Amir Khan Explodes On Martin Kristjansen
Amir Khan summoned an explosive finish when it mattered to sink Denmark's Martin Kristjansen in round seven of their WBO lightweight title eliminator at the Bolton Arena.
Khan decked his brave opponent three times in a frenetic round before referee Mickey Vann had seen enough seven seconds from the end of the round, waving the contest off to give Khan his 17th straight win.
The Bolton fighter had been told to impress by promoter Frank Warren in order to land a world title crack later this and the 21-year-old responded with a competent performance which showed he still has a lot to learn. But Warren insists he does not want to rush Khan into a world-title shot too soon, and wants one more fight first.
Khan certainly proved he is arguably the most explosive lightweight fighter on the planet in the way he smashed Kristjansen to the canvas from a big right hand then followed up ruthlessly to finish the job. The 30-year-old Dane, who came into the fight with a modest record of 19 wins from 24 fights including just five inside the distance, did better than expected against an opponent clearly destined for greater things.
In the end, he presented much more of a test than Gairy St Clair, the previous Khan victim who stepped in earlier this year when Kristjansen caught flu, only to lose all 12 rounds.
And he forced Khan into some errors, catching him with a couple of solid right hands which will provide a timely reminder to Khan he will not have it all his own way en route to the top.
If the pressure was on Khan to impress against an opponent few expected to provide him with any problems, he did not show it as he entered the ring focused and evidently intent on another quickfire win.
Khan gradually cranked up the pace during the first three minutes, landing a looping left hook before impatience briefly got the better of him and allowed Kristjansen to respond with a solid right. The Dane had to count on all his experience to wriggle his way out of trouble after coming under a sustained attack in round two but at least he was making Khan think his way towards a seemingly inevitable 17th victory.
Two straight lefts set up a big overarm right by Khan but again his urgency was met with sturdy resistance by Kristjansen, who again replied with right which landed flush but failed to worry the favourite.
Brave Kristjansen, his face reddening, soaked up some more heavy punishment in the third but doggedly stuck to his task and by the end of the fourth he was making Khan snatch and miss at a number of his shots. Khan was forced to soak up another right in the sixth but responded with his best punch of the fight so far, a wide left hook which stopped Kristjansen in his tracks for the first time.
The end came one round later when a right hand sent Kristjansen spiralling backwards to the canvas, Khan's urgency to finish the job drawing a warning from referee Vann for connecting when the Dane was on one knee.
But it was rendered irrelevant when Khan swiftly followed up, throwing furious bombs with either hand to deck Kristjansen twice more and bring a timely end to another perfectly fine performance.
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