Amir Khan rules out retirement following defeat to Saul Alvarez

Amir Khan has ruled out the possibility of retirement following his defeat to WBC middleweight champion Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez on Saturday.

Khan, 29, suffered the fourth loss of his professional career with a heavy sixth-round knockout defeat to the Mexican in Las Vegas.

The Bolton-born former WBA and IBF light-welterweight champion was ahead of one of the three judges' scorecards before being floored by a vicious overhand right. 

And Khan admits he may have underestimated Alvarez's power after stepping up two weight divisions for the fight.

"No, I just stepped up too far," Khan said, when asked if he had considered retirement following the defeat. "I'm in the peak of my career, everything was going fine until that one big shot.

"When a guy's a lot bigger and a lot stronger, that's what's going to happen - but I've still got a lot left in me.

"The future still holds big fights, I don't think this put me down in any way. Everything was going my way, I was winning the fight."

Victory in defeat?

Khan's decision to take on the Mexican still looks a shrewd one...

Khan remains the mandatory challenger to America's WBC welterweight champion Danny Garcia, who stopped the 2004 Olympic silver medallist in the fourth round of their WBC/WBA light-welterweight title fight in 2012.

"I've got the Garcia fight there, I'm still in the mandatory position with the WBC, that's a big fight for me," Khan.

"There are big fights for me in America, even Miguel Cotto - bringing him to the UK - or Manny Pacquiao, I'd like to fight in the UK next, hopefully December.

"Al Haymon advises me and Garcia. I've not spoken to Al yet - he wants to talk with me - I also need to speak to Virgil Hunter, my trainer."

Khan all but ruled out remaining at middleweight for his next fight and is thought to prefer a return to welterweight, where he remains unbeaten.

"Canelo's a very powerful guy," he said. "I'm glad I'm safe, I'm in good health. That shot would definitely have hurt a lot of people.

"Welterweight would be ideal. I probably walked into the ring at 161, 162lbs. I tried to eat and put more weight on but for some reason I just couldn't.

"Canelo must have been around 180lbs, he's a big dude. Even when I was hitting him, I could see he wasn't moving or wasn't hurt or anything.

"I jumped up too high, I didn't expect Canelo to be that big.

"I'm not going to say they cheated me or anything, because I took the fight. I knew what I was getting into."