Boutique studio UBX Boxing and Strength has partnered with Warner Bros. Pictures (ANZ – Australia and New Zealand) on a Workout Like Creed fitness campaign based around the upcoming cinema release of fight movie Creed III.
The movie, scheduled to be released internationally on 3 March 2023, sees Michael B Jordan return as Adonis Creed, as well as making his directorial debut. Sylvestor Stallone will not be playing Rocky Balboa in the film, but is still on board as a producer.
The ‘Workout Like Creed’ campaign brings Creed III-inspired boxing and strength-training classes to UBX clubs and its app – Train: On Demand – until 12 March. UBX will also hold group outdoor workouts on 25 February, which are open to the general public, as well as members.
“By making boxing more accessible to everyone, we're on track to achieve our vision of becoming the world’s largest boxing community,” said Danny Green, UBX co-founder and former professional Australian boxer. “By partnering with Warner Bros. Pictures, we have the opportunity to amplify our reach to fans of Creed III."
UBX launched in Australia in 2016 and now operates clubs in over 90 sites across Australia, New Zealand and Singapore and has more than 400 gyms contracted to open across the UK, Ireland, USA and Japan.
In January, UBX signed a Master Franchise Agreement with Prova Group in Japan to license a minimum of 145 new studios over the next 10 years. The first studio is scheduled to open in Tokyo in Q3 of 2023.
"Japan is an important next market for UBX due to its strong interest in boxing, longstanding affinity with martial arts and long list of world champions, including former Pound for Pound number one boxer, Naoya Inoue,” said co-founder Tim West. “As seen globally, consumer interest and participation often follows professional success in sport."
In an exclusive interview with HCM last year, West explained that, in addition to a good product, growth in a new region relied on support infrastructure and funding for franchisees. For the UK and Ireland, Empowered Brands holds a Master Franchise Agreement and RM Funds provides access to capital.
He described UBX as a “low-to-moderate CAPEX model with a very low break-even point”.
