Young fighters are limbering up for a knockout after securing a grant to help shape tomorrow's Amir Khan.

The Blackbird Leys Amateur Boxing Club has received £1,000 from the Co-operative Community Dividend Fund to teach basic fighting skills to youngsters aged between 10 and 14.

The cash has already helped four of the club's younger fighters embark on the first rung of the Kid Gloves scheme, which takes the most inexperienced novice and teaches them the skills before stepping into a ring.

Much of the money has been spent on new equipment at the Leys Linx Centre in Blackbird Leys, Oxford, including head guards, skipping ropes, punch bags, sparring and competition gloves and a medicine ball.

Jason Waine, who runs the Kid Gloves project at Blackbird Leys, said: "We are very grateful for the Co-op's help because our existing equipment was getting very shabby.

"We teach young people fitness and defence skills, without contact to begin with, to build up their confidence and self-assurance. We would welcome any new members, boys or girls, so they can learn something new and keep off the streets.

"But we have seen a lot more people coming along these days. Boxing is booming at the moment because of Amir Khan and all the boxing that is on the television. It's doing a lot of good for the amateur side of things.

"The benefits are massive.

"There is the discipline, keeping kids off the streets, getting and keeping fit and doing something positive with their time."

The young fighters embark on the Kid Gloves scheme by learning basic fighting skills to attain their green standard before finally entering the ring to secure the gold level.

The club held its first tournament for 12 years at the Masonic Lodge in Oxford in January against clubs from Reading and Chesham, which it won, and is planning a gala event later this year.

About 50 boxers aged between 10 and 34 train and fight with the Blackbird Leys Amateur Boxing Club. Training takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7.30pm to 9.30pm and between 11am to 12.30pm on Sundays at the Leys Linx Centre in Blackbird Leys Road.