Amir Khan vs Saul Alvarez report: Canelo delivers devastating sixth-round knockout loss to shatter Khan's dreams

Khan was dropped midway through the sixth round and did not move for nearly a minute, leading to concern from his opponent as well as those watching on from home

(Getty)

Amir Khan saw his Las Vegas dreams shattered by Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez after suffering a devastating sixth-round knockout, leaving the Briton unconscious on the canvas and triggering a wave of concern for his well-being.

Having stepped up to middleweight for the catchweight fight at 155lbs for the WBC title, Khan was taking a massive gamble in facing the Mexican, who at four years younger had completed 14 more fights than the 2004 Olympic silver medallist.

The fight replicated the first time that Khan started as a rank underdog with the bookmakers’, with odds of up to 4/1 available on a Khan victory. Unfortunately for the two-time world champion, the bookies were right.

As the sixth started, Khan’s strong start had been eradicated, and a faint with the left opened Khan’s defence up to allow Canelo to deliver a huge overhand right onto the jaw of the Briton, dropping the challenger straight to the canvas and leading to referee Kenny Bayliss waving the fight off immediately.

Canelo refused to celebrate, instead rushing to Khan’s side as medics flooded the ring. Khan didn’t move an inch for a number of seconds, and nearly a full minute had passed before Khan was sat up and, thankfully, got to his feet to allow Canelo to enjoy the celebrations of his deserving victory.

“He’s a fast fighter, he’s very fast and I knew that things would be complicated at the beginning, but I knew that things would come to me,” Canelo said afterwards.

“Many people focus on my power and talk about my power but I’ve got many qualities in the ring and that’s what people saw. I like to surprise everyone.

“Someone who comes in to box gives you problems obviously, but someone who comes in to attack offers a great fight.”

Alvarez knocked out Khan in the sixth round (Getty)

Khan started brightly in the first as he caught Canelo’s attention in the first minute, with a lovely combination being felt by the Mexican who would have limited success with his jab only. Khan caught Canelo again in the second and certainly had the better start of the two, with Canelo yet to catch the Olympic silver medallist flush by the time the third started.

Canelo began to grow into the fight in the third, only for Khan to land a late one-two with a nice straight right putting the champion back onto his heels and shading the round in Khan’s favour.

Khan enjoyed early success against Canelo (Getty)

The fourth proved to be a slow burner until Alvarez dived in halfway through the round, missing a right hook and allowing Khan to counter. The fifth saw Khan try and take the middle of the ring for the first time, but Alvarez soon reasserted himself and continued to seek the big punch that Khan had yet to feel and had begun to enjoy success with shots to the body – Khan focusing instead on the head of Canelo.

Canelo had grown into the fight by this point, and after Khan’s fast start the Mexican had reason to be confident at the start of the six, having landed an impressive left hook on the nose of his opponent as well as a powerful right to the rib cage. A cut emerged over the right eye of Khan that certainly put the Bolton boxer on the back foot, as Canelo started the sixth as he left off in the fifth.

The signs of the end were there at the start of the sixth though with Khan now barely landing an effective punch, and moments later it was all over, the pre-fight warnings for Khan proving right as it took one single, devastating shot to end Khan’s hopes and inflict a fourth career defeat, three of which have come in worrying knockouts.

Canelo looked unsure whether to celebrate after seeing Khan hurt (Getty)

“First of all I just want to say a big thank you to everyone,” Khan said in the ring once he had recovered. “I’m one of those fighters who is willing to step into the ring with anyone. I showed my balls by stepping in there with him, a big guy.

"This is boxing. I wanted to go out there as a champion. I unfortunately didn't make it to the end but I tried my best.

"This challenge came and it was hard to turn down. I want to be the best. But I’ll probably go down, my natural weight is 147 and I’ll probably go down.”

Canelo wasted little time in calling out his next opponent, with Gennady Golovkin watching on from ringside.

“I invite GGG up to the ring,” Alvarez said. “I’m Mexican and I don’t mess around. I invite him into the ring.”

Canelo called out Gennady Golovkin immediately after the fight (Getty)

For Khan, the future may now lie in an all-British bout with rival Kell Brook, with a return to welterweight a certainty after being brutally exposed at middleweight.