The talk was naturally of a re-match with Naseem Hamed after Paul Ingle came off the floor to retain his IBF featherweight crown at Madison Square Garden last night. Ingle halted seasoned New Yorker Junior Jones in the 11th round after being sent tumbling in the ninth round of his first title defence on the undercard to the Lennox Lewis-Michael Grant fight. Cable Network Home Box Office have spoken of staging Hamed-Ingle chapter two in Britain early in 2001.
“Naseem Hamed needs Paul Ingle more than Paul Ingle needs Naseem Hamed.” trainer Steve Pollard said.
“We are not going to chase Hamed,” manager Frank Maloney said. “Ingle is making a name for himself. I would like him to have another couple of fights for experience.”
For the meantime, Ingle and the Prince will go their different ways, with the IBF champion due for a mandatory defence on the next Lennox Lewis promotion at the London Arena on July 15. And Hamed is being lined up for his next WBO engagement in America, probably on August 19 or 26. Ingle, 27, was ahead on two of the judges' cards at the finish, with Jones a point up on the third.
It was another typically busy performance from Ingle, and was doing enough to keep his nose in front before Jones connected with a long right. Ingle tumbled and stayed down for a count of seven. The crowd chanted the crowd tried to inspire the local man to victory, but Ingle dug in to make an excellent comeback and at the end, the British contingent could not resist bursting into the soccer-style verse of "You're Not Singing Anymore ".
Ingle certainly hit the right note in the 10th when a fading Jones was forced to hold on after taking a short left hook. By the bell, Jones' legs were like jelly, and it needed one concerted effort from the Scarborough fighter in the 11th. Jones took a standing count, virtually out on his feet, but referee Steve Smoger delayed the closure until one minute, 16 seconds of the penultimate round.
“Paul wasn't hurt,” Maloney added. “He was told all night to watch for the right hand. His work rate was fantastic.” Ingle had the chore of a fight-day weigh-in - and All-American judges - on the order of the New York commission, and against the dictates of the International Boxing Federation.
“I certainly enjoyed it,” Ingle said, “although I had a few distractions during the week. You don't enjoy many fights. I felt in control and relaxed. We knew Jones had a big punch.”
