HOW do you defend the indefensible. Only because no-one makes them do it, I suppose.

We're talking boxing, of course, and the sport is back in the spotlight after Paul Ingle became the latest fighter to have his life put in jeopardy in the ring.

Supporters of boxing point to the statistics and the number of fatal injuries compared with other sports, notably equestrianism, to justify its continuation.

However, when the object of the exercise is to hurt your opponent then boxing struggles for a leg to stand on, in my book.

But none of this will help Ingle as he fights for his future in a Sheffield hospital bed.

The 'Yorkshire Hunter' is the pride of Scarborough and having lived and worked in the town for six years I'm on nodding terms with the former Commonwealth champion and I wish him well.

Like many of his ring rivals, Ingle doesn't come from a privileged background and has taken the chance to make something of his life.

The 28-year-old former world featherweight champion has earned a few bob and moved into a nice area of town.

He doesn't fight in the money-mad heavyweight division, however, and so will not be set up for a life that still hopefully has much to offer.

Ingle won't box again but others will. And while the sport is legal and offers the chance of fame and some fortune there is always the temptation for others to follow in Ingle's footsteps.

Whether they should be encouraged is another matter and while some fighters never know when to stop, if youngsters didn't pull on the gloves in the first place then boxing would die a natural death of its own.