Khan has an L of a lot to learn

Frank Warren has attempted to diffuse the expectation surrounding Amir Khan by declaring that talk of challenging for a world title is hugely premature.

Khan registered his 13th professional victory and was crowned Commonwealth lightweight champion when he defeated Willie Limond at the O2 Arena on Saturday, though the courageous Scot, who was forced to retire with a broken jaw after the eighth round, gave Khan a major scare by blasting him on to the canvas in the sixth.

"It was a very good fight and Amir showed a lot of people who are trying to push him into big fights that he's just not ready yet," he said. "Amir still has his L plates on and has a lot to learn."

He added: "His fight on Saturday reminded me a bit of when Nigel Benn defended his Commonwealth middleweight title in 1988.

"He fought a guy called Anthony Logan and he was all over the place. He was knocked out in the first round and was battered in the second before knocking Logan out with a left hook.

"Amir's performance was a bit like that. He'll learn from it and it will teach him not to keep his chin in the air."

Warren will give Khan four or five more fights before assessing when the 20-year-old from Bolton is ready to mount a world title challenge.

The clash with Limond will prove crucial to Khan's development and Warren hopes it silences criticism that he is over-protected once and for all.

"People have given Amir stick for his opponents and I just don't know why," he said. "In the last year he has fought Ryan Barrett, who then challenged for a British title, and Mohammed Medjadji, who has won the French title.

"They're good wins. Willie another big win and no one can say the fight was easy. Pacing someone for a world title fight takes time."