Ingle remains in hospital over Christmas

Paul Ingle is facing Christmas in intensive care after making slow progress over the last few days.  

The 28-year-old boxer is still on the danger list after collapsing during his IBF featherweight title defence last Saturday.

He underwent emergency surgery to remove a blood clot on his brain and despite showing positive signs at first, there has since been no change.

"It's looking likely that he will stay in over Christmas," said a spokesman for the Royal Hallamshire hospital in Sheffield, where Ingle has been recovering since the night of the fight.

"It's hard to judge but he hasn't changed much over the last 48 hours, so it's looking reasonably likely.

"It's much a case of waiting for Paul. There's no time scale we can put on his injuries - we have to wait for Paul's body to react in the right way."

The defeated champion from Scarborough was operated on within 45 minutes of his 12th-round collapse.

Ingle, nicknamed the 'Yorkshire Hunter', suffered bleeding from his nose as early as the second round of the fight, with swellings appearing as the bout went on.

He was first knocked down in the 11th round and the fight was finally stopped 20 seconds into the 12th.

Ingle, who was placed in a drug-induced coma after undergoing brain surgery, first opened his eyes on Wednesday after moving his arms. He has also had a tracheotomy to assist his breathing.

Since he was rushed away from the ring at the Sheffield Arena there has been a wave of pressure calling for blows to the head in the sport to be banned, with a parliamentary bill expected next year calling for such a ban.