By Jim Dower: Amir Khan (26-3, 18 KO’s) suffered a huge blow to his once promising career tonight in losing to WBC light welterweight champion Danny Garcia (24-0, 15 KO’s) by a 4th round TKO at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, in Las Vegas. Khan’s old WBA light welterweight title also was on the line for the fight.

Khan was actually fighting quite well and really impressing the boxing fans at ringside when he got careless and was knocked to the canvas by a left hook thrown by Garcia with both his eyes closed. The shot connected to the side of Khan’s neck, causing his head to whiplash violently. Khan then collapsed to the canvas back first.

Although Khan got back up and was able to ride out the last 10 seconds of the round, he was far too hurt from that shot to recover in between rounds despite the hard work done by his trainer Freddie Roach. In the 4th, foolishly chose to slug with Garcia instead of boxing him from the outside or trying to hold like most fighters do when hurt.

Garcia then knocked Khan down with a hard right hand while Khan was trying to run away from him. It looked like something out of the first fight between a young George Foreman and Joe Frazier when Foreman knocked Frazier down with a clubbing right hand while he attempted to move away.

Khan then fought reasonably well after the 2nd knockdown, but he still continued to slug with Garcia. Finally, Garcia connected with a hard shot to the top of Khan’s head while he was leaning forward knocking him to the canvas. The fight was then halted by referee Kenny Bayless at 2:28 of the round.

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In other action on the card:

Fernando Guerrero UD 10 Jose Medina
Abner Cotto TKO 8 Juan Montiel
Jamie Kavanagh UD 8 Paul Velarde
J’Leon Love UD 8 Joseph De los Santos
Daquan Arnett KO 2 Eddie Cordova
Phil Lo Greco KO 1 Brandon Hoskins