WHEN a group of boxing enthusiasts got together in 2009 to start up a new club, they were unsure how far they would go.

But as 2015 begins, the club has well and truly found itself established in the sporting fabric of the community it operates in and is looking to keep growing, bringing the sport to local fans.

Falmouth and Penryn Amateur Boxing Club started life as a few guys who wanted to box linking up and finding a space to practice their discipline.

Since then, the club which trains at the Dracena Centre in Falmouth on Tuesday nights has got more than 70 members who come along to throw jabs and upper cuts.

The budding Ricky Hattons and Carl Frochs range from boys still studying at secondary school right up to senior men while a female contingent has also emerged among the ranks.

Head coach Salvo Nuciforo said: “We are now a well-established club and our ambitions are to be one of the best clubs in the country.

“Along with that, we also aspire to have one of our men or women compete at the highest level possible and the club is proving itself to be a good one in terms of coaching and the results we get in the ring.”

Conditions at the training base are not perfect, with the fighters having to chisel their skills without a ring, instead making do with markings on the floor to replicate the square canvas and ropes.

But the basics are still there such as punch bags, plenty of gloves and quality coaching.

It is starting to bring results too, with the club’s boxers on a hot run of form having won nine of their last ten bouts.

Among the successes include Jake Jensen winning the Three Counties Championships title and Ben Ambrose beating some top class amateurs from across the South West.

Despite the sport being popular across the world, there are still some who believe the activity to be barbaric, which is something Nuciforo thinks would be shaken off if the doubters gave it a go.

“Boxing is a great sport,” he said. “It gives you a fantastic sense of achievement, discipline, personal growth, life skills and self-esteem.

“It also keeps you very fit as the training is tough and I would encourage anyone to give it a try.”

Plans are already being implemented to take the club forward over the next 12 months, including hosting their own show of boxing.

Chris Martin, one of the club’s coaches, said: “On March 28 we will be having our first show as a club at the Dracaena Centre.

“This show will also be the first held in Falmouth for at least 25 years and we would like to see fans of the sport or anyone who wants to see what watching boxing is like come along.”

Anyone wishing to give boxing a try can attend one of their training sessions on Tuesdays which run from 7.30pm to 9pm.