Brook vs Spence Jr: Dominic Ingle backs Kell Brook over injury against Errol Spence Jr
"I said: 'if something happens that's worse than last time, and you're in danger, then you've got to stop'."
Tuesday 8 August 2017 10:29, UK
Trainer Dominic Ingle has launched a passionate defence of Kell Brook, who succumbed to an eye injury against Errol Spence Jr last weekend.
A broken eye socket saw Brook sink to his knees in defeat in the 11th round of his IBF welterweight title defence, eight months after an identical injury on the opposite side was caused in a loss to Gennady Golovkin.
"It was the right choice from Kell because it was easy to see the fight had a definite change after rounds six or seven," Brook's trainer Ingle exclusively told Sky Sports.
"He rallied in the 10th and tried to finish Spence Jr, but then got caught in the 11th. He had the same feelings and emotions as in the Golovkin fight. The surgeon had told him that it was a good job the Golovkin fight was ended, because he could have lost his vision.
"Mentally, he might have prepared for [the original injury] to go again. But when the other eye went, that might have thrown him. It might have been in the back of his mind that his right eye would go, but not his left eye. It was more difficult to come to terms with."
It might have been in the back of his mind that his right eye would go, but not his left eye. It was more difficult to come to terms with.
Last September Brook suffered his first eye injury against Golovkin, later compared to a "car crash" by Ingle who ceded defeat by throwing in the towel. Second time around against Spence Jr, Ingle didn't feel it was necessary to do the same.
"No, because you weigh it up," Ingle explained. "Don't forget Kell was two weight classes above against Golovkin. In my opinion that was more dangerous. As the rounds went on, eventually something hard and heavy would have hit Kell on the eye and I wasn't going to wait for that situation. Although Spence Jr was good, he wasn't as heavy a hitter as Golovkin."
Upon seeing Brook's injury in the corner after the sixth round against Spence Jr, Ingle remembered: "Kell said: 'I think my eye has gone again'.
"I told him to hang in there because, at that point, he was winning the fight. When I saw the judges' scorecards afterwards, Kell was two rounds up.
"We're talking about Spence Jr, not Golovkin. Kell did say that Golovkin's power was much more devastating. From what I could see, Spence Jr wasn't landing too many clean, full shots to the face.
"I said: 'Kell, you've got to stay in this fight because you can win'. He trusts me to make the decisions if it goes too long.
"We had a conversation beforehand saying 'what happens if'. Kell said: 'I trust your judgement but I'll go all the way'.
"I said: 'if something happens that's worse than last time, and you're in danger, then you've got to stop'."
I said: 'if something happens that's worse than last time, and you're in danger, then you've got to stop'.
Ingle also expressed disappointment at any criticism aimed towards Brook for failing to hear the final bell.
"I've been around boxing since I was born and seen a lot of things," he said. "I have a lot of experience to draw on. This is a sport, it's not worth permanent damage. People are entitled to an opinion but until you've walked a mile in someone's shoes…
"Against Carson Jones, Kell broke his nose and was swallowing blood but he carried on. You do carry on, because a broken nose doesn't affect how you view the outside world. A cut won't affect your life. But your vision is a window to the outside world, and it's not worth losing for any money.
"People must remember, we do not want to reach the point where damage cannot be reversed. There have been too many tragedies in boxing."
Brook has surgery scheduled for June and, after recovering, Ingle expects him to return to the ring.
He added: "I spoke to Kell afterwards and he said: 'I've got a few fights left in me'. I've got no concerns that he won't box again. He'll have the belief that his eye will become as strong as the other one.
I've got no concerns that he wouldn't box again. He'll have the belief that his eye will become as strong as the other one.
"They've got to wait until the swelling goes down but he's got his operation planned. It's a slightly larger fracture [than the previous injury], but the surgeon says that will make it easier to operate on.
"The other fracture held up. The surgeon did say that the eye with a plate would become stronger, so we're expecting the same on the other side.
"Hopefully the eye will get patched up, and he'll eventually get it on with Amir Khan."
