Bruised and battered gladiator Paul Ingle is heading for the stars after earning his fighting stripes in a classic ring encounter with Prince Naseem Hamed.

Floored: Scarborough's Paul Ingle is sent crashing to the canvas for the third and final time by Sheffield's master blaster Naseem Hamed during their World Boxing Organisation featherweight title clash at Manchester. Picture: Nigel Holland

Despite succumbing to a Hamed hammer in round 11 to end his brave bid for the champion's World Boxing Organisation featherweight crown, pocket rocket Ingle covered himself in glory and is now standing firmly at the gates to the States.

The little man from Scarborough had been forced to seek solace in the canvas twice but badly bloodied the Prince's nose and seemed close to completing a fairytale ending when Hamed, in his 12th defence, pulled out the big punch, champion fashion.

Home Box Office, the American TV network who were screening the Manchester fight Stateside as part of a six-fight deal with Hamed, were clearly delighted with Ingle's showing and could use him in future productions.

It means the Scarborough ace's first defeat could ultimately prove profitable, catapulting him into boxing's big money earners.

Lou DiBella, senior vice president of HBO, said: "I'll use Paul Ingle again, I went into the dressing room and told him that. There are a lot of good match-ups out there for him. I think he's a real world class fighter. If he fought someone like Kevin Kelley, it would be world war three."

Hamed too was full of praise for his gallant opponent and revealed he would like to have Ingle as his sparring partner as he now plots to become the undisputed featherweight ring-king.

Nor would he rule out the punch laden prospect of a Naz-Ingle II at a later date.

"I don't see why not," said the Prince. "It would be great for television if Paul wants it.

"I think he would be great for sparring too and I would like to use him for other fights.

"Paul came to fight, took some really good shots and got up from the knockdowns and showed heart. It was one of the toughest fights I've had, but I did not feel in that much trouble when he was putting on the heat - I knew if he put the heat on too much, I knew I'd catch him. This is a stepping stone to the great fights in the future."

Ingle, his face badly swollen, said he had no excuses.

"The best man won," he said. "But after the first knockdown I was always catching up.

"The only way I could win the fight was to try and stop him in the late rounds and after round seven I was starting to enjoy it.

"It was an experience for me, it was the first time I have fought at this level in front of such a big crowd. I'd like to go for the European title again and then have another go at a world belt again."

It was certainly a close call for the Prince, who had damaged his stinging left hand some half-a-dozen rounds earlier and was taken to hell and back by Ingle until that telling blow 45 seconds into round 11.

Ingle's lion-hearted performance brought admiration from master trainer and adviser in the champion's corner Emanuel Steward, who believed the Scarborough flyer was within a whisker of glory.

"The sign of a great fighter is when they are in desperate situations and they pull out a punch like that. But defeat was that close," said Steward, with an inch of daylight between his uplifted finger and thumb.

"Hamed's face was marked, his lip was cut and his nose was hurt. He was trying things over and over and he let Ingle back in the fight.

"Hamed was on the verge of defeat and he was tired. He salvaged it, and it was a great accomplishment, but he can't do that anymore."Ingle's near rumbling and humbling of the Prince has convinced Steward that Hamed must return to the drawing board if is he is to become the undisputed featherweight king.

"I think he's going to have to make some drastic changes. His foundations are not solid," said Steward of the champion.

"There is no more aura about his punching power because he's been shown to be vulnerable. But I believe he will come through as the best featherweight champion.

"There is a certain something I see inside of him, that I see him emerging as a unified champion.

"He's got the natural gift of co-ordination, and he's got to try to use boxing talent with it, and it will make him a much better fighter.

The night began on cue for Hamed. A double left hook to body and head sent Ingle tumbling for the only the second time in his ring career.

Hamed's arms went up in early celebration as the ringside fears that Ingle could be blown away by Hamed's power suddenly became real. However, the 26-year-old challenger revealed an iron will, a well-marshalled defence, and would not submit.

A ripping left to the body sunk Ingle for a second time in round six but as he clambered to his feet he even managed a wink at the champion.

That said something about the resolve of Ingle and as Hamed started to tire, the former European champion began to fire back and Hamed was in disarray in rounds nine and 10.

His mouth was dropping open, and he was content to seek the safer areas of the ring as Ingle unloaded to make it an outstanding encounter for the 18,500 crowd.

When the fight was stopped, Hamed was 98-91 ahead on the cards of British judges John Coyle and Roy Francis while America's Michael Pernich had it 98-90 at the stoppage, scoring inflated by the two earlier knockdowns.

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