Amir Khan’s evolution from a 17-year-old star of the Olympic Games into a genuine contender for world title honours as a professional boxer continued as he stopped Martin Kristjansen of Denmark two minutes and 53 seconds of the seventh round.

His 17th straight victory secured for him a No.2 ranking in the lightweight division by the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) and a guaranteed shot at the American WBO titleholder, Nate Campbell, by the end of this year. The lightweight division is ruled currently by 36-year-old Campbell, who holds the World Boxing Association (WBA), International Boxing Federation (IBF) and WBO titles, and Cuba’s Joel Casamayor, The Ring champion and an Olympic Games gold medallist in 1992.

“I’d fancy Khan to beat Campbell even if they met before the end of the year and that’s the fight we are aiming for but I won’t let Amir be rushed,” said Frank Warren, Khan’s promoter. “Kristjansen was a better opponent than some people had expected. He was durable and he made Amir pace himself before he was able to pick his moment to pounce and when he did he was ruthless. Casamayor is also the WBO interim titleholder, which slightly complicates matters in that he may press for a bout with Campbell, but I’m confident that we’ll see Amir in a world title fight before the end of 2008.” At 21 years old, Khan has reached a critical juncture in his fistic life, the stage at which he must consolidate his position as a bona fide contender while displaying enduring tendencies.

Unquestionably, he is blessed with balance, gracefully fluid movement, diamond-hard nerve and lightning speed. He is instinctively dangerous and a predacious puncher, having stopped 13 of his 17 opponents. But, despite being floored twice as a pro, he has yet to experience the kind of hard place to which Campbell and Casamayor may be able to take him. Kristjansen, a 30-year-old who had lost only once previously and drawn three out of 23 bouts, had been due to box Khan in February but withdrew when he contracted the flu. Gairy St Clair took his place and went the 12-round distance. Kristjansen had never been stopped in his six-year career but - apart from veteran Italian Stefano Zoff, the former European lightweight champion against whom he could manage only a defeat and draw in two encounters - there were no recognisable names on his record.

Significantly, his lack of punching power was reflected in the fact that he had stopped only five of those opponents. Khan began his assault by firing off a series of snappy jabs while looking for a spot to land his right hand. A solid left hook caught the Dane on the jaw but Kristjansen countered with an overhand right to the chin. The effect was minimal but it may have served as a reminder to Khan to maintain his guard. Khan won the round with his superior punch output and, after eating a couple of jabs near the start of the second round, he stepped up the pace and increased the authority of his punching. With a raid-fire burst of left uppercuts, hooks and right crosses, he drove the Dane against the ropes and kept up the pressure.

Kristjansen kept his defence tight and rode with the punches but he showed no firepower with which he might fight back. Khan stayed controlled into the third before he hurt the Dane with a left-right combination and followed up with a left hook, opening a cut on Kristjansen’s forehead. While his boxing was controlled and disciplined, the crowd seemed to desire something more, a hint of the malevolence which had resulted in the likes of Graham Earl being unable to survive a single round against Khan last December. Some of his boxing became ragged in the fourth and he continued to be made to miss. Kristjansen even landed a left-right-left combination to the face as Khan pedalled backwards before he paid by taking a strong right cross to the head.

Trainer Oliver Harrison exhorted his charge to shorten his blows in the fifth and a left hook to body was followed up by more combinations to the head but he struggled to find a place to land his heavy artillery. He was dominating without being forced into destruction mode. A left hook to the body and another to the head began to diminish the Dane’s resistance in the seventh round and a hard left hook and right hand to the jaw precipitated a vicious volley of blows which put Kristjansen on the canvas.

Referee Mickey Vann issued a count but Kristjansen was quickly put down again by another combination before the final knockdown, climaxed by a left hook to the chin, prompted referee Mickey Vann to intervene. “I was controlled and my punching was good and I’m satisfied that I’m developing into a top contender in my division, ready to challenge one of the beltholders,” said Khan. “That will be my objective after another couple of fights.”

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