Richie Woodhall beat Sugar Boy Malinga for the WBC title

The Amateur Boxing Association has taken on 1988 Olympic medallist Richie Woodhall to help in their training programme ahead of the 2012 Games.

The former WBC world super-middleweight champion will work under ABA high performance director Robert McCracken.

"Amateur boxing is my real passion and to be involved ahead of the Olympics is a dream come true," Telford-based Woodhall told BBC Radio Shropshire.

"This is a prestigious job, working with some really talented boxers."

BBC television pundit Woodhall knows fellow Midlander McCracken well from their days as leading amateurs, and they regular sparred together after turning professional.

Woodhall, who still runs a gym in Birmingham and has 10 young professionals under his wing, has been working at grassroots level in the sport, overseeing a programme of boxing in schools across the country.

Woodhall, 41, was high performance manager for England in 2005, and was touted as a possible successor last year to Terry Edwards as Great Britain's amateur head coach.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version