Khan hits back at his critics

Amir Khan has come out fighting against critics who question his boxing ability and his career path.

Far from being floored by the constant carping, Khan claims it is spurring him on and he intends to prove it on Saturday when he seeks a 16th-successive professional victory over former world champion Gairy St Clair at London's ExCel Arena.

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The 21-year-old Olympic silver medallist said: "I always get criticism, no matter what. All my boxing life it has been this way.

"At the Olympics in Athens I said I was going to win a medal and people laughed at me. Now I'm saying I'm going to become one of the youngest world champions and they're laughing again. But I'll prove myself to these people. It just makes me train even harder."

Last time out Khan looked sensational in stopping former undefeated British and Commonwealth lightweight champion Graham Earl in just 72 seconds.

And there can be no dispute about the class of 32-year-old St Clair.

What the one-time IBF superfeatherweight world title holder lacks in stature - at 5ft 4ins the Guyana-born Australian national is giving away six inches in height to Khan - he makes up for in durability having never been stopped in a 46-fight career.

Khan said: "This guy is tough."