MANCHESTER (England), Sept 7: English boxer Amir Khan is confident he can recover from his first professional defeat and still become world lightweight champion.

The English boxer was knocked out within a minute after twice being sent to the canvas by Colombian Breidis Prescott at the MEN Arena in Manchester on Saturday.

Prescott claimed the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) Intercontinental lightweight crown to move closer to world title contention.

Khan had stopped 14 of his 18 opponents before running into Prescott, who brutally exposed the defensive frailties of the 2004 Olympic Games silver medallist.

Khan, who is still the Commonwealth lightweight champion, drops to 18 wins and one defeat.

The 21-year-old might have lightning-fast hands and an exciting style that has made him popular in Britain and Asia, but there had been warnings about his defensive weaknesses.

In his last fight, Khan was sent to the canvas for the third time as a professional by fellow English boxer Michael Gomez in June.

He claimed he had tightened up his defence with the help of a new trainer, Cuban Jorge Rubio, but it took just 54 seconds for Prescott to knock him out.

Khan admitted he disregarded advice from Rubio about Prescott, who was a known puncher after previously stopping 17 of his 19 opponents.

“I just got caught with a big shot,” Khan told a news conference on Sunday.

“I knew he had speed and was powerful. I will have to see where I’m going wrong but I will be back stronger.

“We worked on stuff in the gym and Jorge said not to do that because he’s a big hitter, but sometimes I let my heart rule my mind.“Every fighter wins and loses in his career and I’m going to come back stronger. Jorge is the man to help me do that definitely. He’s a great trainer.

“He’s a big banger in the first three rounds. I fight with my heart but now it’s going to be about using my brain. I got beat in the amateurs and came back stronger.

Promoter Frank Warren is planning for Khan to return to action on December 6.

Elsewhere on the bill, Nicky Cook earned a unanimous points decision over fellow Briton Alex Arthur to win the WBO world super-featherweight title.

Cook, 28, was stopped by American Steve Luevano in a challenge for the WBO featherweight title last year but took advantage of a slow start by Arthur to ensure he was not a world title loser again.

“I got beat in my first world title fight and I was gutted but I went back to the drawing board and worked that bit harder,” Cook said.—AFP