SOME Oxford men would say they are products of ‘the school of hard knocks’.

But one famed boxing coach is making that claim a reality, by launching a sports project to give school-leavers qualifications by stepping into the ring.

Paddy Fitzpatrick is bringing his 25 years’ experience of training fighters to Oxfordshire, and is inviting school-leavers to get a boxing coaching BTEC qualification, backed by The Oxford Academy school.

Mr Fitzpatrick, from Swindon, said: “I spent 11 years in the USA working with children involved in gun crime and I saw the opportunities some of them had if they got involved in sport.

“A lot of children cannot connect through normal schooling. They are ‘branded’ in school by the time they are 12.

“If we don’t start helping our children today, what will they be doing tomorrow?”

The courses will begin in September at Mel Corrigan’s gym in Berinsfield, near Oxford. They will cater for male and female school-leavers, aged 16 to 19.

No boxing experience is required.

Mr Fitzpatrick, who will mentor the teenagers, learned the ropes from the likes of Freddie Roach and James Buddy McGirt, and trained fighters Laila Ali, Michael Grant, Kid Diamond and Virgil Hill.

Gareth Jennings, sports development manager at The Oxford Academy, Littlemore, said: “It gives our Students an additional pathway, and the training they will be doing is more of a discipline than just fighting.

“This is an opportunity to link with a world-renowned trainer.”

Matthew Brandish, who will lead the project, said: “I worked on a similar thing with football, but football’s not for everyone.

“There are other interests out there, and boxing is an area that hasn’t really been tapped into before. It’s an area we thought had potential.”

He added: “Learning to become a boxing coach with the boxing academy is all about developing discipline and control.

“It is about being respectful to yourself and each other, and learning that everything you do has an impact on yourself and on the people around you. It’s not about learning to fight.”

Students will study for a BTEC Level 2 certificate, which is the equivalent of four GCSEs.

An open day will be held at the gym in Berinsfield on Tuesday, July 5, at 7pm.

For details contact Mr Brandish at matthew.brandish@vluk.org, call 07852338861 or visit berinsfieldabc.page.tl/