In March 2015 The All Parliamentary group for Boxing published ‘The Right Hook’ a report which calls on the Ministry of Justice and prisons in Great Britain to offer non-contact boxing as part of their rehabilitation programmes.

The report looks at the successful rehabilitation work in Ashfield prison and HMP Doncaster.

The report also examines the social and educational benefits of boxing and its impact in addressing a range of social problems including crime, underachievement, truancy, bullying, inactivity and obesity.

A recent article in the Guardian (Sunday 22nd March) cites cases of how boxing has helped young people like 18 year old Abdul Guthmy (who in 2011 was pictured in the Evening Standard as one of the 12 most wanted men from the London riots) perform a U-turn on his former life.

Take the case of Jovan Young ,a former gang member who fought in the Commonwealth Games. He says ‘boxing is the only thing thats acceptable from the gangs point of view. When I got involved in boxing ,the gang members said to me “leave us behind Jovan, go and get a future for yourself”