By James Slater – Tonight, at The Excel Arena in London, lightweight talent Amir Khan came back from his nightmare loss to Breidis Prescott, with an impressive 2nd round stoppage of tough Irishman Oisin Fagan. Dropping the usually durable 34-year-old twice in the opening round, both times with head shots – a right hand the first time, a big combination the second – Khan ended matters at 1 minute and 27-seconds of the 2nd round.
The towel came fluttering in from Fagan’s corner, and as referee Mickey Vann moved in to stop the fight the Irishman fell for a third and final time. Khan, 22 in a few day’s time, improved to 19-1(15). Fagan fell to 22-6(13).
Anxious to get back in the ring ever since what happened to him back in September, Khan wasted no time looking for the man who had taken both Julio Cesar Chavez Junior and Paul Spadafora the distance. Fagan attacked as best he could, throwing a wild, over-hand right often, but Khan was too fast and accurate for the older man. The action was lively, and in the second half of the round the former Olympian broke through with a sharp right to the head. Fagan was badly hurt and did well to get back up.
He went down for a second time seconds later, from a blistering combo upstairs, and the fight looked all but all over. Stumbling to the mat shortly after rising, Fagan’s legs had gone. Then the bell rang. Was a minute enough time for the veteran to recover? No.
Fagan gave it another go in the 2nd but he had no chance. Soon under more fierce pressure, so much so that his corner saw fit to throw in the towel, Fagan was to see his challenge ended. Slumping to the canvas just as Vann called the fight off, the Irishman was well beaten.
Some will no doubt say Khan’s win means little, coming as it did against a 34-year-old many may not have heard of. But it cannot be stressed enough how Fagan had taken both Spadafora and Chavez Jr the distance. In getting him out of there inside six minutes, Khan did very, very well (Fagan has only previously been stopped once, way back in 2003). There were certainly so signs of nerves or hesitancy from the prospect. And, yes, Khan remains a top prospect, his chin issues aside.
It will be very interesting to see who Khan boxes next, and when. The word is February, and with more work under Freddie Roach the Bolton man may well even have a rematch with Prescott at some stage. Khan mentioned this in tonight’s post-fight interview, so who knows? As risky as that fight would be, it would have no trouble selling a load of tickets!