TRAINER Steve Pollard hoists Scarborough's pocket rocket Paul Ingle on his shoulders to tell the world his man is the champion.

The "Yorkshire Hunter" came off the canvas in Madison Square Garden, New York, to beat home star Junior Jones to retain his IBF featherweight crown in the early hours of yesterday morning.

The North Yorkshire star stopped Jones in the 11th round of an all-action contest after being sent tumbling in the ninth round.

The fight, on the undercard of the Lennox Lewis-Michael Grant battle, was seen by millions on cable and satellite television around the world.

Victory in America's home of boxing has propelled Ingle back into the big time with all the talk being of a re-match with Sheffield supernova Naseem Hamed, the only man to beat Ingle.

But the Ingle camp will keep Naz waiting as they have other business to attend to.

Ingle is due for a mandatory defence on the next Lewis promotion at the London Arena on Saturday, July 15 when Britain's heavyweight king takes on Francis Botha.

'White Buffalo' Botha has held the IBF crown now proudly held by Lewis, as well as making a subsequent bid for the same title belt when Michael Moorer was champion in 1996.

And Botha gave Mike Tyson plenty of problems 16 months ago before running into Iron Mike's right-hand sledgehammer.