MANY 18-year-olds think that they can change the world; few attack the matter with such certainty as Amir Khan. Having disposed of David Bailey in 109 seconds on his professional debut at Bolton Arena, Khan moved on to the subject of fighting terrorism and how he believes that he can help. Everyone’s favourite Bolton lad may be on the way to becoming Britain’s favourite sportsman, but he does not want his influence to end at the ring steps.

“We need to get people together,” Khan said. “I was upset by what happened (in London), all my friends were upset. We need people to help stop things like this happening. Hopefully, I am one of them. I will do anything I can.”

Khan could easily hide from such issues and say that he is just a sportsman, but it is the way he embraces it head-on and believes that he can make a difference that makes him such an exhilarating personality — that and his phenomenal talent.

On Saturday night, Khan entered the ring to the strains of Land of Hope and Glory, his brother, Harry, carried a Union Jack with “London” emblazoned across it and some of his supporters carried banners combining the flags of Britain and Pakistan, with the words “No Terrorism”. Even Khan’s sponsored baseball cap was accessorised with a black ribbon.

Khan is multicultural Britain personified, an image that is not without risks from those who thrive on a divided society. Those risks were shown all too clearly when the arena was evacuated soon after Khan’s bout because of a bomb threat, two other boxers having to leave the ring mid-contest to stand on the street.

By then, Khan was in his dressing-room before being hurried across the street to an hotel, having delighted a packed crowd. Bailey, of course, was not supposed to win and had the car mechanic from Pimlico, southwest London, entertained any ideas that he could upset the script, it took only seconds to dispel them. Khan was taller, faster, far more skilful and, although this was his professional debut, more experienced.

At the opening bell, Bailey charged at Khan, who stepped out of the way; he charged him again and Khan danced along the ropes, pawing out a glove. When Bailey charged a third time, Khan opened up and a right uppercut and a right hook floored Bailey. The bout had not gone 25 seconds.

What followed was a dazzle of leather from Khan. A left hook put Bailey down again moments later, prompting Eugene Maloney, Bailey’s manager, to throw in the towel. As is his right, Phil Edwards, the referee, ignored the towel, but when a straight right fired Bailey into Edwards’s arms, he belatedly stopped the bout.

The only time Bailey laid a hand on Khan was when they touched gloves before the opening bell. “I suppose he must have hit me, but I don’t remember, I’m not sore anywhere,” Khan said.

“Scintillating,” was the verdict of Frank Warren, the promoter, and ITV, which was taking its first steps back into professional boxing in eight years, was also delighted.

Khan will need to take steady steps up in the quality of his opposition. His next bout will be on the undercard of Joe Calzaghe’s WBO super-middleweight title defence in Cardiff on September 10.

While the professional career of one Olympic silver medal-winner was starting, another was surely ending. Wayne McCullough, who claimed silver in Barcelona in 1992 and won the WBC bantamweight title in 1995, failed in his attempt to win the WBC super-bantamweight title from Oscar Larios, of Mexico, in Las Vegas. The 35-year-old was stopped for the first time in his career, at the end of the tenth round.

Less than a year after Danny Williams’s win over Mike Tyson, his career may be over, too, after pulling out of his British heavyweight title match against Matt Skelton in Bolton at less than 24 hours’ notice, citing flu. “Danny’s a nice, nice person, but I don’t think mentally he’s up to fighting and it’s not right to coerce someone to do so,” Warren said. Skelton beat Mark Krence, a substitute, in seven rounds.