A Philippine jail that had previously gained notoriety for it's dancing inmates has said it's now setting its sights on producing world-class boxers.

It all started late last year when a former amateur boxer-turned-felon reportedly asked jail officials if they'd consider building a boxing ring.  Sure, the flash-mob style dance choreography was fun for some, but it wasn't for everyone.

He said a growing number of inmates realized they too wanted to find a productive way to spend their time.  Sports, he said, was their answer.

Supermax Boxing Team makes its debut

A consultant at the jail donated a few pairs of boxing gloves.  Inmate Edgar Laping, who now coaches the team, said his friends donated some other equipment.

And on the day the program officially kicked off, more than four dozen people showed up ready and willing to train.

Supermax boxers said they train for hour hours a day, six days a week, and get to show off their moves during Sunday exhibition games.

The jail consultant who donated the first sets of gloves said the facility was open to serving as a venue for professional boxing matches.   The Supermax team, he said could also participate in undercard tournaments.

That man, who spent seven years behind bars himself, said he knows what it was like to spend weeks and months on end without feeling like you have anything to do.

Boxing, he said, will help ward off depression and losses in self esteem because it gives the detainees a way to be productive.  He also feels that sports are a good way to help rehabilitate offenders.

Thai jail also had a boxing program

In 2009, Thailand's Department of Corrections moved to hold inmate boxing tournaments as a way of identifying talented athletes.

They wanted to recreate the success story of a former detainee, who signed up for a jail boxing program, won several championships and eventually went onto qualify for the Olympics.

At that point, more than 700 inmate athletes had reportedly signed up to participate.

One of the top prospects, however, was a woman who was not allowed to participate in off-facility matches due to the nature of her sentence.