Sports Minister and Bradford South MP Gerry Sutcliffe wants pupils across the country to strap on their gloves and take up boxing.

Only four per cent of schools do so at present but Mr Sutcliffe believes the sport can have a positive effect on young people - including those pupils who struggle academically.

His call comes in the wake of the weekend's bout between world champion Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas, as well as Welsh boxer Joe Calzaghe's victory in the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year awards.

"It teaches them respect, discipline and camaraderie," said Mr Sutcliffe. "There are many youngsters involved in gun crime and gangs, and I think boxing may touch some of them, and take them down a different route.

"If you look at boxers - Ricky Hatton, Joe Calzaghe, Amir Khan - they are great people for youngsters to see as role models."

However, Mr Sutcliffe stressed that, if introduced in schools, it should be voluntary with parental approval sought.

He believes the sport could form a key part of the Government's drive to tackle childhood obesity. Boys and girls older than 11 would be eligible.

"I think boxing ticks all the right boxes. It increases fitness and discipline and people benefit from being involved in the sport," he said. "For some people who might go off the rails or off the track, boxing could be their saviour."

Boxing has not been taught in schools since 1962 when it was banned from PE classes.

Mr Sutcliffe said he did not believe boxing was a particularly dangerous sport. "All sports have the potential for accidents and have risk attached to them. People are not allowed to box until they are 11 years old, there is the headgear there, all the safety aspects."

Unbeaten Bradford fighter Nadeem Siddique, 29, backed Mr Sutcliffe's call. He said boxing should be brought back into schools "as soon as possible".

"Boxing gives young people targets and goals," he said. "It provides them with a challenge, teaches them to stay away from drugs, drink and gambling - and is good fun. Some teachers cannot control young people. Boxing provides great discipline."

Asked whether the sport could pose a danger to young people's health, Mr Siddique added: "There are risks also in playing football or rugby."

Bobby Singh, founder of Bradford-based Pro-Active Sports, which provides physical education classes for about 80 primary and secondary schools in the district, has seen the benefits of the sport at first-hand. The company runs boxercise classes at Tong and Yorkshire Martyrs schools.

He said: "We have 20 children at each school who absolutely love it boxercise. It teachers them discipline, boosts fitness and gives them a great workout. Not all children are into football, cricket or rugby."

Mr Singh added that full-contact boxing bouts could be held in schools if they were regulated by trained teachers and correct safety equipment was used.