PADDY Fitzpatrick is keen for his boxers to get the backing of the Swindon crowd if they are to make it in their professional careers.

The Irish trainer has Luke Watkins and Garvey Kelly on the ‘By Any Means Necessary’ show at the Oasis and knows how important local support is.

“I have always said to the fighters, that they better know how to get into their community and get the backing of their community,” said Fitzpatrick.

“If you can’t get the backing of your own local people, then I think you’re wasting your time going somewhere else.

“We want to build boxing in Swindon and not just build a fighter.

“I love Swindon, or I wouldn’t keep coming back to the place, and when you have so many people interested in boxing, as we do now, it is down to us to mess it up or make it better.

“We can make it better by having events and fights happening in the town that mean something to the people in the town.”

Fitzpatrick is keen that his fighters are given real test tonight to help build their confidence.

Kelly will make his professional bow against Matt Seawright, while Luke Watkins will be facing Istvan Kun, who has the same 2-0 record as the 24-year-old.

“Garvey and Ryan Martin (also on tonight’s bill) have been working together for this show and they have been sparring very well together and they bring out the best in each other,’’ he added.

“Luke had a hard, emotional test the first two weeks he was a pro.

“He wasn’t able to absorb what he learnt from those first two fights until a couple of weeks after, but he has absorbed that now and he is ready to go again.

“He is even more confident now because he knows what he dealt with in his first two fights.

“I would hate to get these two guys to ten and 0 and see they have fought dead men because there is no benefit to them.

“You will only gain confidence by overcoming things, you won’t gain real confidence from being given people who aren’t a test.”

Boxing Live with Dan Barnes from tonight ‘s bill at the Oasis. Log on to www. swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport