Khan turns on the power but still has much to learn after seeing off Kristjansen

While his seventh-round stoppage of the durable Martin Kristjansen moved him up to No 1 WBO challenger, Britain's world lightweight champion in the making had only to peer into the Bolton Arena 50 minutes before his own fight on Saturday night to witness dreams of fame and fortune disintegrating in the bloodied face of an opponent's glove.

King Khan: Martin Kristjansen covers up as Amir Khan goes on the offensive in Bolton

Derry Mathews carried not only the hopes of Liverpool but a 20- fight unbeaten record and the less-than-significant WBU world featherweight title into the ring against journeyman pro Choi Tseveenpurev, a Mongolian now fighting out of Oldham. Choi's giant haymakers twice sent Mathews to the canvas before three more knockdowns saw his marketability disappear out of the ring.

Mathews is no Khan. But the lesson rang out in all its solemnity. Khan, by comparison, displayed a caution that delayed his stoppage of Kristjansen until he was sure that the courageous Danewas fighting on reserves of energy.

Kristjansen had not previously been stopped in his 23-fight career, but the speed of the Bolton fighter's punches eventually ripped through his defences in a bout that was as much about education as showtime. Khan, who will be ringside at Joe Calzaghe's fight against Bernard Hopkins in Las Vegas in 11 days' time, said: "It was brilliant to have someone like that in front of me. He took a lot of shots and he threw them back. I was working him out, thinking what shots were going to be right.

"I had the fitness in the tank. You could see the way I stopped him that I was fresh but, instead of making myself look stupid and doing it when he's fresh, I'll do it when he's tired."

Seventeen opponents down, a world title fight now beckons — but not just yet and very possibly not in the Bolton Arena that Khan calls home. Impatience with warm-up fodder is wearing thin, it seems, judging by the smattering of empty seats.

It is patience that promoter Frank Warren is preaching when he insists that his man's next fight in June will not be for a world title — against either champion Nate Campbell or interim champion Joel Casamayor — thereby ensuring that Khan will not usurp Naseem Hamed as Britain's youngestever world champion.

Warren said: "I'd like him in another fight before a world title fight. Amir winning a world title this year has become a soundbite. Would I let him fight Nate Campbell? I probably would. I would also consider Casamayor. But it's about an end plan.

"The records that count are the ones that Joe Calzaghe holds. Naz won a world title in record quick time, but who has got the better record, Naz or Joe? It's what you have when you finish that counts."