Lightning-quick Khan defends title in style

Published on Sunday 6 December 2009 00:31

THE flag of Pakistan waved proudly from the stands as Amir Khan defended his WBA light-welterweight title in lightning-quick style with a first-round victory over American-Ukrainian Dimitriy Salita in Newcastle last night.

On his moment of victory, it was hoisted proudly alongside – sewn together with, in fact – the Union flag and the flag of St George.

If comments he made this week are to be taken seriously – Khan said he would be a bigger star if he was white – he is a young man who sits a little uneasily with his heritage. Now the message was clear: go global.

No-one expected the competent but untested Salita to provide any kind of defining fight for the Bolton 22-year-old but the manner of Khan's victory was sensational. He won in just one minute 16 seconds – and the crowd loved it.

His profile – hardly tarnished by one unfortunate, unguarded remark – will sky-rocket as a result and surely ratchet up the interest of the American pay-per-view moguls.

Khan's performance was perfect. He floored his man barely ten seconds into the contest, landing a hard left and crushing right to send Salita spiralling to the canvas. Salita got up but another quick flurry bludgeoned the New Yorker to one knee. Salita was up again but the end was in sight and when Khan set up another assault with the right and had Salita unsteadily against the ropes, Puerto Rican referee Luis Pavon stepped in and ended it.

Earlier, Scotland's John Simpson retained his Commonwealth featherweight title with a seventh-round stoppage win over Stevie Bell.