Ring king Henry Wharton is squaring up to his most dangerous opponent - a permanent injury KO.

The York boxer, who is still nurturing dreams of ruling the world, has countered rumours doing the rounds that he will never fight again because of his damaged left hand.

But he admitted his defiance was tinged with a dread that his fighting days in the most punishing sport may eventually be floored by injury.

"I'm not at that stage now, but it is getting to be a worry. And if I feel I cannot give it 100 per cent then I might not have any other choice but to quit," he conceded.

Wharton has been out of the ring since March after aggravating the knuckle injury that flared early through his debut as a light-heavyweight.

That trip to America's casino mecca of Atlantic City was to re-launch his career in the higher division after three narrow points losses in cracks at the super-middleweight world crown between 1994 and 1997.

His comfortable conquest of one-time cruiserweight Franklin Edmondson was impressive, all the more so because he had sustained the injury in only the third round of the eight-round contest.

But since then Wharton has been inactive. And for the first time in his career he had to pull out of fight when he withdrew from a challenge in Hull last month after the knuckle ballooned to twice its size in a freak training accident.

That withdrawal still rankles with the York ace. "I have never been one to pull out of a fight before. That was the only time that it has happened. I've even boxed on in a fight before with a broken hand.

"But the pain was so bad, I could not have gone into the ring."

Despite daily ultra-sound treatment, ice-packs and rest, the swollen area around the middle knuckle of his left hand has not decreased, explained Wharton. Until it does then he cannot re-enter the gymnasium to trade punches on the bags.

"The injury is a build-up of damaged tissue around the knuckle. It's still twice the size of the same knuckle on my right hand. I'm wary of hitting with it.

"If it stayed like it is today then I would never fight again, no," he said. But the last thing I want to do is to have to retire. Hopefully it will not come to that."

For all the apprehension Wharton is working towards a competitive return - and first British outing in the 12st 6lb division - in September.

As with America that's likely to be on the undercard of the next defence of world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis against Croatian challenger Zeljko Mavrovic.

He said: "My aim is to be back in the ring in September. The injury is a bit worrying, but all I can do now is wait and see if the treatment works."

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