07.04.07 – By Bob Webb: On the undercard at Cardiff’s Millenium stadium tonight, Lightweight Amir Khan of Bolton easily disposed of late opponent Doncaster’s Stefy Bull in three hurtful boxing rounds. The ref, Marcus MacDonald stopped the fight after Bull had taken a 7 count on one knee following a furious Khan assault to head and body and appeared reluctant to continue. He was stopped at the one minute and forty-five second mark.
It was never a contest from the moment of the contract signing. Bull, though a natural Light-Welter, had a mere 5 KOs on his record of 24 wins from 29 fights and was never going to trouble Khan with his punch. From the opening bell it was also evident that he couldn’t match Khan in terms of hand-speed, footwork or in any boxing department whatsoever.
I’m beginning to join the Khan critics camp – when will he fight an oopponent with a chance to knock him out? I don’t want to invite an upset of his carefully constructed career but I wonder whether the doubts over Khan’s chin are justified.
To be fair, every one of Khan’s twelve fights can be considered learning fights and certainly his style has matured and his strength, speed and punching power have developed quite impressively – enough for him to step up and fight someone who’s not just in there to collect a pay-check against this rising boxing star. His work to the body was impressive and it was those punches to Bull’s midsection that did the lasting damage and caused what was effectively his retirement.
Don’t get me wrong here: I believe that Khan will go all the way but for that reason he should move up now, taking his acquired skills and experience with him and really show us what he can do in a tough fight.
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