THE Mayor of Worcester has praised a city boxing coach for instilling in him the values that he has carried throughout his life.

Councillor Jabba Riaz presented Worcester Amateur Boxing Club’s head coach Michael Underwood with a cheque from the city’s Lions Club at a Guildhall ceremony on Tuesday.

Prior to receiving the club’s share of £1,500 raised by the Lions, the 67-year-old coach thanked members before revealing Mr Riaz used to attend his gym as a youth.

“We have people from all walks of life,” he said. “We never refuse anybody. We have had a very young mayor down there.”

Cllr Riaz said: “If we weren’t kicking a football out on the streets or mucking around in the woods, this was a place to go for some exercise, have some fun and get some discipline – we got that from Mick.

“The golden rule that he said was discipline, managing small things that you can do consistently on a regular basis and that stuck with me for life.”

He said he is now almost 41 years old but joined the club with friends during the “height of the Rocky days when everybody started getting into boxing”.

“We found a home and we found a lovely place to be in and we did it for two or three years.

He went on to say: “That Mick’s been recognised in the last couple of years, in terms of the effort he’s put in because it gives a lot of these kids hope and a way forward out of some of the problems that they are facing.

“It’s heart-breaking to see clubs that haven’t got much money – haven’t got the financial resources and are suffering in this way.

“Any donation that they can take is invaluable. For a club like Worcester’s to produce young men like this is, it’s a proud moment for the city and for all that’s involved in that – like anything.”

The mayor added: “Mick told me how to do my first press up. I can still do a press up.”

He then demonstrated his press up skills but struggled with the diamond press up.

Mr Underwood, who has been involved with the club for 48 years, said it struggled for years to find a permanent premises before moving into the gym in Vincent Road in 1989.

“We’ve brought through a lot of good lads from all walks of life, but it’s so difficult to keep the club running.

“We’ve got it on a 99-year lease, and we’ve got 60-odd years left to run.

“But it’s paying all the bills and equipment – the bags, the gloves, everything like that, so everything. We’re not of charitable status, we’re self-funded.”

“This year I’ve had to turn all the heating off to save money,” he added.