Heavyweight Danny Price (pictured) is added to the podium squad while super-heavyweight Amin Isa drops out completely.

Lightweight Josh Taylor, middleweight Keiron Harding and light-flyweight Iain Butcher join the development squad.

Middleweight Frank Buglioni drops to the development squad, while in the women's team, flyweight Lynsey Holdaway joins the squad on a three-month trial.

All of the major stars on the men's team, such as light-welterweight Bradley Saunders, lightweight Thomas Stalker and bantamweight Luke Campbell, have unsurprisingly retained their spots in the podium squad, while clear London 2012 medal prospects in the women's squad, including lightweight Natasha Jonas and flyweight Nicola Adams, have also been kept on.

Rob McCracken, performance director of the British Amateur Boxing Association (BABA), said: "The make-up of the squad reflects performances in 2010.

"The existing members did extremely well at the men's European Championships and the women's worlds and we have added to it with those that did particularly well in domestic competitions and the Commonwealth Games.

"The major priorities for 2011 are the men's World Championships in Azerbaijan in September and the women's European Championships in Holland in October.

"The men's worlds is an Olympic qualifying event so all of the boxers are focused on establishing themselves as the number one boxer at their weight and being selected for this critically important event in the build-up to 2012."

The changes in the squad mean there is no representation in the podium squad at light-flyweight or super-heavyweight.

"Our number one boxers at super-heavyweight and light-flyweight are still very young and inexperienced and, at the present time, will benefit more from being in the development squad," added McCracken.

"We will continue to assess them and as long as they continue to progress and do well in competition they will come into consideration for promotion to the podium squad in the course of the year."

As well as September's World Championships - which doubles up as an Olympic qualifying event - the GB squad members could also be boxing at the European Championships in June, with the European Boxing Confederation (EUBC) planning to move the tournament from 2012 to this year.

The 2012 Olympic test event, which takes place from November 23-27 at a yet to be confirmed venue in London, is also likely to be an extremely important one for the fighters, as will the second GB Amateur Boxing Championships in Liverpool in earlier in the month.

All the boxers will be fully aware that a bad year could well scupper their dreams of competing at a home Olympics, while a good 2011 is likely to see them take to the ring at the ExCel Arena when the famous venue hosts the 2012 boxing event.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
November 2010: Campbell shows his class to reignite London 2012 chances
October 2010: Alan Hubbard - GB boxers are shaping up nicely for 2012
August 2010: Chance for boxers to force themsleves into London 2012
April 2010: Alan Hubbard - How The Cobra is helping Britain's boxers prepare for London 2012
March 2010: British Boxing picks its magnificent seven for London 2012