While leading politicians in Westminster are talking about getting boxing into schools to help turn around disaffected youth, a school in Monmouth has already proved that boxing can change some young lives for the better, with one former pupil saying that boxing has saved his life.

In the BBC Radio Wales documentary Boxing is Fighting Back Sarah Dickins learned how one of Wales' up and coming boxers, the Commonwealth bronze medallist Mo Nasir from Newport (pictured above), helped change the lives of teenage boys who were out of control.

Seventeen-year-old Ieuan Evans from Monmouth, who has now kicked his drugs habit and is working as a labourer, says that it was the school getting him involved in boxing that helped him kick the drug habit.

Ieuan admits he was out of control before taking up boxing, smoking cannabis by the age of 12 and drinking at 13.

"I was quite drunk all the time and stoned and constantly smoking fags," he says.

"I must admit I've done some stupid things, walked up the town with blow and people thought it was a cigar. I was a mess by the time I reached the top of the town."

Andy Williams, deputy head of Monmouth Comprehensive, discovered that Ieuan had a passion for boxing and took him to St Joseph's Boxing Gym at Pill in Newport - arranging for him and a group of other pupils to train with Mo Nasir.

Ieuan started to get involved in boxing training, gave up drugs and cigarettes and says that boxing saved his life.

"We don't give up on young people and that's very important to me," says Williams.

"I believe that behaviors can be changed and that's the starting point. If you don't think behaviors can be changed you might as well give up."

"Lots of people take drugs because they don't value themselves, they don't see that they're worth anything, so drugs take them to a different place," says Williams.

"But for Ieuan there was that slight glimmer of hope that his self respect and self esteem could be developed if he just concentrated and focused on that sport."

Monmouth Comprehensive has now set up a boxing club at the school and twice a week Nasir trains pupils with a whole range of backgrounds.

Nasir believes many more young people can be turned away from a life of drugs or violence by boxing.

"You see a lot of people on the streets, they're drinking, taking drugs, causing problems, problems with the police and I think when you bring them to the gym it changes them completely because it's a discipline."

Boxing is Fighting Back - BBC Radio Wales
Sunday 15 June - 12 midday