Amir Khan recovering from savage KO - and may now have second thoughts about Kell Brook

The WBC champion brutally stopped Khan with a huge right hand to make the first successful defence of his title, inflicting the fourth defeat of the 29-year-old's professional career and exposing him as a natural welterweight too small to convincingly compete at the catchweight of 155lbs.

There was little shame in the nature of the defeat for Khan, who could now consider an all British date with Sheffield's Kell Brook.

He impressed with his speed and combinations in the opening five rounds until Alvarez's superior size and strength began to slow him down and leave him vulnerable to the knockout that followed.

Khan said afterwards he expects to return to 147lbs, where he is undefeated and where his domestic rival Brook is the IBF champion, and added on Twitter on his way to hospital: "Im okay everyone. thats boxing for you, congrats to @Canelo monster punch, much love to all the fans! #CaneloKhan"

He hit the canvas so heavily it was instantly obvious the fight was over - the official time was two minutes and 37 seconds of the sixth round - and the 25-year-old Alvarez knelt beside him to check he was okay.

"You want to win by knockout, but you don't want to hurt anybody," the Mexican said. "It was a human reaction to make sure he was okay and I'm glad he appears to be."

Khan may drop back to welterweight - but he may also be wary about Brook's obvious power.

The Sheffielder is also a fearsome puncher..and the Bolton man will have had enough of that, for a while.