BIRMINGHAM Amir Khan insists the prospect of a world title bout will not prove a distraction when he defends his Commonwealth lightweight belt against Michael Gomez.

Many pundits expect Khan to make short work of his fellow Englishman at the National Indoor Arena here Saturday.

The 21-year-old of Pakistani heritage has won all of his 17 professional fights since boxing his way to a silver medal at the Athens Olympic Games four years ago.

That sequence of victories has elevated Khan to second place in the rankings compiled by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and into fifth spot in the World Boxing Council (WBC) standings.

But while Khan waits for his big chance, he remains adamant there will be no complacency when he boxes Gomez.

“Im not looking too far ahead or past Gomez but my goal has always been to be world champion,” Khan told AFP.

“This is the strongest Ive ever been and Ive certainly not been complacent for this one, in fact Ive stepped it up in training.

“Ill be going into this fight with everything on my side against Gomez speed, power and a clear mind,” he added. “I want to look good and I wont be taking it easy.”

Khans promoter, Frank Warren, is talking about a possible world title shot against American Nate Campbell, holder of the World Boxing Assocation (WBA), World Boxing Council (WBC) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) belts, and fighting in the United States later this year.

But Gomez, 31 on Saturday, is planning a huge upset that would be a storybook ending to a film currently being made about his turbulent life.

Gomez has previously won the British, WBO and Inter-Continental titles. But three stoppage losses in his last six fights suggest he may be past his prime.

Nevertheless, Gomez is still hoping to pull off a victory that would be every bit as much as of a surprise as when he stopped Scotsman Alex Arthur - now WBO world super-featherweight champion - in 2003.