Friday 25 May 2018 15:01, UK
Matthew Macklin believes Brendan Ingle has set the standard in boxing training.
The Irishman, who trained four world champions including Jonny Nelson and Naseem Hamed, passed away at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield on Friday aged 77.
Former European middleweight champion Macklin told Sky Sports News Ingle will be remembered not only for his success but for his methods.
"Brendan Ingle will probably go down as maybe the best trainer ever to come out of Britain.
"His techniques were unorthodox and he did it time and time again. Some trainers inherit good fighters that are Olympians or had great amateur pedigree. Those fighters are supposed to go on and have great careers.
"But Brendan took 10-year olds who didn't know a jab from an uppercut, he took them all through the amateurs, turned them pro at 18 and took them to world class, and world champion on more than one occasion.
"So in that respect you would have to say he was probably the most successful boxing trainer Britain has ever produced."
Ingle was born in Dublin in 1940. He moved to England when he was 18 and went on to box professionally.
He initially established the Ingle Gym to provide a place for young people to train and he was awarded an MBE in 1998 for his services and contributions to British boxing, and his work with young people in the Sheffield area.
"He was more than a trainer, he was a mentor, it was a real family environment up there in Sheffield," Macklin added.
"World champions trained with 10-year olds there were no airs or graces.
"He never really modernised the gym, he stayed with old techniques, he had absolute faith and confidence in his own knowledge and philosophies.
"They looked at him as grandfather figure, a father figure to so many. Look at Johnny Nelson, he loves Brendan Ingle and so do so many other lads that he trained."
