The big plan for WBA super lightweight champ
Amir Khan was to take the WBC belt from
Danny Garcia and then move up to welterweight to take on either
Floyd Mayweather Jr. or
Timothy Bradley in a big money bout. Scratch that plan. Khan looked to be too fast and too long for Garcia for almost three rounds. Garcia was taking Khan's power shots well but it seemed only a matter of time until his face got busted up. Then - out of nowhere - Garcia landed a counter left hook on the side of Khan's head and neck that changed the fight - and the careers - of both fighters. Khan got up to survive the round, and fought valiantly in round four, but never got his legs back under him. After two more knockdowns in the fourth, referee Kenny Bayless decided Khan - though willing - was not fit to continue.
For Khan, this third loss of his career is a huge setback. At 25, he's still young, gutsy and talented enough to compete with anyone at 140 but his chin is officially suspect. He's hoping for a rematch with Garcia in December.
As for Garcia, at 24-0 with four straight wins over name opponents (Nate Campbell, Kendall Holt, Erik Morales and Khan), he continues to exceed expectations and is now the second best 140 pounder in the world (after Juan Manuel Marquez).
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