SWINDON'S champion boxer Jamie Cox doesn't hold back when asked about the difference the sport has made to his life.

And with a Commonwealth gold medal and four professional victories under his belt, he's now got one of the country's best known fighters in his sights in the form of Amir Khan.

He is keen to see other young fighters from Swindon make their marks in the ring, with boxing clubs proving popular across the town.

Although boxing has a somewhat brutal image, with thoughts of broken, bloodied noses and cauliflower ears, Jamie and Swindon Boxing Academy boss Paddy Fitzpatrick want to make sure as many people as possible understand the benefits of the sport.

Paddy said: "Boxing is one of the most intensive forms of training you can get.

"It's fantastic for fitness as you use every part of your body.

"Something that people are always surprised at when they come down here, is that the thing they use most is their legs.

"People think of it as hands and wonder how that can get them fit all over, but you use the legs mostly.

"And, of course, they work the cardiovascular system, and, of course, your arms, your back and your biceps are constanly working because you're throwing punches."

His professional set-up in Maxwell Street is attracting attention from the right places, and with his background coaching in America that's no surprise. Paddy's pedigree goes before him, as he coached Laila Ali - daughter of Mohammed and four-time world title champion - at his gym where members of the general public were able to train alongside title chasers.

Now it's Swindon southpaw Jamie and British cruiserweight David Haye, who will challenge Welshman Enzo Macarinelli for the world title next month, who are hailing his set-up, so Paddy has high hopes for futher professionals emerging from the town in the future.

But he does not want to put off non-professionals, and groups of mums can be seen shaping up in the gym, while their children keep each other entertained all at the same time as Jamie is building up his stamina and fitness levels.

Paddy said: "Even if you were to never get in the ring and spar, you would physically get better and you would get mentally stronger.

"I find so many people who've done training in boxing, not just here but in the States too - people who were attorneys and actors - and they said they felt they were getting better in their jobs and stronger because of the confidence they take away from the boxing.

"Overall, that makes you a more rounded person, so that can only be a benefit."

Jamie has been boxing since a young age and worked his way through the ranks of Walcot Boxing Club, through which he earned his place at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

Following his gold medal win there, he was snapped up by the renowned promotor Frank Warren and signed as a professional just under a year ago - denying himself a shot at Olympic gold later this year, but starting on the road to major boxing glory and a world title which many predict he will secure.

Jamie knows all about the difference that boxing can make to your life, and says it's not as scary as people may think. "Boxing is a great way to get fit. You get put through your paces, it's cardio vascular so you're working all of your body. You learn how to defend yourself too.

"Boxers are classed with long distance runners for the low levels of body fat they have so that shows just how good it is to keep you in shape.

"It's not just about fighting at the Boxing Academy, they run different classses which work on keeping fit.

"Doing something like that is good if you want the feel of boxing but don't actually want to fight.

"I don't think boxing's really brutal. If you look at Ultimate Fighting Championship, of course that's hard, it's do what you want.

But boxing has rules and regulations.

If you look at the statistics more people die in fishing than boxing so it's not that dangerous."