For someone who has never put on a bet in his life, Amir Khan is one hell of a gambler. On Saturday night, he put his career on the line, staking that six months on from being knocked out in 54 seconds he not only had the tools to beat a modern-day legend in Marco Antonio Barrera, but also, at 22, he had the maturity to use them. There never seemed a moment’s doubt.

Fast, accurate and inspiring, Khan beat Barrera on a technical decision, the bout stopped 2min 36sec into the fifth round because of an horrendous cut that the Mexican received midway through the first round. The same ring at the MEN Arena, Manchester, in which Breidis Prescott had seemingly exposed Khan last September was smeared with Barrera’s blood.

The cut robbed Khan of the chance to silence all his doubters, to show that he had what it takes to be the best in the world. Barrera had boxed through a mask of blood from the early clash of heads, which, though accidental, he had initiated. Yet there was nothing to show that the result would have been different had the cut not happened.

A three-weight world champion, Barrera, 35, has seen better days, but he was denied by Khan’s punches and the cut from showing what he had left.

Khan did what he does well, showing blinding hand speed and picking his punches. Like a matador to a wounded bull, he kept spearing Barrera with straight punches, worsening the cut, softening up the former champion. His was a near risk-free display, using his advantages in height and age to bounce in and out of range, giving Barrera barely a sniff of a chance.

The lessons learnt from Freddie Roach, his trainer, over the past few months in his Hollywood gym seem to be soaking in. Khan kept his hands up and boxed with authority. The one time Barrera got through with a good shot, a left hook in the second round, Khan got close and held; there would be no chance for a follow-up punch.

“It seemed so easy,” Khan said. “He will say he lost on cuts, but if he had stayed in there another two or three rounds he would have got knocked out. If I’d lost this fight, forget about Amir Khan. I have proved to a lot of people how good I am and I’m sure the criticism will ease off. People will forget about the Prescott defeat.”

It is wishful thinking to consign the Prescott loss completely to history. As long as Khan boxes, there will be doubts about the solidity of his chin. But his display was calmness itself, even though Barrera made things tough. Khan was cut too, and his face was potted with small bruises and marks from the Mexican’s liberal use of his forearms and elbows up close.

One of Roach’s biggest tasks was removing Khan from his circle of friends in the build-up to the bout. The fighter has also been inspired by training with Manny Pacquiao, the Filipino regarded as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, who faces Ricky Hatton in May. “When those two guys get in the ring it is like a cockfight,” Roach said. “He is the only guy who can keep with Manny running.

“That is why we took this fight. To be the best you’ve got beat the best. When Pacquiao beat Barrera it was his first step to greatness and I feel the same for Amir.”

Khan is a big player again in the lightweight division at a time when three of the four recognised world titles are either vacant or likely to become so in the coming months. Having produced a stroke of matchmaking genius by pairing Khan with Barrera, it falls to Frank Warren, his promoter, again to plot the best route for Khan to get a world title shot.