Jim Watt believes Breidis Prescott was the wrong opponent for Amir Khan.
The Bolton boxer was sensationally knocked out in 55 seconds at the MEN Arena, suffering his first professional defeat in 19 fights.
Prescott came to Britain as a complete unknown, but boasted 17 KO's in 19 fights.
Khan: disastrous defeat
And Watt - who had questioned Khan's chin in the run-up to the fight - believes the Colombian was a class above anything the Brit had faced before.
"It was too big a jump from where he's been to where he was tonight," he told Sky Box Office.
It was too big a jump from where he's been to where he was tonight.
Jim Watt
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"That guy was a good fighter and a tremendous puncher. There's no disgrace in losing to him - but what a disaster.
"One of the problems they have is are they building a fighter, or were they building an unbeaten career? Maybe they needed one or two tougher fighters before this.
"But there was no doubt he was beaten by a decent fighter tonight."
In his skysports.com preview Watt had wanted to see Khan take a decent shot and come back from it after being knocked down by both Willie Limond and Michael Gomez.
But Prescott floored him in just 18 punches to turn British boxing on its head.
And although he backed Khan to recover from the stunning defeat, the former world lightweight champion believes the 21-year-old was as much to blame as his match-makers.
"When you're facing a man with a 90 per cent knockout ratio, you know he can punch so you find out in the opening round what else the guy can do," he said.
"But Amir shot straight off his stool, right down to business without a thought - because that's what he's been getting away with in his career up to now."
Comments (54)
Beth Mclean says...
khans career is finished. he talks a good talk and is very convincing but thats all its been is talk and hes made a fortune from it. while he's been driving round in expensive cars wearing watches that could buy more cars and owning property he hasnt actually done anything for it since turning professional, other than convince us that he is a future world champion because he has fought hand picked bums. where can he go to now? with a chin of thin ice he should not be put in the ring ever again with a puncher. he'll make a good trainer one day and should stay focused on his boxing gym because his career has peaked, its over, there is no way back from a defeat that devistating
Posted 01:47 24th October 2008
Callum Christie says...
To say that the comments claiming Amir's glass jaw are unfounded is wrong.Before this fight he was nearly taken out by Limmond who was really a blown up super feateher weight and he had knockout rate at that division.Gomez was also a blown up feater weight and he hurt Khan a few times in that fight.What people keep missing is that while the punches that prescott Knocked him out with would have taken out a Rhino, in the first few seconds of that fight he was stiffened to hi feet by a JAB, and was wobbling with a short hook to the head. I like the kid he has good skill and is strong, but there is something missing. He may one day be a world champ but he'll never be a great. adios
Posted 10:47 2nd October 2008
Graeme Clark says...
some comments about Amir having a glass jaw are misfounded, any fighter who gets caught as easy as he does will go down to decent shots... no doubt. any boxer with world title aspirations must learn to defend. Amir must go back to basics and learn how not to get hit so easily, his defence is shocking. Look at Floyd Mayweather against Hatton, Mayweather didn't take one decent shot and counter punched brillianlty. This should be the Amir's fight ethic. Amir will be back, he has the determination to suceed, whether he will be world class depends on how much he learns from this fight?
Posted 10:50 28th September 2008
Mark Thorley says...
Amir Khan is unfortunatly another product of the British media over-hyping British fighters. Amir Khan is without a doubt a exceptional talent - you do not win Olympic silver medals unless you are good. But unfortunatly we once again see another boxer being mismanaged. We have seen this in the past before where British boxers have been shielded for too long, and when they eventually come up against a credible opponent they wilt under the pressure. For some they are out of their league; for others they bounce back and take the world by storm. Nigel Benn was a good example of this. He turned around his career after an unexpected loss. Benn too was over-hyped and the public believed that he could continue knocking everyone out in 1 and 2 rounds. Amir Khan is no different. My only concern is that the transition from amateur to professional is difficult. It should be a basic expectation that for any potential world champion that they should be allowed time to come through the ranks and really be unnoticed. In many ways they should not be a household name until at least 15 fights into their career. Audley Harrison and AK's careers have followed the same path. Both were payed large sums of money at the beginning of their professional careers and topped the bill in all their fights. This is not right. Their careers have been over analysed and over hyped. Is this their fault? Too much money early on in their career is not going to benefit them. They should not be topping the bill to knock out bums. Boxing is a business and unfortunatly both AK and AH are victims of their own success as amateur level. I really hope that AK can turn this around.
Posted 14:45 23rd September 2008
Colin Macaulay says...
I'm sick of people saying he was the wrong opponent for Khan. If he has genuine world title aspirations he should beat whoever is in front of him, 'to be the best, you have to beat the best,' so they say. Now I see he's sacked his trainer. Not a shock after the way Oliver Harrison was treated. The new trainer was supposed to be there to sort his defense out but only had a couple of weeks to work with Khan. Dumping Harrison said to me he had no class, but to dump Rubio that quickly for 'suggesting' Prescott as an opponent is ridiculous. He didn't make the match he merely suggested it. Bottom line is that Khan should have beaten Prescott if he is as great as he thinks he is.
