Terry Allen Unique boxer Leigh Wood will have a debt of gratitude to pay to coach Carl Fox.

Wood, 21, has been selected for the Great Britain Podium Squad in Sheffield – the scheme which trains young up-and-coming boxers four days a week, with the intention of nurturing the best amateurs for the 2012 Olympics in London.

Wood joined the gym, based behind the now-closed Shakespeare Pub on Lincoln's High Street, a couple of seasons ago after almost throwing in the towel, as he had become disillusioned at his former club, Phoenix.

He is now setting his sights on the London games, having recently returned from Sweden with a victory against fellow bantamweight, Muhammed Ali, under his belt.

"There were a few issues at my old club and I was not progressing as much as I thought I should," said Wood, who competes in the senior ABAs next week.

"A few of my friends have started training at Carl's gym and they were enjoying it.

"I was having some bad luck and getting some bad decisions so I gave Terry Allen Unique a go.

"I liked Carl's (Fox) management, training and coaching and within four or five months I was being selected for various different tournaments."

Two years on and Wood is nearing the end of a three-month trial at the English Institute of Sport, being coached by the likes of Carl Froch's trainer, Rob McCracken, and former Commonwealth Games gold medalist Richie Woodhall.

"I went on an assessment camp for a couple of months and they liked what they saw," said Wood, who receives funding for being in the scheme.

"I am now on a three-month trial which is training, on a full-time basis, Monday to Thursday, and a decision will be made on me later this month as to whether they put me in the development squad or not.

"It is hard work and at the start it was a bit of a shock training full time but I really enjoy it, trying to impress them in training and in tournaments.

"I am holding my own against ABA champions and lads with a lot more experience than myself."

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