British boxer Amir Khan lost his unbeaten record in a shock first round knockout defeat as Breidis Prescott claimed the WBO Intercontinental lightweight title on Saturday.
The Colombian sent Khan to the canvas before following up and knocking him out to win the World Boxing Organization belt at the MEN Arena.
Prescott needed just 54 seconds to knock out Khan, who got up after one knockdown only to be sent to the canvas moments later.
PHOTO:AP
Khan, 21, suffered his first defeat in his 19th professional fight and now looks a long way off the top lightweights like Nate Campbell, the American who defends three versions of the world title against the Dominican Republic’s Joan Guzman on Saturday.
Khan’s leaky defense was again exposed in his first fight under new trainer Jorge Rubio.
Prescott first winded Khan with a shuddering body shot and when the Athens Olympics silver medalist’s hands dropped, the Colombian unleashed a powerful left to the temple.
It was a perfect shot leaving Khan crumpled in a heap on the canvas.
Khan got to his feet but he was on wobbly legs and after being allowed to continue after a count of eight, Prescott launched into Khan with another right-left assault to leave him on the canvas again.
This time, Khan was counted out.
Khan is now left with a rebuilding job to rescue his career from unfulfilled promise.
Prescott, 25, had stopped 17 opponents in an unbeaten 19-fight career before climbing into the ring to face Khan but little was known of the Colombian.
Prescott, who had a slight height advantage, had bragged he would burst Khan’s bubble and stop him in the fourth round — but he did sooner than he or anyone else had imagined.
“I just got caught with a big shot,” Khan told a news conference yesterday. “I knew he had speed and was powerful. I will have to see where I’m going wrong but I will back stronger.”
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