Posted 17:24 20th September 2008
David Cooper says...
Khan has been taught a lesson he very much needed. He would be well advised to take a leaf from the book of Joe Calzaghe in the art of self respect and ring manners. He has undeniable skill but he has been clouded by the belief that he was invincible. Have self belief but please do not be swayed by the uncontrollabe army of so called fans who appear to be made up of mobs who have little understanding of what it takes to be world class
Posted 07:12 9th September 2008
Alan Jones says...
Amir Khan will be a world champ he is class and still learning, he was just unlucky on the night and he will come back stronger. Jim Watt is the best boxing pundit on tv and is 100% right about Khan being a class act, listern to Jim Watt he knows what he's talking about. Everyone stick with Khan on SKY. I would be happy to pay any amount to watch this guy fight on SKY and hear Jim Watt give his expert opinions. Thank you SKY TV.
Posted 04:46 9th September 2008
Anthony Carter says...
Mickey O'brien, you are wrong to compare Khan with Haye, Haye didn't get knocked out by Thompson, he was stopped. Also Haye was wiping the floor with thompson for the first 6 rounds, the reason he got stopped was because he punched himself out trying to knock him out, he floored Thompson early in the fight and rather than pick his punches sought to knock him out, and Thompson being a seasoned pro used his defense to tire Hayes out. Which incidently should have been on Khan's agenda when fighting Prescott, instead of charging in like a bull. Jim watt is wrong in his assessment of the jump in class, Khan fancied this fight, because the colombians record looked good, but lacked any real substance. So it was supposed to look good on paper but not offer a real test. But Prescott worked hard, and saw the weaknesses in Khan and exploited them to the full. Prescott exposed Khan for what he was, an average fighter with a world class promotion team. Prescott must of been wondering what all the fuss was about.
Posted 23:54 8th September 2008
Ketan Kumar says...
To be a world class boxer, you need confidence, speed, power, reflexes and most importantly a strategy that never undrmines your opponent. What happened here was a classic example of how Khan has always used speed and attack to win. Breidis Prescott has trained in nothing more than a shed. His bedroom is next door to the training ring and he eats, sleeps and wakes up boxing. His trainer studied Khans fights and spotted a huge weakness - if you hit him anywhere in the face, hard, he will rock and roll. Its the trainers fault to let him go charging into a big hitter, why? because if you get caught with your guard down, thats all it takes. AK took that punch right on the button and with full force and could barely stand after 8 to get a reminder. But, the guy is only 21 and he has potential to be better. He is however a long way away from world class and just because he has beaten some average guys, it doesnt make him above average. It was a shocking victory but Warren wanted bigger money , AK wanted to jump ranks and his AK's trainers want him to be a world champ quickly - this a a reminder of what happens when you try and run before you can walk. BP is exciting though and hungrier and with height advantage and power advantage, these kids from the slums will work hard for opportunities like this - they dont come up often. Its a huge setback for camp AK though - embarassing to say the least.
Posted 23:30 8th September 2008
Chris Davies says...
I was disgusted at frank warren's comments after the fight blaming the match makers.all he wanted was khan to fight bums all his career to make him and his record look good and that attitude does harm to the credibility of the sport.what will happen now is he'll fight another 20 bums before fighting anyone decent again mark my words.people who say other boxers have come back from defeats to become champs are deluded not from 1st round ko's like khan's they don't.if you aint got a chin you aint got a chance
Posted 19:57 8th September 2008
Stephen Mayley says...
Amir Khan believed his own hype and came crashing back down to earth. He automatically thought it was his right to win a world title,when the guy had never fought anybody. To call boxers like Manny and Ricky Hatton out he now looks stupid. His glass jaw would be smashed to pieces if he ever fought anybody world class. Prior to being tagged with the left hook on Saturday several jabs from Prescott had him in trouble. Every world class fighter is able to withstand a decent shot. With a glass jaw im afraid Khan will never ever be world class.
Posted 19:35 8th September 2008
Jeremy Smith says...
Somebody said that Prescott is a mediocre fighter, I think he is not. He's in the learning process just like Amir. But Prescott is much more intelligent. If you see the fight Prescott didn't rush, he had a great stance and trying to land his left hook and he did, whereas Amir just rushed trying to bang with a banger and if you add that Amir's chin is made of glass. So, Amir might come back, but it will take a lot of time. There are a lot of positive things coming for Prescott.
Posted 17:34 8th September 2008
Atif Raja says...
What ever happend on Saturday night was shocking and heart breaking. The guy is only 21 and he has got alot to learn. He has the power and the speed no doubt about it. He just needs to get his defence up and he is a hell of a fighter. He is not over confident and he is a down to earth person. All i got to say he will prove all of the haters out there he will come back better and will be crowned the champ. Now thats the bottom line.
Posted 17:00 8th September 2008
Paulie Malignaggi says...
