Khan eyes Pacquiao after win

London: Amir Khan survived a secondround knockdown to maintain momentum in his comeback to the sport with a unanimous points win over Samuel Vargas.

The Briton, 31, floored his rival with a straight right in the second round but took an overhand right to go down and stun those at Arena Birmingham.

The bell arrived to save Khan, who scored another knockdown in the third before the pace gradually slowed. He maintained control late on for a 119-108 119-109 118-110 victory.

After his 39-second demolition of Phil Lo Greco in April, this proved a far stiffer test for Khan, who showed his trademark hand speed early on. But, as has been the case in the past, the vulnerability of his chin remains a question mark.

Only seconds of the second round remained when he quickly stood back up after the knockdown, and in the 10th round he was again tagged heavily with a right hand moments before the bell.

This is his second bout since his 23-month break from the sport, and it was watched closely at ringside by Kell Brook, who remains keen on facing Khan and says he will drop down to the 147lbs welterweight division to secure a bout.

“The only fight that works for me over Kell Brook is Manny Pacquiao,” Khan said after the fight. “I want him. He is my number one pick. If not, we go back to the drawing board and if it’s Kell Brook it’s Kell Brook.” - BBC Sports