Boxing: Injury hampered Ingle

PAUL INGLE fought Naseem Hamed for 10 rounds last Saturday night despite suffering torn tendons in his ankle.

An X-ray at Scarborough Hospital revealed Ingle ripped tendons in his right ankle after his first-round knockdown in the World Boxing Organisation featherweight title fight.

Ingle did not use the injury as an excuse for his 11th-round knock-out defeat, but admitted he was in severe pain after twisting his ankle.

"Every time I turned my ankle I was in agony, but there was no way I was going to show the pain," Ingle said.

Although knocked down three times by Hamed, Ingle said the champion's punches were not as hard as he had expected. "They were hard, but I've been hit harder before," he said. "It was his accuracy and his correct technique that was the telling factor."