THE legacy of a former England boxing coach has ensured that youngsters in Blackbird Leys can keep on rolling with the punches.

Dave Richards, from Blackbird Leys, passed away earlier this year after a short battle with lung cancer.

And now more than £800 raised from funeral donations in his memory will go towards his local club, the Blackbird Leys Boxing Club.

Son Gary said: “Boxing was dad’s main interest in life. He spent an awful lot of time coaching a lot of young lads, especially in the Oxford area.

“He ran three different Oxford clubs in his life, the YMCA, Peers Youth and Oxford ABC.

“And then there were his England attributes.”

The grandfather-of-two, who was 68 when he died on March 8, had dedicated his life to the sport, training the amateur England boxing team in the mid 1970s and coaching icons like Alan Minter and John Conteh.

At his funeral at Oxford Crematorium, more than 200 people turned out to pay their respects.

Mr Richards said: “We are so grateful for all the donations people made. It was a really good send-off – people came from all over the country, from places like Land’s End and Scotland.

“He was a much loved guy, which I think was reflected in his send-off and people’s generosity.”

He added: “We are all very proud of what he did and what he achieved.

“And more because of the fact he did it without taking credit for it.”

Following his retirement from the Cowley BMW factory, Mr Richards helped out at the Blackbird Leys club, based in the community centre.

Each week, it trains dozens of boxers, aged from 11 upwards.

Head coach Tony Gibson, who Mr Richards coached to a Home Counties title in 1980, said: “I bumped into him on a Sunday morning, when he was buying his paper like he always did.

“He asked me where I was going, so I told him I was off to the gym. He asked if he could come, and that was it really. He was there every week.

“Everybody really liked him, from the toddlers right up to the seniors.”

The money will be spent on buying kit and equipment, which Mr Gibson said would be a big help.

There are also plans to create a shield or trophy for the best, or most improved boxer each year in Mr Richards’ name.

Mr Gibson added: “He was quality, he was just a great man, one of a kind.”