On November 27, Battle Republic founders Lindsey Miller Neal (CEO) and Leah Drury (CCO) will open a third location in Alabama to be planted on Queen City Avenue in Downtown Tuscaloosa. Battle Republic is a boxing-inspired fitness studio established in Birmingham.

Raised just 45 minutes from Tuscaloosa in Greensboro, Neal and Drury always knew they would return to their roots to invest in the community they know and love. Drury dreamed of playing collegiate basketball at The University of Alabama (UA) since she was young. After turning down several scholarship opportunities, she achieved her goal, earning a walk-on spot for the Crimson Tide. She soon earned a scholarship after her first semester, as well as a starting position as point guard. Drury displayed impressive leadership qualities on the court as the junior and senior women’s basketball team captain, while excelling in her undergraduate studies of exercise science, interning under two prominent Alabama strength and conditioning coaches, Terry Jones and Michelle Diltz, and assistant coaching with Wendell Hudson.

After a successful basketball career at UA, Drury went on to coach the Seattle Storm in the WNBA. Neal embarked on a corporate career after college and led the private equity acquisition of Birmingham-founded Zoe’s Kitchen in 2007, even ringing the bell on Wall Street when the company went public. Remarkably, these two Greensboro girls raised on catfish farms are now the driving force behind Battle Republic—a boxing gym that changes lives and cultivates community.

With state-of-the-art technology and a DJ booth playing an electrifying playlist, Battle Republic is for those who want to work hard, have fun and never have to fight alone. The first thing you notice when you walk into Battle Republic are the 190-pound boxing bags suspended from the ceiling, neon lights dancing to dope beats and a team of friendly faces ready to greet and cheer you on through a 45-minute intense workout that combines boxing, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and strength training. 

“However we can build you up, that’s what we want to do. The essence of Battle Republic is clear: it’s about you, not us” said Drury, encapsulating the spirit of Battle Republic perfectly. 

“No matter who you are – if it’s your first time working out or you’re an experienced athlete – come on in and get what you need. Come as you are. You be you,” Neal added. 

Hands. Head. Heart. Get ready to glove up and fight on, Tuscaloosa. The first class is always free and founding members that sign up before the grand opening get a lifetime discount of 15% off! The grand opening is planned for the evening of November 27th during and after classes. For more information, follow @battlerepublicttown on Instagram or visit the website at BattleRepublic.com.  

 

Battle Republic Tuscaloosa Team

• Leah Drury – Battle Republic Co-Founder + COO & Founder of A1 Fitness, Former UA collegiate women’s basketball player
• Bo-Hartley Warren – Battle Republic Coach, Former UA collegiate women’s soccer player
• James Kelley – Battle Republic Coach, MBA Student at UA
• Ginny Leavens – Battle Republic Coach, Former UA collegiate women’s swimmer, Owner of Homewood Bagel Company 
• Brian Osburn – Battle Republic Coach, Senior Kinesiology Major at UA 
• Amber Mcllwain – Battle Republic Sales Manager, Faulkner State collegiate softball player

 

About Battle Republic

Battle Republic (Battle) is a boxing-inspired gym that combines boxing on the bag, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and strength training. With state-of-the-art technology and a DJ booth playing a killer playlist, Battle is for the people who want to put work in and have fun while doing it. Battle was founded by two entrepreneurs with unique backgrounds – WNBA coaching and running a national restaurant brand. They found common ground in creating the next generation of fighters in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. Everyone is fighting for something. Battle wants you to know you never have to fight alone.