by James Slater – Colombian banger Breidis Prescott was as good as his word tonight in Manchester, as he sensationally KO’d hot prospect Amir Khan inside a single sizzling round. Khan’s chin was no match for the unbeaten 25-year-old’s awesome punching power, and two brutal knockdowns ruined the 21-year-old’s previously perfect record.
Down heavily twice inside a minute, Khan failed to beat the count for a second time and was counted out by referee Terry O’Connor at a mere 54 seconds of the opening round. Prescott, who will now earn some huge money, improved to 20-0(18). The devastated Khan fell to 18-1(14)..
Coming straight out on the attack, the lanky Prescott wasted no time in unloading his big bombs. A huge right hand, left hand combination to the head sent Khan reeling with barely seconds gone, and the 21-year-old was clearly badly hurt and in desperate trouble. Up quickly, perhaps not knowing what had happened or where he was, Khan was soon finished off. A monstrous left hand to the chin sent Khan crashing for a second time, and this time there was no way back for the popular would-be star.
Khan never got into the fight, he barely landed a punch of his own, and it was clear the gamble promoter Frank Warren took in putting his suspect chinned fighter/goldmine in with the viciously dangerous Colombian was a bad one. Wanting very much to prove the critics who said he could not take a shot wrong, Khan failed miserably. The sell out crowd was absolutely stunned, and even though Amir said afterwards that he will be back it seems doubtful he will ever be looked at in anything like the same way.
The result was an upset, even though there are likely to be many experts who say they were not shocked in the slightest. Not having met anyone of Khan’s class before, the jury was still very much out on the 25-year-old from Barranquilla. Now we know, Prescott is very much the real deal. Perhaps a superstar in the making, the savage puncher will surely have a good shot at capturing a world title at lightweight. Not only powerful, but also fast and rangy (although, amazingly, Khan the smaller man had a longer reach), Prescott seemingly has all that is needed to reach the very top.
One cannot help but feel some sympathy towards Amir Khan. A likeable and talented boxer, the Olympic silver medallist was not a guy you would want to root against. He says he’ll be back, and he may well be back, but it’s safe to say there will be no Prescott-Khan II any time soon.
As the fans file out of The MEN Arena in Manchester, the disappointment can almost still be felt. This one was, despite what anyone may say to the contrary, a shocker!