Amir Khan Vs. Gairy St Clair – Khan Wins By A Shut-Out!

03.02.08 – by James Slater: Tonight, at The Excel Arena, London, Commonwealth lightweight champion Amir Khan won what beforehand was considered his toughest pro test yet, by unanimously out-pointing Australia-based challenger and former IBF world super-featherweight ruler, Gairy St Clair over 12 rounds. Khan won a complete shout-out on all thee judges’ cards – winning by 120-108 three times. Boxing masterfully, maturely and superbly skilfully, the 21-year-old has never looked better..

The 33-year-old St Clair came to fight, and he did make Khan both fight and think in there. But the Olympic silver medallist was simply too quick, too young and too good. Never putting a single foot wrong throughout the full 12 rounds, Khan proved beyond any doubt that he is genuine world class. The contest was never anything approaching a great fight, but the 21-year-old’s performance was indeed excellent.

Khan was caught by the odd shot here and there, but he was never in any apparent danger. Neither did Khan appear tired at any point in the fight; with his stamina and his concentration serving him superbly. The 6th round was probably St Clair’s best three minutes. Winning this round, and this round only, on this reporter’s card, the challenger opened up somewhat and also tagged his young opponent with a decent right hand – this punch being St Clair’s most potent looking weapon. This round aside, however, you would have been extremely hard pressed to have given the Australian-based former champ anything else.

Khan’s speed, of both hand and foot, really were brilliant, but overall it was Amir’s newfound maturity that impressed most. A world title fight is clearly not too far away. Judging by tonight’s performance, Khan looks well on his way to winning it.

In winning and going 12 rounds for the very first time in his career, Khan improved to 16-0(12). St Clair dipped to 39-6-2(17). The referee was the U.K’s Ian John-Lewis.