A BARRY-BASED personal training business has jumped into the ring with world featherweight boxing champ, Lee Selby to give youngsters a fighting chance in life.

FitM8 personal training has landed 13 pairs of boxing gloves and three mats on boxing the IBF boxing title holder for him to donate to the boxing clubs he supports.

The donation will aid members of the Colcot Amateur Boxing Club (ABC) in Barry and the Empire Fighting Chance scheme in Bristol – the latter of which Lee is an ambassador.

The Colcot club currently has around 30 members – male and female – ranging from eight to around 35 years of age.

The St Paul’s, Bristol-based Empire Amateur Club supports underprivileged youngsters, those needing to stay on track, and people dealing with mental health conditions.

It aims to inspire champions through courage, unity and respect.

Lee, who was raised in the Colcot, maintains that if it hadn’t been for boxing he and his younger boxing brother Andrew may have ended up in trouble with the law.

Lee said: “The donation will help the youngsters because at the moment with the boxing there’s not much funding. A lot of stuff comes out of the trainers’ pockets.

“Boxing gives the youngsters something to do – to focus, and put their time and energy into.

“I’d like to say thanks very much for the donation.”

FitM8 director Carlmichael said the gloves and mats would be a continuous donation to the clubs as they renewed their equipment to make it cosmetically pleasing for clients at the Park Crescent, Barry, fitness studio at all times.

He said: “We would rather someone make some use of them.”

Lee is managed by fellow Empire Ambassador Chris Sanigar.

He trains at the Bristol Boxing Gym and often visits and mentor’s some of the young people on its programmes.