Someof the comments here are ridiculous like comparing Prescott to Sugar Ray Robinson! Also to the guy who thinks other UK boxers like Hatton have been 'found out'. Hatton was an unbeaten 2 weight world champion with well over 40 odd fights when he lost; this is nothing like the situation with Khan. I blame the British media for the pedestal they put Khan on. He won a silver medal at the olympics as an amateur. Amateur boxing is completely different from the professional game. Khan was given the adulation of someone who had accomplished everything in the sport, yet he has accomplished nothing professionally for him to be in this situation. He has been floored by the light punching Willy Limond and the blown up, post prime, ex super-featherweight Michael Gomez., his chin has always been in question. I don't think this is an upset at all, it's just that Khan's talent has been blown out of all proportion by the media and hysterical fans who seem to worship him. The fact is that he has a poor chin with below average defensive skills, footwork and reflexes. He does have world class speed and good power, but this wont win you a world title. Khan does not take a good shot. if you do not take a good shot you either need to be a defensive master or have the reflexes of someone like Roy Jones Junior. Khan has neither. He is a good domestic level fighter, but nothing more. When more of the 2008 olympic team turn pro, i'm sure history will repeat itself. Roll on more undeserved 7 figure contracts from the BBC, ITV and SKY for these guys, then we can watch them get knocked out by nobodies. Prescott is a hard puncher, but he is not world class, he is himself a domestic level fighter who in his last fight struggled to a split decision win over a guy who had just 10 fights.
Posted 14:55 8th September 2008
Edgar Davids says...
i feel there is a thin line between confidence and arrogance, khan crossed that line and became arrogant after just a few wins over lets face it poor opponents. the british media hype khan too much it obviously got to his head. i for one was happy that he lost, at least now i wont hear him constantly going on about how he will be unstoppable. he should of stayed with his original manager instead of jumping ship to a guy who was suppose to make him a better fighter. great move amir lets see if he sticks by you till the end or will he just move on to the next "big thing" when you lose a couple more frights.
Posted 14:51 8th September 2008
Wayne Ralston says...
I think Amir is a great show fighter but not a real fighter with a heart of a lion i think we alway knew that if he took a punch on the chin then it was made of glass and the colubian proved that ,he should have kept his old management team and corner man Oliver and not got complacant with what he thought was his ability to knock everyone out. lets see if he can bounch back from this harsg lesson in real boxing
Posted 13:25 8th September 2008
Allan Kyle says...
He's a good fighter - but he's got a glass chin....simple as that
Posted 13:19 8th September 2008
Neil Williams says...
I laughed and laughed when I found out that Khan had been knocked out in 54 seconds!!!. He is far too arrogant and far too cocky and on Saturday he was left wanting. The kid is a half decent fighter but up until know he has fought has beens and bums and they have made him look good!!!. To rush straight from the stool into a brawl with a fighter who has 17 ko's from 19 fights was suicidal!!. Did he not watch any videos of Prescott's previous fights?!!, if he had, surely he would have been more cautious. If Khan wanst to be a future world champion, then he, Warren and the rest of the camp need to seriously re-think their tactics and their strategy!!!!
Posted 13:13 8th September 2008
Tony Philippou says...
Lets be serious, Prescott is no where near world-class by any stretch of the imagination, he is an untested fighter with a huge punch, he would have a punchers chance against the current world champs but that¿s it!!! It was coming I am afraid, Khan has an abundance of skills and technical, but no matter how hard you train, no matter what you do, Amir will never ever have a decent chin ¿ Even if he does build himself back up (And I am fairly sure, FW will revert back to non-punching has beens) and maybe he will get to a world title fight, no matter how much he runs, ducks, blocks etc as soon as a decent punch connects to his chin he will go ¿ His chin is that brittle, and as for moving up the weights? He can forget about that!!! Amir is seriously deluded if he thinks he will be a world champion, his family and FW should sit him down and explain, that no matter how hard he trains he will always get knocked out by a half decent puncher!! Hate to say it, but Amir¿s carrier is 100% over at world level, he will dominate Europe but that¿s it, tis a great shame he has all the tools!!! Part of me wanted him to lose I guess, he is still quite young so u can forgive his attitude, but calling out people like the Pac Man when you have fought no one is laughable!! Tis a great shame!!
Posted 12:57 8th September 2008
Harun Yahya says...
Snap, Crackle & POP! All done & dusted in 51 secs. All the big talk about being world champ by the end of this year has gone down the gutter. Yes Amir has masses of potential, speed & technique to match BUT he's in the wrong mind frame & needed a wakeup call. In one way its worked to his advantage that early on in his career hes had to put up with being floored twice in a fight but a mediocre fighter who can punch a little. Yes i say mediocre because thats what Prescott is. If this is the damage Prescott can do then can you imagine what the top 5 can do to Amir. Im sure he will bounce back but Amir has to to change his entire style, starting with defence, he has got to be able to soak up the punishment & on counters use his speed to get back or vice versa. You could argue he got caught flush just as he was settling in but truth is this glass jaw is looking more & more suspect. Defence has got to be his priority in training but this Rubio doesnt look like the right man to be working with. On the other side full marks to Prescott - he looks like a really hungry boxer
Posted 12:43 8th September 2008
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