Most people would be appalled at the thought of Bermudian youth fighting in their backyards, but for Angelo (Forty) Rego, it is a dream come true.

And the veteran boxing coach believes it is in the new extension to his Warwick home that the Island's next prize fighter is going to hone his ? or her ? skills in the noble art.

Rego, who helped heavyweight Clarence Hill capture Bermuda's only Olympic medal, has been training the pugilists of tomorrow in his backyard for five years, but hopes the addition of a sparring ring will add more punch to the sport.

A historic lack of facilities has failed to elevate boxing to the standard that you would expect from a sport that provided the Island with such coverage following Hill's 1976 triumph in Montreal, with Teresa Perozzi currently the only professional fighter.

But Rego is hoping that his new facility, which he still hopes to expand to a full-size gym at the back of his property in the future, will give fresh impetus to a sport that finds itself firmly on the ropes.

"This is definitely a step in the right direction to reviving this sport," said Rego, a coach for nearly 50 years.

"There has always been a lack of facilities here, even when we had pro fighters we struggled to find places for them to train.

"It is has never been an ideal situation but you have to make the most of what there is.

"I have been coaching kids in the back yard for a while now, but I think adding the ring is going to make all the difference.

"There are some good fighters out there, some real good kids. We have won medals recently on the international scene and I think some of these kids have got what it takes to make it out there.

"This is going to be the place where Bermuda's next Olympic medal is going to come from."

Rego believes there is a place for boxing on the Island and is hoping that an event planned for February 21 at either CedarBridge or Number One Shed will give the sport a further boost.

Keen youngsters, the lifeblood of the sport, are in abundance with Rego currently working with three girls, keen to follow in Perozzi's footsteps, and eight boys in his homespun gym.

And fighters like Chanjiv Simmons coupled with Bermuda's Caribbean Amateur Boxing Association Championship (CABA) gold medallists Trace Easton and Sharieff Wales, are set to add further weight to the sport's profile.

The ring was officially opened this week with Youth and Sport Minister Dale Butler on hand, donning full amateur boxing gear for a brief spar with Perozzi.

And Butler, whose spindly frame was given quite a pounding on the canvas, only had positive words to say about the project.

"I'd like to commend Forty Rego, first of all, for all he has done for this sport over the longest time," Butler told those who attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

"He has to be commended for taking the initiative and finding room in his home to benefit the youth of this Island.

"He has welcomed these people with open arms and I wish him all the success in the world ? and hopefully one of these young people will win a couple of medals for us."

And Perozzi, who is hopeful of getting back on the fight trail in the proposed February 21 encounters, has thrown her jab behind Rego's endeavours.

"This is just what we need," she gleefully told

"Something like this has been lacking in Bermuda, but now we have everything we need. I could quite happily train for a pro fight here ? the facilities are good enough and the coaching is good enough.

"Forty has done so much for this sport and this is yet another example of him throwing his support behind boxing."