Khan fight

Woody · Khan fight

Amir Khan insists he has no intention of emulating veteran lightweight champions Nate Campbell and Joel Casamayor and reigning at the top of his sport at the age of 36.

Khan, who faces his 17th professional test against Martin Kristjansen at the Bolton Arena on Saturday night, is on a fast track to success which he says will end when he quits boxing by the age of 25.

Campbell and Casamayor both turned back the clock by claiming versions of the WBO title last month and a win for Khan over Kristjansen will put him in line for a shot at the world crown.

Khan said: "I definitely won't still be around at the age of 36. I'll be chilling out and relaxing with my family by then. I've been boxing since the age of eight and I will want to do something else.

"I'll peak when I'm world champion and I'll probably want to just keep fighting as the stakes rise and my profile rises. But there will come a time when my body will tell me it's time to stop."

Last month's lightweight shake-up has played right into Khan's hands with Campbell's shock win over Juan Diaz increasing the possibility that the Bolton youngster will get his dream of fighting for a world title this year.

Promoter Frank Warren has promised Khan he will seriously pursue the possibility provided he overcomes Kristjansen, and Khan is confident that despite his relative lack of experience he is ready for the challenge.

"They are both experienced champions but that's something I'll pick up in time and I've had quite a lot of experience already," said Khan, who won all 12 rounds against former world title challenger Gairy St Clair last time out.

"Nate Campbell is a good boxer with fast hands and good footwork, and his win over Diaz has left the division open. It's up for grabs for anyone who is young and ambitious and is ready to step up.

"I'm getting stronger all the time as I proved in my fight against St Clair. I've come through a lot of tests and I'm just focusing on Kristjansen then we'll see where we go from there."

The 30-year-old Kristjansen has won 19 of his 23 fights, drawing three, but a record boasting just five stoppage wins makes it unlikely he has the power to test Khan's chin.

But Kristjansen, a member of the famous Mogens Palle stable which also sent Mikkel Kessler over to face Joe Calzaghe, said: "I've known Khan since the amateurs and he's definitely a good fighter.

"But I've come over here confident and I'm keen to make up for my friend Mikkel's defeat to Joe. It's going to be a tough fight but I've got the experience and ability to do the job."

In reality, Khan is likely to answer his promoter Warren's demands for an impressive performance by getting Kristjansen out of there with a display of power punching inside the first six rounds.

On the undercard, the withdrawal of Steve Foster from his WBU featherweight title rematch against Derry Matthews has led to Matthews facing a much better test against Oldham-based Mongolian Choi Tseveenpurev.

The attacking Tseveenpurev has won 18 of his 30 fights via stoppage and can give Matthews plenty of problems in an entertaining fight which Matthews is likely to have to settle for winning on points.

cant wait for this one , I hope its not another walkover