Alvarez needed only one punch to bring down Khan to the canvas as referee Kenny Bayless opted not to count and waved the fight off at 2:37 of the sixth round.
Khan was doing well in the first five rounds with the judges scoring the fight almost even as Khan was trying to prolong the fight hoping to score a win on points at the end of the 12-round title fight.
Khan (31-4-0, 19 KOs) has moved up two weight classes to face the Alvarez at 155 pounds catchweight. It was Khan’s first fight in the middleweight limit of 160 pounds.
Not many fans thought Khan would win over Alvarez, whose only career loss was against unbeaten former pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
After the fight, Khan was rushed to a hospital for the usual check up following his devastating knockout loss. Khan said he intends to go back to his ideal weight of 147 pounds.
“I’m naturally 147, and this challenge came, and it was hard to turn down,” Khan said. “My natural weight is 147, and I will probably go back down to that.”
For jumping up two weight classes, Khan reportedly made $2 million excluding revenue from television coverage.
With the win, Alvarez said he’s ready to face Gennady Golovkin, his number-one challenger in the 160 pounds weight limit.
“Like I said in Mexico, ‘We don’t f— around.’ We don’t come to play in this sport. I fear no one in this sport. I’ll fight him right now. Let’s put the gloves on and get in there with him,” Alvarez said.
Alvarez’ promoter Oscar de la Hoya has made known his eagerness to work on the Golovkin deal as he addressed him after the fight.
“Golovkin, make sure you answer your phone tomorrow morning,” De La Hoya said. “We will call you. Make sure you answer your phone tomorrow,” he added.
