Has the 'Ingle way' taken a U-turn?

When Herol Graham burst through the doors of St Thomas' boxing club for the first time in 1976, the 'Ingle style' was born.  Brendan, the gym's owner, and Wincobank's good Samaritan threw 'Bomber' into the ring with his top boy, the rough and tough Mick Mills. After a few rounds of sparring Brendan told Herol “Son, If I threw a handful of stones at you, you’d get out of the way of the f'ing lot!” Graham's 'limbo dancing', a belittling term used by the tabloids saw him crowned British, Commonwealth and European champion, but also saw him labelled 'the best British boxer never to win a world title' in the process . Brendan Ingle, with the help of his sons (Dominic & John) were able to tweak the famous switch-hitting style to ensure the next generation of Sheffield boxers such as Johnny Nelson, Naseem Hamed, Kell Brook & Kid Galahad could call themselves world champions. The Ingle gym has churned out many more champion and contender, but its legacy goes beyond boxing and spills out onto the streets of the Steel City. Kids with a lack of direction in life could wander into the old converted church and find their purpose from Brendan's teachings. The multi-cultural hub was open to all, whether rich or poor, but is that now under threat?

Since Brook's retirement and Kid Galahad's drop in form, losing his last two fights in which he was expected to win both, the Wincobank gym lacks a star. Dominic, although still training a handful of local prospects has shifted his focus into the weight loss business. He is apparently charging 'up to £1,600' for his services and the gyms facilities for the first month of membership. A social media spat has since ensued with Amer 'Killa' Khan, a former Ingle prospect who retired with a 13-0 record. Like Brendan, who retired with a 19-14 professional record, 'Killa's' biggest contribution to boxing has come as a coach in the Ingle gym. Khan, like world title contender Liam Williams, and highly rated Willy Hutchinson have recently left St Thomas' boxing club.  Whilst Liam and Willy seemed to have departed amicably, Khan certainly has not.         

In this cost-of-living crisis,  it would be unfair to condone how Dominic pay's for the petrol in his car and the food on his table, especially considering he is improving lives in the process. You only have to look at the before and after pictures of Dom's clients to see his nutrition and exercise programme clearly works. He's got 'Rob the roofer' looking like he could challenge for the Central Area title. But for the first time in nearly half a century, St Thomas' boxing club is not the home of the finest fighters that Sheffield has to offer. Sunny Edwards, an adopted Sheffield son (whether they like it or not) has a style tailor made for Ingle, and the city's best prospect (Dalton Smith), train elsewhere. Not under the famous red steel girders that hold up the heavy bags, but at the Steel City gym, less than three miles away. 

Even so, the Ingle name will still be reeled off by most when asked to name their top trainers in the UK. Dominic is in prestigious company with the likes of Shane Mcguigan, Joe Gallagher, Dave Coldwell and Grant Smith, amongst many more. Ingle has plenty to offer, whether that’s to a young prospect or an already seasoned professional. You only have to look at the job he did with Billy Joe Saunders who, produced his finest performance defending his WBO middleweight title against dangerous Canadian banger David Lemieux back in 2017. That fight was seen as a 50/50 in 2017, only for a dazzling display of slick southpaw ‘hit and not get hit’ which left Lemieux battered, bloodied and baffled after 12 humiliating rounds in his home province of Quebec, Canada. It remains of the best displays by a UK fighter across the pond in recent years, right up there with another Ingle charge, Kell Brook’s gruelling war with Shawn Porter for the IBF welterweight title in 2014.

At this moment, it is hard to see the next time that the frank but wise words of Dominic Ingle will be listened to at the top level. Has this shift in focus, from getting belt's wrapped around waists, to trimming inches off it, seen the Ingle's produce their last world champion?