LAS VEGAS // Amir Khan got another big win, improving to 26-1 with 18 knockouts, even if he would have liked to do it in a bit more spectacular fashion.
Khan stopped Zab Judah in the fifth round of their scheduled 12-round unification fight last night, winning another piece of the 140-pound title and cementing his claim to being one of the top fighters in the division. He did it with a body shot that landed legally, though Judah claimed it was a low blow.
No matter, said Khan, who was landing big blows even before the punch that put Judah down.
"If it had gone another few rounds, I would have knocked him out with a clean shot," Khan said.
Khan was dominating the fight when he threw a right hand that landed just at the belt line of Judah, who went to the canvas. Judah stayed there on his knees as referee Vic Drakulich counted him out at 2:47 of the fifth round.
Judah acted as though he was surprised to be counted out, but got up and went to his corner as Khan celebrated with his cornermen. Judah had earlier complained about being butted by Khan and was bleeding from his nose and cuts to his face.
"It was a low blow. I was trying to get myself together," Judah said. "That was self-defence right there."
The win was an impressive one for Khan, the former Olympic silver medallist who likes to call himself the best pound-for-pound boxer in England. He came in as a 5-1 favorite, and had no trouble against the southpaw Judah, using his quickness to beat him to the punch in almost every exchange.
Khan won the first four rounds on all three ringside scorecards.
"I think my speed overwhelmed him, along with my power," Khan said. "I thought I was hurting him and it was only a matter of time."
The end came when Khan landed a right hand that appeared to be legal, but just barely. Judah went down and stayed there with his back to Drakulich as the referee counted him out.
BOXING WORLD REMEMBERS LEWIS
Butch Lewis, the colorful boxing promoter who worked with Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and Michael and Leon Spinks, has died. He was 65.
Lewis was best known in the ring for sporting tuxedos with no shirt and being involved in some of the sport's biggest fights. He promoted the Michael Spinks-Mike Tyson fight in 1988 that ended with a first round knock of Spinks, who earned more than $13 million for the fight.
He began his career in boxing in the 1970s, but later branched into music and entertainment.
Before the Zab Judah-Amir Khan fight in Las Vegas on Saturday, Lewis was honored by ring announcer Michael Buffer and given a 10-bell count. The exact cause of his death was not known
