Khan - More to come

I will get better, says new world champion

Last updated: 20th July 2009

Khan: still more to come

I'm a world champion now, I'm going to have a good break now and enjoy it. I'm still young, I'm 22. I've got big things in the future to come.

Amir Khan
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Amir Khan warned the boxing world there is still more to come after winning his first world title.

The boy from Bolton outclassed WBA light-welterweight champion Andreas Kotelnik and took his belt away with a unanimous decision win at the MEN Arena in Manchester.

Full fight report

In doing so he became the third youngest Briton to win a world title after Herbie Hide and Naseem Hamed, but with only 22 professional fights to his name, immediately set his sights on greater things.

"It's the best feeling ever," he told Sky Box Office.

"First of all I want t thank God, thank my mum and dad and thank Freddie Roach for making this happen. Without the team I've got it wouldn't have happened.

"I want to thank Frank Warren. I'm sure we've got some big fights in the future coming up. The way my career's gone, it's gone brilliant.

"I'm a world champion now, I'm going to have a good break now and enjoy it. I'm still young, I'm 22. I've got big things in the future to come."

Inspiration

Khan was also quick to put his success down to switching trainers to work with Freddie Roach at the famed Wildcard Gym in Hollywood.

He made the move 10 months ago after being flattened by Breidis Prescott in the same Manchester ring and has found himself sparring with pound-for-pound king Manny Pacqiuao.

And although his transatlantic training might well make him less of a star on these shores, the 22-year-old is in no doubt it has been the making of him.

"Freddie was very crucial," he said. "I listened to him and also Manny Pacquiao; what a great inspiration he is for making me win this fight - the sparring with him, the working out, just talking to Manny Pacquiao took me to a different level.

"The amateurish mistakes have gone now. Freddie Roach and the team, the sparring I've got in America is probably as tough as the fights here."

Khan looked in complete control against Kotelnik and his dominance was reflected in the judges scoring of 120-108, 118-111, 118-111.

Gameplan

The Ukrainian came on strong, as expected, in the closing stages but although he was way ahead on points, the new champion admitted that it wasn't until his arm was raised, that he knew he would be crowned WBA king.

"I didn't want to do that, I might have got complacent," he said.

"I kept asking Freddie 'is everything going okay?' and Freddie said 'yeah, stick to the gameplan and keep concentrating' and that's what I did.

"I was never thinking 'I've won this fight' because the fight's not won till the last bell."

For his part, Roach has now masterminded Khan's two best victories over Marco Antonio Barrera and now Kotelnik.

And he was in firm agreement with his fighter that he will go on to bigger and better things.

"Even when he was a little tired in 11 and 12 he sucked it up and fought on and fought hard," he said. "We have to improve in some places. He's still a young man - he's going to get a lot better."