A new purpose-built boxing facility, which will be used by elite British boxers in preparation for the 2012 London Olympics, has been unveiled by sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.

It is hoped that the new venue, which has been funded by the government, UK Sport and Sport England through Lottery grants, will enable the British boxing team to build on its success at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Both the British Podium Development squads will now be based at the English Institute of Sport after the British Amateur Boxing Association signed a four-year agreement with operator Sheffield International Venues.

Sutcliffe said: "We have congratulated GB Boxing for their success at European and Olympic contests but those congratulations are in the past - this is the future. This is a world class facility and that doesn't happen by chance." Richard Caborn, president of the Amateur Boxing Association of England and MP for Sheffield Central, added: "Great Britain is the new Cuba for boxing and now we have a facility that underlines that. GB Boxing has opened a facility to match the goal and vision of its coaches and I am confident we can achieve further success.

"This facility puts boxing right up there as a centre of excellence, the jewel in the crown, which will help us pick up more Olympic medals across all disciplines in the sport."