A stunning stoppage loss to Danny Garcia leaves Amir Khan at the crossroads in his boxing career.
When Amir Khan went to the canvas for a third and final time against Danny Garcia, it wasn't just his body that was crashing down in a hurry.
It was meant to be the night he righted the wrongs of last December in Washington, when he controversially suffered a points loss to Lamont Peterson that was dogged by points deductions and interference at ringside. It was meant to be the fight where he put himself at the front of the line to fight Floyd Mayweather once 'Money' makes it out of prison.
Now, however, the road to redemption for Khan is not so much a quick short cut as a long and soul-searching journey that could take years.
Defeats are tough for any fighter with serious ambitions to take, but the manner of this reverse leaves major question marks over Khan's future.
While with Peterson he could perhaps consider himself unfortunate, against Garcia, an undefeated fighter who was perhaps never quite given the respect he deserved, he was simply caught cold and never able to recover.
Khan's staggering around the ring and glazed-over look bought back bad memories of
that night against Breidis Prescott, a heavy-handed Colombian who turned out to definitely be the wrong man at the wrong time for an up-and-coming boxer still wet behind the ears.
No excuses
This time, though, Khan couldn't use youth, or lack of experience, as an excuse.
Linking up with trainer Freddie Roach helped to rebuild both his confidence and his reputation after being beaten inside a minute by Prescott, but it should not be forgotten that against Marcos Maidana in 2010 he had to weather an almighty storm to come out on top.
That 10th round was viewed as proof that the Bolton boxer's chin was not an issue that would hold him back, that the Prescott loss had simply been a flash in the pan that can happen in the noble art.
It should also have served as a warning to the man himself that trying to slug it out with guys who can bang in a big way is not wise, particularly when you have the better skills - winning without taking serious punishment doesn't make you less of a fighter, in fact completely the opposite.
There are those who make their names as brawlers, who want to stand toe-to-toe. Then there are those who have the technique, the hand speed and the skills set to triumph without having to take too many back. Khan is very much in the latter catergory, or at least he should be.
After his third defeat as a pro the Olympic silver medal winner in Athens admitted he may have underestimated Garcia, a man who was really only talked up by his brash father, Angel. It turned out Garcia Snr was spot on - his boy didn't need a prayer from an Angel, he simply needed an opening to land a power punch on his opponent.
And yet, for almost three rounds it was going to plan. Khan started superbly, landing blurring combinations that must've had his rival wondering just how many men were standing in front of him.
Perhaps feeling a little cocky after such a good start, the 25-year-old began to relax in his in-out movement and stood in front of the man from Philadelphia. It was to prove a costly mistake.
The left that didn't just dislodge a brick in the Khan wall as more like knock half of it down actually caught him on both the jaw and the neck, immediately sending him into the type of footwork more seen by a man staggering down a town centre high street after a rather heavy night out in his local watering holes.
No complaints
From then on you couldn't question his heart or his chin, but with a scattered mind he rather resorted to trying to fight his way out of trouble. All that did, though, was to allow Garcia to force his way past anything thrown his way and land blow after blow.
Perhaps the referee might have let Khan carry on through to see if he could see out the fourth round after a left-right-left-right onslaught sent him down. However, there were no real complaints about the performance of the official this time around.
Instead Khan - after taking a trip to the local hospital as a precautionary measure - would have to contemplate just where he goes next.
Forget about Floyd now, that is for sure. 'King' Khan has to rebuild his kingdom, whether that be at his current weight or with a move up to welter. There are still big fights out there, and he won't have to search hard for opponents either - the queue to take him on has just got a lot, lot longer. No need to call anyone out, they'll be letting you know they're free.
But that decision should not be taken in the immediate aftermath, and neither should any conclusion be instant when it comes to his working relationship with trainer Freddie Roach (who has seen his own legacy tarnished of late).
The problem now for Khan is that while the bumps and bruises will heal soon enough, the mental scars will still be there. He has come back from disaster once before, and there is no reason to say why he can't do it again. Ultimately, the next move is all down to the him.
