Sports Personality of the Year 2011 top 10: Amir Khan

BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2011

  • Venue: Media City UK, Salford Quays
  • Date: Thursday, 22 December
  • Time: 2000 GMT

Coverage: BBC One, BBC Radio 5 Live & BBC Sport website

Sports Personality top 10: Amir Khan

Amir Khan put on a boxing masterclass to knock out Zab Judah in five rounds in their light-welterweight unification fight in Las Vegas in July.

The 25-year-old, defending his WBA belt, was expected to be stretched by veteran IBF champion Judah - who is a five-time champion and has been in with Kostya Tszyu, Floyd Mayweather and Miguel Cotto in a professional career spanning 49 fights and 15 years.

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“It is one of the strongest fields I have ever seen during my time on the show and the race itself is too close to call”

But Khan's class shone through as his 33-year-old opponent was unable to deal with the Briton's dazzling hand speed.

However, Khan's year took a controversial turn in December when he went down to a shock points defeat by Lamont Peterson to lose his WBA and IBF light-welterweight titles in Washington DC.

Khan had Peterson on the canvas twice in the opening round - although only one was officially counted - but a two-point penalty for pushing proved costly after judges scored the fight 113-112, 113-112, 110-115 in favour of the local fighter.

"It was like I was against two people in there - the referee and Lamont himself," complained Khan immediately after the decision.

The International Boxing Federation rejected Khan's appeal for an immediate rerun of his points defeat and dismissed the Bolton fighter's claim that he was unfairly docked two points by referee Joseph Cooper.

Speaking after the fight Khan said he felt the defeat could work in his favour: "This is only going to make me more mature, and make me a better fighter. It's perfect, everything happens for a reason," he explained.

Stories from Amir Khan's year:

Khan stunned by Peterson defeat 

Brilliant Khan blows Judah away