Britain's Olympic boxing captain David Price is confident he won't have to throw his weight around to keep the team in order.

For a start, none of them is likely to pick an argument with a hulking skipper standing 6ft 8ins and scaling more than 17 stone. But if his guidance and wise words from head coach Terry Edwards have been slow to sink in, then a personal lecture from Amir Khan has certainly done the trick.

No other Olympic sport can lead to the fame and riches a successful amateur boxer might earn in the professional ring. Khan, who has already turned a silver medal in Athens into a multi-million pound fortune as he chases world titles, is proof of that.

The 21-year-old, unbeaten in 18 paid bouts, said: "I told the team the Olympics transformed my life, and if they take these Games seriously it can do the same for them. I'm financially secure now, and I'm known around the world, but it's not just about that. The Olympics also made me a better fighter, they made me better equipped for the next stage of my career.

"What the team must do now is focus, they mustn't let anything get to them or distract them. They've got to keep cool-headed, stay chilled, and then do it all in the ring. What they will find is that it is mentally as well as physically tiring.

"I could handle the physical side, even fighting five times in 14 days, but mentally it was knackering.

"You have to deal with so many distractions, and since it's the biggest competition in the world, everybody desperately wants to win.

"If our lads remember all their training and concentrate, I seriously believe we can bring back eight medals."

Frankie Gavin is nicknamed 'Funtime' but has certainly got the message.

The southpaw, who became Britain's first world amateur champion last November when he beat Russia's Olympic featherweight gold medalist Alexey Tischenko on the way to the lightweight title, acknowledged that Khan has been an inspiration.

"Amir showed us the way," he said. "I trained with him before Athens and I thought back then 'if he can do it, I can do it'. We've all got arms and legs and if you put in the hard work there is a chance you can make it. The hard work the squad have put in is paying off."

The commitment shown by Gavin and his team-mates is why Price believes they will be fully focused in Beijing.

"It is my job to make sure the lads behave themselves," said the skipper. "If anything gets out of hand, which is extremely unlikely, I'll step in. But while most of the team are still comparatively young, they're also grown men and I think they realise what happens over the fortnight of the Games can change their lives forever."

Price, winner of a European Union Elite Championship gold medal this year, intends to lead from the front.

He said: "There was a ballot for captain and I was delighted when I found out the lads had picked me.

"It was probably a natural choice because I've been on the team the longest, and I'm the eldest and the biggest - and the hardest!

"I think the lads look up to me, and not just because I'm so flippin' tall. I think they respect me, but I also have the greatest respect for all of them.

"Our preparations have been faultless, especially the sparring against top boxers from other countries which has been first class - as good as a bout.

"Now the pressure is on us to win medals. None of us wants to return from China empty-handed."

It remains to be seen whether they can live up to the hopes of their coach, who helped guide Audley Harrison to superheavyweight gold in Sydney eight years ago, and was in Khan's corner in Athens.

Edwards wants them to match Britain's achievements in Melbourne in 1956 when Terry Spinks and Dick McTaggart won gold in a haul that also included one silver and two bronze.

"My expectations are high," he said. "This is the most talented team I've worked with."

THE BOXING TEAM CAPTAIN'S VERDICT

David Price assesses Britain's boxers in Beijing . . .

Khalid Yafai (age 19) Flyweight, lives in Birmingham. Excellent and dedicated young fighter. He has so much ability, he can do very well at these Games and again in London in 2012.

Joe Murray (21) Bantamweight, Manchester. Fearless young lad with a winning mentality. World bronze medallist. No reason to say why he can't go one or even two better in Beijing.

Frankie Gavin (22) Lightweight, Birmingham. Being world champion, there's a lot of pressure on Frankie to win gold and it's deserved because he's probably pound-for-pound the best amateur in the game.

Bradley Saunders (22) Light-welterweight, Sedgefield. A great boxer, a clever boxer, very tactically astute. Another world bronze medallist who is going to China with good form and I expect great things from him.

Billy Joe Saunders (18) Welterweight, Hatfield. A lunatic! But a great kid and so much talent. There is no reason why he shouldn't be the Amir Khan of these Olympics because he's just as young and just as good as Amir was.

Tony Jeffries (23) Light-heavyweight, Sunderland. One of the hardest-hitting light-heavyweights in the world but I don't know whether he realises it. His weight division is wide open and he can shock a few people.

David Price (25) Super-heavyweight, Liverpool. I'm going to give it 100 per cent and hopefully I'll get my just deserts at the end of it. Out of my last 21 wins, I've stopped 16 opponents so I'm going in with the best form of my life.

James DeGale (22) Middleweight, London. 'Chunky' has the talent to beat anybody on his day. There are not many in the world as skilful as him.

He's got a big heart and a big chin to go with it, he just needs to be in the right frame of mind.