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.”
TIGHT FINISH: Napoli only needed to do the same as or better than Inter, who won their game against Como 2-0 on the same day, leaving Napoli with a one-point lead The two players who Antonio Conte wanted more than any others secured Napoli their second Serie A title in three years on Friday. Scott McTominay scored with an acrobatic bicycle kick before halftime and Romelu Lukaku doubled the lead with a solo goal after the break in the decisive 2-0 home win over Cagliari. Conte became the first coach to win the Italian championship with three different teams. “Everyone contributed to this — but the coach most of all,” Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo said. “Napoli needed him to get back on top. He’s phenomenal.” Comparing it to his three Serie A titles won
The journey of Taiwan’s badminton mixed doubles duo Ye Hong-wei and Nicole Chan at the Malaysia Masters in Kuala Lumpur came to an end in the semi-finals yesterday after they suffered a 2-0 loss to China’s Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping. Ye, 25, and Chan, 20, teamed up last year and are currently ranked No. 23 in the world. The Taiwanese shuttlers took on China’s second seeds in the mixed doubles event, but proved no match for Feng and Huang, losing the match 10-21, 7-21. In the first half of the first game, the pairings were neck and neck at 6-7 until Ye
SSC Napoli coach Antonio Conte has dragged the team back from disaster and restored them to the top of Italian Serie A, but his future at the Scudetto winners is in doubt even after a triumphant season. The fiery 55-year-old has exceeded preseason expectations and bolstered his reputation as a serial winner by guiding Napoli to their fourth Scudetto, and second in three seasons. However, he might well be on his way in the summer after just one season at the helm as his charged relationship with Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has simmered throughout the campaign. Conte has said
Carlos Alcaraz on Monday powered into the French Open second round with a resounding win to start his title defense, while world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and three-time defending women’s champion Iga Swiatek also progressed at Roland Garros. Four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz struck 31 winners in a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri and is to face Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan in round two. Alcaraz is now on an eight-match winning streak at the French Open and also took Olympic silver at Roland Garros last year, losing the final to Novak Djokovic. “The first round is never