TRAINER Tony Borg says he has a deep understanding of Jamie Cox after revealing he has known the Swindon fighter since he was a schoolboy.

Borg has taken over as the 32-year-old’s coach after a defeat to John Ryder back in May saw the 2006 Commonwealth Games gold medallist part ways with John Costello.

The defeat was the Swindon man’s second high-profile loss as he was also beaten by George Groves late last year at Wembley Arena in the World Boxing Super Series.

Both Borg and Cox were in Australia 12 years ago for the Commonwealth Games, and the Welshman trainer says he is fully aware of the potential possessed by Cox.

The Swindon fighter is set to take a step down to middleweight for his next bout after conceding he is too small to compete effectively at super-middleweight, with his return pencilled in for later this year.

Borg said: “Jamie boxed at light-middleweight for a while and he is a big strong middleweight. At super-middleweight, he’s not as big.

“A good big boxer beats a good little boxer. At the highest level, like George Groves, they might weigh 12 stone at the weigh in, but the next day, they add weight and Jamie doesn’t.

“I’d like to think I can get to him mentally. I got him to change his approach, rather than looking for one big punch, which he has been doing.

“I’ve got him to look busier and stay busier. We have worked on his fast, sharp punches, looking for a gap and then going for it when it is there.

“I just want to get him back to where he was. At most levels, even Commonwealth and British level, that one punch would be enough to win it for him.

“When you get to world level against educated fighters, it is such a different mix. They’re at the top of their game boxing-wise and fitness-wise, and their weight is always down to a tee.

“I want him to box more, use his feet, and when the opportunity comes, I want to see him go for it.”

The change in weight division means Cox has been forced to partake in a rigorous training regime and Borg says the southpaw has come a long way since first entering his gym in Newport almost eight weeks ago.

“He got back in touch with me a few months ago and said he’d gone off the rails a bit and that he needed to get back into proper training,” added Borg.

“He said the only person he wanted to take him back on was me, so I’ve taken him on and he’s come down.

“He’s always been a real talent but he has lost focus through a combination of things. He just needed a fresh start.

“I’ve got some good boys here and some of them haven’t got to the level that Jamie is at yet, so they’re fast, sharp and hungry.

“Fitness-wise it’s hard to say where he is at the moment because everyone is different and it is such an individual sport. I’m happy with his progress and he’s happy, which is the main thing. He’s coming into the gym and he’s looking good.

“He came to me about seven weeks ago and I put him through some of the circuits I do to test the boxers and he was poor.

“He was really down on himself, so he came back in, watched the other boys do it and he’s got there now. He’s doing his work.”