Khan learns lesson of his boxing career against St Clair

LONDON—Amir Khan considers his first 12-round points victory the biggest lesson of his 16-fight professional career after he took another step towards world title contention.
The English boxer praised Australia-based Gairy St Clair for his durability after lasting the distance in Khan’s third defence of his Commonwealth lightweight title on Saturday night. Undefeated Khan, 21, triumphed unanimously on points after a dominant display by the score of 120-108 according to all three judges at the ExCeL in London on Saturday. It was the first time Khan had been extended the full championship distance since turning professional after winning the silver medal at the Olympic Games in Athens four years ago.
Khan regards St Clair, a former International Boxing Federation (IBF) world super-featherweight champion, as his best win yet and believes it has prepared him for bigger things. “He kept coming forward and he had a great chin,” Khan told a news conference. “I learned more from this fight than when I’ve knocked people out. He was a fighter who just keeps coming forward. “I’m very pleased with the performance and my work rate. My pace was right and I didn’t go in there and try to knock him out. I caught him with a few combinations but I knew he wasn’t going to get knocked out.
“He needed the fight as much as I did. I needed the fight big time because it has taken me to the next level. I know now I’ve got the fitness to go 12 rounds. “Most fighters who fight me it is a massive break for them and he wanted to beat me to get his name back up there. “I had to keep my hands up and concentrate. He’s the best fighter I could have fought. I knew it was going to test my fitness and be a hard fight. “I hit him with shots which made his face change shape but he was still standing there.—Agencies