About TKO Barking ABC
TKO Barking ABC was founded in 2006 by world-class boxing coach Johnny Eames. The club originally operated in Canning Town before relocating in 2017 to its current home at Abbey Sports Centre, Axe Street, Barking - right on the East London and Essex borders within the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.
The club has built a strong community reputation in the area and is supported by the council as part of its youth services programme. TKO works collaboratively with youth, community, and faith organisations in the borough, using boxing as a tool for mentoring and positive development for young people.
Johnny Eames is a well-regarded figure in amateur boxing circles, and TKO's coaching team runs a busy weekly schedule. Open gym runs Monday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm, giving members flexible daytime access to the facilities.
About Honour & Glory
Honour & Glory is an England Boxing affiliated amateur boxing club at the Samuel Montagu Youth Centre in Kidbrooke, SE3. We run classes from age 5 through to competitive amateurs, with BBBofC licensed coaches led by head coach Anton (30+ years experience).
Sessions are pay-as-you-go from £5, with no joining fees or contracts.
Classes
TKO runs a full daily timetable across multiple age groups. Amateur classes for 8-11 year olds run on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons. Junior amateurs (11-16) train at the same times on a slot after. Senior amateur classes (17+) run evenings. Adult beginner classes run most evenings with coaches including Blaise, Steve, and Mo Hussein. Thursday evenings feature a women-only boxing class from 5:30pm to 6:45pm.
Note that amateur competitive training at TKO for 11-16s is described as invitation-only on their website - meaning you may need to attend beginner classes first before being invited to join the competitive track.
Honour & Glory's infants programme starts at age 5 - three years younger than TKO's youngest group. Our programme from age 5 upwards covers infants, juniors, recreational adults, competitive amateurs, and dedicated women's sessions. Nothing is invitation-only at H&G - if you're ready to train, there's a session for you.
Pricing
TKO's ladies boxing and boxing fitness sessions are listed at around £10 per session. Full pricing for other classes isn't prominently advertised online - the club advises visiting or getting in touch directly.
Honour & Glory publishes clear pricing on our prices page: from £5 for juniors and amateurs, up to £10 for recreational adults. Personal training from £30/hour. No surprises.
Location
This is the clearest difference. TKO is in Barking, roughly 40 minutes from SE3 by car via the Blackwall Tunnel - and noticeably longer in rush-hour traffic. By public transport, the journey from Kidbrooke involves multiple connections and close to an hour each way.
Honour & Glory is right in Kidbrooke, with easy access from Greenwich, Eltham, Blackheath, and Lee - most within 10 to 15 minutes.
The Verdict
TKO is doing good work in Barking and Dagenham with a well-structured daily programme and strong community ties. If you live in East London, it's worth investigating.
For anyone in the Greenwich borough, the 40-minute journey makes regular training impractical. Honour & Glory offers classes from age 5 (three years younger than TKO's youngest group), dedicated women's sessions, simple pay-as-you-go pricing from £5, and a location that avoids the Blackwall Tunnel entirely.
Book a free trial and come train locally.