will be able to identify the subtle and not so subtle differences between the arts. Experienced hobbyists and competitors should be able to jump into any of our classes, though fitness may be an issue in the sparring sessions if it has been a while since you moved around.
What do I need to bring?
The bare basics that participants need are; towel, water (or your preferred means of hydration), trainers or boxing shoes and hand wraps. If you don’t own a pair of gloves or hand wraps, we will be more than happy to loan you some. Different size gloves serve different purposes in boxing. For padwork, bagwork and partnerwork we recommend 10 to 14oz gloves. Not all skipping ropes are equal, so if you have your own, please bring it. When sparring you will only be allowed to wear 16oz or heavier gloves. This is to protect your sparring-partners, as well as your hands. Head guards are non-negotiable and must be worn in sparring. We highly recommend that male participants wear groin guards. Some lessons don’t need to be learned the hard way. Don’t forget your mouthguard and expect to spar. We want you to keep your teeth, as well as your tongues.
Meet the Team
The members of our team share a passion for the sport and and have skin in the game. They are all active or former competitors, who still train consistently to this day, trying to be the best version of themeselves.
Head Coach
Ayo Odeyale
A fit-pro since arriving in Australia in 2012.
Ayo founded the boxing program that would become NSBC in Crows Nest in 2013.
He prides himself on building boxers from the ground up, with footwork being the foundation of everything he does. His coaching philosophy is simply described as "Brick by brick".
His style is heavily influenced by the Cuban, Soviet & North American schools of boxing.
In 12 years as a coach he has produced champions at every level in Australian amateur boxing; from Novice Titlists to State Champions and ultimately Australian Gold Medalists.
A fan of all combat sports (and most sports in general) Ayo has experience cornering amateurs & professionals in Kickboxing, Muay Thai and Mixed Martial Arts. Though he loves working and developing elite competitors, he gets just as much satisfaction from coaching raw newbies and people transitioning from fitness and cardio boxing.
Ayo still considers himself as an “active boxer” and has no intention of hanging the gloves up yet. He is the current MBA Oceania Champion at 95kg, a division he had no business being in and won’t be revisiting.
Coach is fully entrenched in the sport and is also a Matchmaker for Sydney Fight League and is one of the founders of Sydney Contender. The premier first-timers program in NSW.
Coach
Leon Kew
Armed with 15 years worth of coaching experience across sport and fitness, Leon's exposure to different styles of teaching in different fields, makes him the perfect "all-terrain" coach.
Whether your goal is to improve technique, increase fitness or step into the ring and compete, Leon has you covered.
A keen footballer in his spare time. A serious knee injury in his youth forced Leon to pivot towards boxing. Thus a love affair with the sweet science blossomed and he has never looked back.
Leon began his apprenticeship at the famous All-Stars Boxing Club in West London, refining his skills and developing a keen eye for technique and fundamentals. He earned his stripes in various gyms across London, building his experience coaching both groups and PT clients.
Shortly after relocating to Australia he opened and co-owned a UBX franchise in North Sydney, before joining NSBC.
Leon is particularly passionate about how boxing builds confidence, especially for kids. He firmly believes that boxing is for everyone and that mastering the art of movement, strength, and endurance can bring immense benefits to both body and mind. At North Shore Boxing Club, Leon is dedicated to fostering a welcoming and supportive environment where athletes of all levels can thrive.
Coach
Oscar Mackay
Affectionately christened “The Mauler” for his relentless style of fighting. Oscar Mackay has been a member of NSBC since 2021 and has been representing the club as an amateur boxer from the get go. Hailing from Batemans Bay on the South Coast, the 21 year old moved to Sydney for better job opportunities and because “there’sjust way more things to do here!?”
A veteran of 20 contests and counting, Oscar began his martial arts journey at 5 years of age when his parents signed him up at local Kyokoshin Karate and Judo schools. He cites the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as the likely inspiration for a love of combat and movement.
In his early teens Oscar discovered Parkour (free running) and focus switched to that endeavour. This would lead to the desire and ambition of becoming a stuntman.
Oscar soon realised that most of his would-be-peers in the industry had a side hustle or discipline that added credibilty. So at 15 he signed up to a local boxing gym and got straight to work.
Oscar is a also a qualified gymnastics instructor.
