"If you can, box, if you can't, teach."

Paddy Fitzpatrick admits he was no great shakes as a boxer but with 10 World Champions to his name, the above philosophy has obviously done his coaching career no harm.

The Irish trainer is due to open Swindon's first full-time professional gym in September and, with some hungry fighters already in tow, he is relishing a new chapter in his career.

The 38-year-old has already helped the likes of Leila Ali, , Glenn Catley, Virgil Hill, Stevie Johnston and Michael Moorer to the top of the sport and is now determined to help Swindon raise its own boxing profile.

He recognises the achievements of Swindon's favourite boxing sons Ricky Porter, Eddie Nielson and Jamie Cox, but believes his new gym could pave the way for a bigger influx of fighting stars.

The gym in Maxwell Street is due to open in September and Paddy is convinced the facilities, sponsored by Adidas and Tom Gallagher Van Centre, will be "massively beneficial" to the town.

"I am very excited about the gym," he said. "The town already has two very good gyms for amateur boxers, in Walcot and Penhill but this will be open full time and will have professionals as well.

"How many other sports are there where your everyday person can come in off the streets and train next to a world champion. That is the beauty of boxing.

"Hopefully we can work with the other gyms and help give the talent of Wiltshire the best chance possible of doing something in the sport.

"Swindon have always had one boxer in the professional game at one time but why can't they have more? Hopefully my gym will help produce that."

Paddy has just returned from Las Vegas, where he has spent the last 11 years as a boxing coach, and is already planning his next assault on the boxing fraternity.

Robert Lloyd-Taylor is his latest student and at the age of 26 without ever fulfiling his potential, Paddy is confident his "last-chance saloon" will finally bring about his breakthrough.

The seasoned professional, who has 18 fights to his name, and will fight in London on September 21, joined Fitzpatrick's ranks just three weeks ago.

Fitzpatrick said: "I think Robert is an underachiever. He seems to have all the skills he needs but at 26 I think he is in the last chance saloon.

"He comes to the big fights and for some reason does not give as much as he should. It is more a mind game with him by all accounts.

"During my career in Ireland I was mostly an amateur, although I did have a few pro fights. The biggest thing for me was getting over the mental side of things.

"I think Robert will show everyone what he is capable of this time. I have been working with him for three weeks and he has already proved his dedication for me.

"He is making the two to three hour journey from London all the time and is listening."

Helping the likes of Catley, Mohamed Ali's daughter Leila, and Moorer to world titles are special moments in his career but he admits he gets joy from just still being involved.

He said: "They say sometimes a good teacher is someone who has learnt from his own faults. Those who can box, those who can't teach.

"I was a student of boxing in my youth. All the skills I had I learnt, rather than having them naturally, and I have spent so long studying boxing I should know a thing or two about it.

"It is normally the boxers with the most skill that go into the sport half heartedly. It is as though they believe they have a divine right to achieve but without the commitment they won't.

"Nobody in my family ever fought but I have been addicted to it from an early age. There was no gym where I grew up so I used to roll up kitchen paper into a ball and use that as a bag. Then when I was old enough I would cycle six miles to the gym.

"The coaching career I have had is very special to me. The biggest thing to me is that I was never a great fighter. I told everyone that straight away because if I hadn't they could start distrusting me. It was never an issue though.

"I have worked with some great fighters and as a coach I really appreciate that. I don't care whether I am training a world champion or a kid who is just boxing four rounds. I just love being around the sport."