Khan comes of age in thrilling battle with brave Limond

Amir Khan will not be 21 until December but the prodigy from Bolton came of age in triumphant fashion last night, celebrating his second year as a professional by claiming the Commonwealth lightweight title from Scotland's Willie Limond here in London.

It was a spectacular graduation for the Olympic silver medallist, Limond retiring on his stool at the end of the eighth round of a tumultuous scrap, his jaw broken, his face contorted in pain and with cuts around his mouth. Yet in achieving his first title Khan had to suffer the indignity of being put down himself, flummoxed in the sixth round by the Scot's two-handed attack, which sent him sprawling.

Khan claimed he had been struck by an elbow and pushed to the canvas and he was clearly distressed. So were his family, his cousin Sajid Mahmood being accompanied by his England cricket colleague Monty Panesar. They were on their feet in alarm as referee Marcus McDonnell proceeded to count. Khan regained his feet but took some time to regain his composure. But he did so in the seventh, a right to the jaw having Limond wobbling. He went on to dazzle and daze the 28-year-old Glaswegian with a blistering array of shots in the eighth. Limond took a brutal battering around the face and it was really no surprise when his corner elected to retire him at the end of the round.

"It was not going to be easy," said Khan afterwards. "Willie's a great fighter, I loved it in there. I was following combinations and running inside and that's when I got caught. I showed I've got a good chin and I came back. I had to compose myself and pick the right shots. I'd got the hunger to get in there and get the title."

It had been a terrific scrap, a far cry from some of the workouts Khan had coasted through in his previous dozen bouts. Limond, a part- time joiner and one-time footballer with Albion Rovers, had previously only once been stopped in 29 contests, by Alex Arthur four years ago, and had subsequently had won 10 on the trot. He came to fight and provided Khan with a severe examination of the youngster's unquestionable talents.

Khan had to dig deep to win this one and it brought out the best of his character. He is not the hardest of hitters but like his idol Muhammad Ali, his punches come on fast cutting clusters which stun and damage. Since his last amateur fight he has grown an inch in height, his chest has increased by two inches, his biceps by one, his neck by two, but equally he has grown in stature in the ring and as he himself says, the boy has become a man. What we still need to know of course is how he will fare against more hurtful punchers than Limond but considering that the Scot came with a reputation for being durable and was twice as experienced, this was an enthralling performance from Khan, making a cracking debut for boxing at this Las Vegas-styled venue, watched by a crowd of 7,000.

Another question is how long Khan can remain at lightweight before having to move up to mix it with the bigger boys in the Hatton-Mayweather light-welter division. Meantime there is no going back to career-building eight-rounders. Khan has finally arrived as a championship fighter and from now on the only way is up - though he must make sure he is never down again, as he was in that worrying sixth round.

It was a far less auspicious night for another unbeaten British fighter, Nicky Cook, who was comprehensively defeated in his long- awaited quest for the World Boxing Organisation featherweight title by a cool customer from California, Steven Luevano. Overshadowed by Khan despite having top billing, the 27-year-old Cook was also overwhelmed, suffering an 11th-round knock-out. The Londoner had never been on the floor before in his 27-bout career but he was dumped there five times by Luevano, a slick southpaw stylist who proved not only too smart but far too strong, making Cook look wild and ragged.

In eight years as a pro Cook had never been treated so discourteously. He was put down for a count from a two-punch combination in the second and twice again in the ninth, both from left hooks to the body. Cook rallied bravely in the 10th but simply did not have the punching power to disturb the American's rhythm. It was easy to see why Luevano, 26, with only one defeat in 33 fights, was considered one of the classiest in the division.

A clipping right put Cook down again, only to be saved by the bell. He was looking much the worse for the exchanges following an earlier cut eye and the coup de grace came swiftly in the 11th, another left-right combination to the solar plexus knocking the wind from Cook.

In contrast to the Khan classic, the heavyweight encounter between Matt Skelton and Michael Sprott was a tepid affair with barely a telling punch. Skelton, now well into his forties, clung on to his Commonwealth crown on a majority decision, repeating a previous victory over Audley Harrison's nemesis. It was hard to separate the two as referee Mickey Vann found, prising them apart and demanding more action. By the end the crowd was too bored to boo. The winner has been promised a world title shot, including anyone from the four holders. None of them will be quaking in their boxing boots.

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