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Throb · Tue Jul 17, 2007 7:17 pm BEATEN LIMOND IN REF RAGE

From SKY SPORTS

Willie Limond has accused the referee Marcus McDonnell of rescuing Amir Khan from defeat in their Commonwealth lightweight showdown at the O2 Arena.
Limond saw his title ripped away from him after being retired by his corner, on the advice of the doctor, at the end of the eighth round.

However just two rounds before, Limond had Khan in all sorts of bother and had put the 20-year-old on the canvas for the first time in his career.

And a fuming Limond, from Glasgow, believes that Khan was given too long to recover from the knock down.

The 28-year-old told The Herald: "I'm sore, not because of the damage I did but because I have just watched a tape of the fight.

"We sat in front of the telly. Billy Nelson (trainer) timed it. Thirteen seconds - the time it took the referee to count Khan to his feet. Not nine. Not even 10.

"I couldn't believe it. I still can't.

"He should have been counted out. No question.

"He was out on his feet, although he'll more than likely deny it.

"His eyes were all over the place. He had been counted out. Only not by the referee's timekeeping. There's no debate.

"I've gone from being angry with myself for not finishing the job to angry to what I have just watched on the telly.

"There's no point in appealing. The fight's over. I lost. Only now I know I didn't. I'm gutted."

Peter Parka · Fri Jul 20, 2007 8:54 am

Sore loser. Khan was tested alright but showed he can come back from a knockdown, the lads going to go far!