Amateur sport is boxing clever

Ryan: Pro-boxing could learn from amateur

Mick Ryan, former coach of Paul Ingle and now director for the Amateur Boxing Association, speaks to BBC Sport Online's Saj Chowdhury.

The sport of professional boxing has suffered lately following Paul Ingle's fight on Saturday which left the boxer in a critical condition in hospital.

The amateur side has been dragged into the controversy over whether boxing should be banned altogether.

Former coach of Leeds' St Patrick's Amateur Boxing club, Mick Ryan, who once looked after Ingle, believes this is unfair.

"A health and safety report revealed that amateur boxing is the 29th most dangerous sport, behind swimming," said Ryan.

Twelve rounds is far too many in my opinion

  Ryan on pro-boxing

"I think in the sport's 112-year history their have only been 12 fatalities."

Ryan says there are major differences between the professional and amateur sides of the sport.

He is frustrated that his sport is being tarred with the same brush.

"There are three rounds which last two minutes, if a referee sees the boxer in trouble he will immediately stop the fight."

"An amateur boxer has to have a medical examination before and after the fight.

"More importantly though if a boxer is stopped in a fight after receiving a blow to the head then he has to wait 28 days before he can even train again."

Lessons for pros

Ryans believes professional boxing could learn a lot from its counterpart.

"Twelve rounds is far too many in my opinion," added Ryan.

"If they reduced the number of rounds then perhaps there wouldn't be so many horrific injuries.

"If I had the ability to stop Ingle's fight on Saturday, then I would have, three or four blows before he was eventually knocked out."