Amir Khan, of England, is sent to the mat by Danny Garcia, of the United States, during the third round of their WBC and WBA junior welterweight title boxing match, Saturday, July 14, 2012, in Las Vegas. Garcia won by TKO when the fight was stopped by referee Kenny Bayless.Eric Jamison/The Associated Press
Britain's Amir Khan should think about retirement following his defeat by Danny Garcia, according to his world champion compatriot Carl Froch.
Khan was stopped in just the fourth round by Garcia in Las Vegas on Saturday, and suffered three knockdowns in total, as the American added the World Boxing Association (WBA) light-welterweight title to the World Boxing Council (WBC) belt he already held in a dramatic unification bout.
It was Khan's second straight defeat following his controversial loss to Lamont Peterson, with the American failing a subsequent drug test, and third of his career following an earlier reverse at the hands of Breidis Prescott.
Froch, the current International Boxing Federation (IBF) super-middleweight champion, said Sunday he would quit if he was in the same position as fellow Englishman Khan.
"I would retire if that happened to me," Froch told BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek programme. "Why? Because I am not in this sport to get beaten, knocked out, or outclassed.
"I've lost twice, I lost a very, very close points decision to one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world in Andre Ward and I've come back and beaten an unbeaten fighter, Lucian Bute, the very next time so I'm world champion."
He added: "If I had lost to Lucian Bute I would probably have retired, because I am in this game to be at the very top and stay at the top. I'm not in this game to make up the numbers.
"It's a personal decision whether or not you retire, but to get stopped in the fourth round and to be previously knocked out, it's just very, very damaging," Froch insisted.