Pictured above: Sports psychologist and business strategist Prof Rakesh Sondhi

Business leaders of the future could be honing their boardroom skills by getting in the boxing ring and learning the winning ways of sporting legends.

Renowned sports psychologist, boxing expert and business strategist Prof Rakesh Sondhi, known as 'Rocky', has just launched the Elite Performance Academy in Nottingham.

The academy is designed to teach people the lessons learned by leading sportsmen and women with the aim that they transfer the thinking when they have to make decisions in their business lives.

Rocky, who has developed the academy with a number of partners, including former Manchester United players Gary Bailey and Frank Stapleton, commented:

"Winning in the sporting arena requires a certain way of thinking and behaving.

"There's no reason why people in business can't adopt the same winning mentality by training their minds and their bodies to achieve success. The Elite Performance Academy offers business and public sector organisations the opportunity to create that high performance, winning culture."

Rocky is the managing director of BMC Global Services, the company behind the academy, and his current roles include being part of the Visiting Executive Faculty at Henley Management College and a Visiting Professor at the University of Buckingham.

Rocky also works closely with Tommy Thompson, a former professional boxer who clocked up 69 fights before retiring due to injury and Nottingham's only senior ABA coach since 1985.

Tommy, who has worked with BMC Global Services for eight years, has been on the coaching staff of a number of pro boxers, including Prince Naseem Hamed and Johnny Nelson, WBO World Cruiser Weight Champion.

Gary Bailey commented: "The real test of a good leader is when situations worsen and a leader must show his, or her, true qualities. Through sport we can place individuals in situations that really test their abilities."