The latest boxing star to emerge onto the world stage is Manchester bantamweight Joe Murray, 21, who’ll be representing his country in the Beijing Olympics from August 12th onwards.

But Joe’s markedly different from Olympic boxers of the past. Apart from being only the second Mancunian in history to reach the Olympic boxing finals, he’s part of a growing number of boxers - including world champion Ricky Hatton - taking extra advice on diet and exercise from Kerry Kayes of CNP Professional, who is changing thinking on the subject of sports nutrition.

Joe Murray’s trainer, Joe Gallagher, spotted his potential when the youngster was only 13, and has guided him to the brink of stardom in the intervening eight years. “Although he’s still an amateur, he’s training like a pro - I’ve never known anyone like him - a real all-rounder. He’s so fit and has got the greatest agility I’ve seen in any boxer.”

And helping to develop these extraordinary qualities is the radical guidance of Kerry Kayes. Kayes is the former award-winning bodybuilder, gym operator and creator of the CNP Professional supplements program. He has come to believe that much conventional thinking on sports diets is misplaced. In particular, he encourages intensive protein supplements, strict diets and drinking much more water than boxers traditionally drink.

In focusing on protein supplements and water intake, the CNP Professional protein supplements program upturns conventional wisdom. “For years boxers have cut down on food and water to stay at target weights. That’s completely the wrong attitude,” argues Kerry Kayes.

“As a boxer’s training gets more intense nearer the fight he needs more nutrients to help his body repair and recuperate from the positive stress of training. But he still has to stay in weight to make the weigh-in. So he can’t get all the nutrients from his food alone because then he’d end up taking in too many Kcalories. CNP protein supplements ensure that he gets the high amount of nutrients he needs in a low Kcalorie environment.”

In May, before leaving for three weeks of acclimatisation training in China, Joe Murray experienced the first fruits of fame as he greeted the Manchester United home crowd on the hallowed turf of Old Trafford. He also travelled to Downing Street in April to meet the Prime Minister, a source of pride for Gallagher, who says that boxing is an ideal way for boys from any background to get the best out of life.

Joe leaves for China again on July 22nd, ready for his fights in mid-August. If he returns to the UK with a medal, will he stay an amateur to defend it in London in 2012, or be tempted to turn pro? While his older brother John, himself an undefeated star in the lightweight division, turned pro at 18, Joe remains undecided.

Gallagher’s pride in Joe Murray is that of a genuine Mancunian. “Joe is only the second man in history from Manchester to get to the boxing finals of the Olympics,and the first from Manchester to win a medal at the World Boxing Championships, where he won bronze in Chicago in 2007.

“Not all great Olympic fighters come from London, even if they end up going there in 2012!”

Kerry Kayes emphasises that the benefits of CNP protein supplements and extra water are ideal for all active sportspeople, not just boxers. “Anyone working to peak physical fitness can benefit,” he says.