SHEFFIELD, England -- British boxer Paul Ingle remains "seriously ill but stable" a week after having an operation to remove a blood clot from his brain.

Robert Battersby, consultant neurosurgeon at the Central Sheffield University Hospitals Trust said on Saturday: "Paul Ingle remains seriously ill but stable. His condition has remained largely unchanged over the last 48 hours."

Ingle, 28, had surgery after collapsing in the 12th round of his International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight title bout against South African Mbulelo Botile in Sheffield, northern England last Saturday.

Battersby added: "Paul's neurological and chest condition is still giving some cause for concern and he remains in neurosurgical intensive care at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital (in Sheffield)."

On Wednesday, Ingle opened his eyes, moved his hand and was breathing on his own, four days after he had gone through brain surgery and had been placed in a drug-induced coma.

"We're obviously very pleased with his progress," Frank Maloney, the boxer's manager, said on Wednesday. "But we're still keeping our fingers crossed and asking people to pray that he makes a full recovery."

"Paul also moved his hand to wipe his nose and his mouth, which are all good signs," said Maloney, who also manages IBF and WBC heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis.

Maloney and Ingle's trainer, Steve Pollard, have been criticized for allowing their boxer to continue fighting in the 12th round. Ingle was knocked down under a barrage of blows in the 11th round.

Ingle was rushed to hospital within minutes of his loss to South Africa's Mbulelo Botile in an IBF featherweight title bout at Sheffield Arena on Saturday.

Surgeons operated within 45 minutes of the end of the fight and removed a blood clot.

Pollard said he had spoken to Battersby, who had seen a tape of the fight.

"He told me it is a blessing in disguise Paul was knocked out in the 12th round," Pollard said. "He said that Paul's injury clearly came before he was knocked out. It could have been in the first round or it could have been in the 11th.

"But what he does know is that, if Paul had left the arena without receiving the medical attention he did and had gone back to his room at the hotel, then the next day he would have been dead -- wthout a shadow of a doubt."