Scott Lawton

By Joe Bennett: Stoke fighter Scott Lawton believes Amir Khan can beat his American opponent Paul Malignaggi when the pair go head to head at Madison Square Garden.

Lawton lost to Khan in 2007 when challenging for the Commonwealth title after being stopped inside four rounds.

At the time of the bout Khan was being touted as the future of British boxing and Lawton admits it was a fight he couldn’t refuse.

“I’d never turn down any fight and anyone who can beat Amir Khan will be rich, I had to at least have a go,” he said.

Since the fight the Stoke-based boxer has trained with Khan and taken some of his young fighters to train with him too.

“I didn’t realise how good he was until I actually took some lads down to train with him, which is a strange thing to say bearing in mind I have fought against him,” said Lawton. “He just doesn’t miss with punches.”

But for the Malignaggi fight on Sunday (May 16), Lawton believes it could be the man in the corner who holds the key for Khan.

He said: “With the training he’s got with Freddy Roach, I think he’s going to win and comfortably, perhaps even stop the kid.”