Coach & Youth Program Coordinator
Luiz Nery
As a child Luiz was fascinated by the martial arts and with a father hailing from Sao Paolo in Brazil, he was naturally drawn to BJJ, Capoeira and Muay Thai. Disciplines with a strong cultural connection to the region. Closer to home on the Northern Beaches it was the more typical sports, such as Rugby League and Soccer, that grabbed his attention at school. Unfortunately catalogue of injuries would put a pause to these endeavours until Luiz discovered Boxing as a 12 year-old.
The transition from team sports to an individual pursuit, where success wasn’t determined by the effort of others, was a revelation. Young Luiz was hooked for life.
At 16 he quickly realised that a future working in an office or as an apprentice tradie wasn’t something that was going to gel with his ADHD. So once his HSCs were completed, he gained the necessary qualifications (a Cert 2 in Sports Coaching and Cert 3 & 4 in Fitness) to pursue his passion and became a Personal Trainer and Class Instructor.
7 years later and the passion for pugilism and coaching remains strong.
Guiding his students, overseeing their development and witnessing that growth transition into the other facets of their lives is the part of his job he loves. Luiz’s ability to connect with our younger students and bring an element of fun to proceedings, whilst retaining a level of discipline, made him a natural candidate for the role of Lead Coach for our Juniors and Teens program.
His philosophy is simple, “I want to be considered a teacher rather than a coach. Making great boxers is the goal, but helping kids become better humans is what really counts.”
Since its inception in February this program is going from strength-to-strength, with the natural progression being a third day (the program runs on Tuesdays & Thursdays) added to the schedule.
Luiz is available for 1-on-1 Personal Training and Small Group Sessions. Email info@northshoreboxingclub.com for further information regarding packages.
Coach
Lachlan Kelly
Coach
Sara Jalonen
Lachy is an aspiring amateur, a certified boxing nerd, and
a Kelly — which means his story with this club runs deep.
His old man Jason is a long-time training partner of mine
and was one of the first coaches I hired back in 2017.
Both Kellys still train under Edgar Kaliboti — a coach Jason and I have been with for nearly 15 years. Lachy
trains with Eddy and his father most Fridays.
Three generations of the same boxing wisdom. A holy trinity
of footwork, fundamentals and feel for the sport.
Originally hailing from Vammala in Finland and now a proud Australian, Sara's journey in the sport began 15 years ago.
In a scenario familiar to many, she donned the gloves for fitness and "to punch out some corporate job frustrations".
One thing led to another and before she knew it ,Sara found herself in the ring on a charity fight night. That thrilling experience turned into a full-blown obsession with boxing, that would define her athletic and professional career.
Sara is a product of North Sydney PCYC (She also represented our club once in 2015 - which naturally makes her an NSBC OG) and was a two-time national silver medalist and two-time NSW State Champion as an ametur.
As a professional boxer she is the 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻 & 𝗪𝗕𝗔 𝗢𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗮 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻 and 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝟭𝟬 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗕𝗔.
Some would argue that a straight shooting Scandinavian is probaby the archtype for a successful boxing coach and that is exactly what Sara is. After 10 years in the role and with a battalian of happy customers and accoplished boxers to her name, she'll be the first to admit that she really enjoys telling people what to do.
The best part of the job is helping people do things they never thought they would— especially stepping into the ring for the first time.
Worst part? Bodily fluids… and watching people quit on themselves before they’ve seen what they’re capable of.
The one piece of advice Sara has for any aspiring amateur boxer is that
"You'll always fall to the level of your training, so make sure you show up and do the work — especially on the days you don’t feel like it."
MEMBERSHIP
Subscriptions
Unlimited Classes - $65 per week
1 Session Per Week - $35 per week
Casual Drop In - $40 per session
Pay Up Front Unlimited
Kids
3 Months - $780
6 Months - $1560
12 Months - $3120
1 Session per week - $27
2 Sessions per week - $49
Teens unlimited access - $65 per week*
Kids Casual Drop In - $35
*Subject to approval from Senior Coaches
Personal Training
Coach Ayo - $120 per hour
Coach Luiz - $100 per hour
Coach Oscar - $80 per hour
PT Membership - $25 per week (must be accompanied by trainer on-site)
Corporate Packages
Groups up to 8 people - $350 per hour
Groups of 8 - 11 people - $400 per hour
Groups of 12 or more - $450 per hour
