An infectious sound of punches thudding against leather bags and their supportive chains clanking reverberates around the room on a typical Wednesday afternoon at Shane McGuigan's boxing gym in east London.

Tucked away discreetly inside Leyton County Cricket Ground, European cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith and newly-signed prospects Adam and Hassan Azim are working up a sweat while going through the gears in training. Lawrence Okolie is also about to complete a sparring session ahead of his world cruiserweight title defence later that month.

Yet the trio only amount to a third of McGuigan's current roster.

'This is the most I've ever had,' the renowned coach tells Sportsmail. 'It's a stable of nine. We've got prospects, we've got Caroline Dubois who's just made her debut, we've got a world champion in Lawrence Okolie, fringe world-title challengers like Dan Dubois.


'So it's a mixture of males and females and it's great, it's booming at the moment.'

As well as the aforementioned six, McGuigan is also stewarding the careers of Anthony Fowler, who is embarking on a new journey up at middleweight following defeat against Liam Smith last year, former European light-welterweight champion Robbie Davies Jr and fledgling featherweight Ellie Scotney.

His talented batch of fighters are at contrasting stages of their respective careers. Okolie, for example, is on the cusp of unifying the 200lbs division against a fellow world champion, while, in comparison, the female Dubois sibling only recently got up and running as a professional.

In his duty as trainer, a role he already has 12 years of experience in at just 34 years of age, McGuigan must attend to each of their individual needs with acute awareness and attention. Though is that a tough task with so many to juggle?

'That's what everyone's asking me, but at the same time it's down to me to structure the days,' he says.

'I get in here a little bit earlier and I finish a little bit later. The ones that are fighting in two weeks' time, three weeks' time, I give them more of a priority with slots.

'The main slots everyone wants are anywhere between 11am and 1pm. They're the ideal slots. If you're not fighting for three months, you'll be going in at 9:30am or 9am. Then as you get closer to your fight you get the chance to go in your more perfect time slot.

'So more people filter in later in the afternoon, but it's up to me to schedule it, organise it and keep people happy.'

Putting fighters through their paces on a daily basis and preparing diligently for those sessions, all while mapping out their paths to pugilistic glory behind the scenes, seems an engrossing and consuming profession. Particularly when dealing with a stable as extensive and high-level as McGuigan's.

When he is not shipping jabs and hooks on the pads or overlooking sparring, the young trainer is tasked with analysing the day's work, planning the next, studying upcoming opponents, organising future bouts, carrying out interviews, attending press conferences and leading the corner on fight nights.

It must be a challenge to switch off from the sport when returning home in search of leisure and relaxation, but McGuigan has found a balance over the past decade.

'I've been doing it for 12 years now. I've learnt when to rein it in and switch off, because it's not easy,' he reveals.

'The problem is, you want the best for everyone and you want to make sure you give them your undivided attention and time, and that occupies your brain non stop.

'But it's down to me to just say, "now it's time to spend time with my missus Taylor, chill out and switch off."

'I've kind of mastered it now and I can actually go on holidays without having to pick up my phone, which is good.'

Rare time away from the blood, sweat and tears of the boxing gym is often spent on the golf course.

'I've got a single-figure handicap,' McGuigan boasts. 'I was better when I was younger, but then I went into boxing.'