PADDY Fitzpatrick has high hopes for his young charges as they look to extend the promising starts to their careers at Saturday’s ‘Kings of the Ring’ show in Swindon.

Homegrown welterweight hope Ryan Martin headlines this weekend’s Neilson Boxing-promoted event at the MECA, with a host of other Fitzpatrick-trained fighters also in action.

Welterweight pair Harry Webb, 22, and 23-year-old Bradley Townsend have their fifth and fourth bouts in the pro ranks respectively, and Fitzpatrick believes they have all the credentials to make a name for themselves.

“I love my fighters. I have got a great team and they have all got scope to develop,” said Ferndale Road-based Fitzpatrick.

“Bradley Townsend is a really exciting kid – he is lightning fast. Ryan (Martin) can hit him with a huge right hand and he can counter with two left hooks.

“He is young and a real hard worker. It is early stages as he has only had three fights, so we are looking to get to 4-0.

“Harry Webb is a really composed individual and improving greatly. He is looking to get to 5-0.

“With Harry and Bradley, it won’t be too many more fights until I am looking to do something with youth titles with them because they are capable of that.

“It is still a development stage and I am enjoying developing them – it is a joy to be in the gym with them.”

The likes of Martin and former Commonwealth cruiserweight champion Luke ‘the Duke’ Watkins are names in the Fitzpatrick stable that Swindon fight fans are likely to be more familiar with.

And the Irish trainer believes working up close with his established challengers has accelerated the progress of his next batch of talent.

“There is no hurry with these young guys, but it’s exciting to see them develop alongside the likes of Ryan and Duke,” said Fitzpatrick.

“When you get young guys sparring with quality fighters it doesn’t just improve them technically, they start to realise what it is about mentally too.

“They think: ‘OK, I know it is sparring, I know it is big gloves and head gear, but I am able to operate with these guys and I am not lost when I am in there’.

“Now it is just experience they need to be able to do it on a big night on a big stage.”