Boxing: Amir Khan believes the first defeat of his career has given him a "kick up the backside" after being spectacularly knocked out in less than a minute by Colombian Breidis Prescott.
A stunning 54-second knockout defeat in Manchester last night left his world title dreams in tatters with promoter Frank Warren admitting they would have to go "back to the drawing board".
However, Khan insisted he still has complete confidence in new trainer Jorge Rubio despite the Cuban suggesting Prescott as an opponent before watching his young charge get blown away by the big-punching South American.
"Sometimes I let my heart rule my mind and it showed," said Khan afterwards.
"I've been hit harder in my career but it was just at the wrong time, too early in the fight before I could get into it.
"I'm not going to let it get to me. Every fighter wins and loses in their career and I'm just going to come back stronger. Me and Jorge will work on my mistakes."
Khan thinks Rubio - who replaced Oliver Harrison after the Salford trainer was sacked earlier this year - is still the right man to guide his career in the ring.
He said: "Yes, definitely. Training went really well but I happened to get caught with a shot by a power puncher."
Khan added: "I'd definitely like to fight him again in the future. I know what mistakes I made and it's too late now. But I've never said no to anyone, I'll fight anyone.
"It's given me that kick up the backside in a way.
"I've got no excuses. The better man won. He caught me cold in the first round and I didn't recover from it."
While Warren revealed it was former Cuban Olympic coach Rubio who suggested Prescott, the Sports Network chief took responsibility for the choice of opponent.
Warren, who expects Khan to return to the ring when Nicky Cook makes the first defence of his WBO super-featherweight title on December 6, said: "We'll go back to the drawing board and think about the future.
"He'll probably fight on the same show (as Cook). We've got a lot to talk about, he's been training hard so we'll give him a week or so off and then we'll all get together later in the week and work out what we're going to do."
Warren added: "Derek Gainer was the original choice (to fight Khan) and then he decided he didn't want to fight. We scouted around for an opponent and Jorge came up with the name Prescott. We discussed it and that's who we decided to go with.
"At the end of the day, whoever Amir fights the buck stops with me. When he's winning I'm a great matchmaker and promoter and when he loses I have to take the responsibility.
"At the end of the day the choice of opponent is down to me. He got caught cold, if the fight had gone on a few rounds who knows what would have happened but he just never got into it from the start.
"Let's take nothing away from Prescott - he doesn't look a bad fighter, does he?"
Making his debut as a pay-per-view fighter, 2004 Olympic lightweight silver-medalist Khan needed to impress at the MEN Arena as he pushed for a world title challenge.
But those lofty ambitions were obliterated in stunning fashion as dangerous puncher Prescott overwhelmed him in the first seconds of the fight to floor him twice and record a sensational upset victory.
Prescott, who arrived from Barranquilla with an unbeaten record of 17 knockouts in 19 wins - albeit against opponents of a questionable standard - floored Khan after less than half a minute with a powerful combination culminating in a long left hook.
The Commonwealth lightweight champion staggered to his feet mid-way through the count but looked wobbly and could have been stopped by referee Terry O'Connor.
Sensing his opportunity, Prescott pounced immediately and steamed in before another left sent Khan sprawling backwards to the canvas again.
This time the dazed 21-year-old was unable to beat the count as rank outsider Prescott bounded around the ring in ecstasy.
-PA