Amir Khan quits in 6, Terence Crawford wins by TKO

Amir Khan has always been a skilled boxer, but at 32 years old, his boxing prowess was extinguished by the exceptional Terence Crawford.

In 2008, Amir Khan was the hottest prospect in boxing, but then he was shockingly knocked out by Breidis Prescott in one round. He hoped to redeem the grand potential of what he was supposed to be against Terence Crawford on Saturday, April 20, but it just proved to be another massive disappointment.

In front of an enthusiastic crowd at Madison Square Garden, Crawford proved that he’s one of the best boxers in the world when he easily defended his WBO welterweight title against the disappointing Brit.

In the first round, both fighters were extremely cautious. Crawford didn’t throw a punch for the first minute and a half. He wanted to taste Khan’s speed and power. Khan obliged him on several occasions, lunging in with pawing hands that couldn’t find their mark. Crawford stayed calm and observed his opponent’s abilities. It didn’t take him long to figure out Khan’s flaws.

With 42 seconds left in the round, Crawford landed a right hook flush on Khan’s jaw. His legs wobbled, and Crawford followed it up with a left hook that dropped Khan to the canvas. He got to his feet but looked dejected and rubber-legged.

Crawford nearly sent Khan to the canvas again with another right hand, but he managed to stay on his feet as the bell saved him.

Surprisingly, Khan looked recovered to start the second round. Crawford did him a favor by boxing instead of pressing for the knockout. He spent a lot of energy at the close of the first, so he played it smart by conserving his energy.

The third round passed passively and closely mimicked the second, but Khan found himself in trouble again in round 4. A Crawford right hook did the damage. He started to tenderize Khan’s body with accurate hooks which opened up his head. Crawford was putting on a boxing clinic, and he was showcasing a new weapon in each round.

In round 5, Crawford showed off the precision of his left hooks as he landed them with regularity. Khan survived another round, but it was clear that he didn’t have much left in the tank.

When the bell signaled the start of the sixth, it didn’t seem like Crawford had to do much to end Khan’s night. He engaged Khan in the hopes that he could stop him, but one of his punches strayed well below Khan’s belt line. He doubled over in pain and looked content with taking his five minutes.

While Khan appeared to recover in his corner, he was asked by his trainer, Virgil Hunter, if he wanted to continue. He shook his head, and Hunter stopped the fight. Khan didn’t look so broken physically that he couldn’t continue, but his pride and confidence were slaughtered. He took the easy way out because he knew that only a savage beating was in his future if the fight continued

The crowd at the Garden booed at the stoppage out of disgust. Some may call Khan a coward for quitting in his corner after a low blow, but others might say he made the sensible move. He knew he didn’t have a chance of beating Crawford, so Khan cashed out his chips while he was still conscious. That seems like the logical move, although it may not resemble a courageous action.

In all honesty, Khan should never have been in the ring with Crawford. He has fought twice in two years against average opposition to try and re-establish his résumé to cover up the fatally flawed chin. His age slowed his reflexes and his speed which were the only weapons that might have allowed him to survive against a boxer like Crawford. He needs to retire, and Crawford needs an opponent who is worthy enough to put up a decent fight.