Amir Khan is still a PPV superstar but while his hands are as quick as ever, his ageing legs and questionable chin make him vulnerable

SAMMY VARGAS said lots of lovely things about Amir Khan in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The 29-year-old Colombian’s swollen face was, in itself, a huge testament to Khan’s remaining ability and heavy hands.

But, in between praising his Bolton victor for his speed and boxing skills, he gave a withering insight into how he would handle a step-up in class.

When asked how the 31-year-old former world champion would do in the December showdown he craves with Manny Pacquiao, Vargas did his best not to embarrass the Brit.

“Do I have to even answer that? I think Pacquiao’s power is just too much.

“No disrespect to Amir – who is a great fighter and just outboxed me – but I think Pacquiao stops him, no matter how old he is.”

Perversely, eight-weight icon and WBA regular champion Pacman is the most vulnerable of the current welterweight belt holders Khan could look to challenge outside of a domestic money spinner with Kell Brook.

WBA super champ Keith Thurman, WBO pound-for-pound ace Terence Crawford, 24-0 IBF master Errol Spence and WBC king Shawn Porter are on a different level.

And straight-talking Vargas – who has lost to both Spence and Garcia – said: “I don’t put him in that mix. I just cannot see him in it.”

The 2004 Olympic silver medalist and former light-welterweight champ is still a pay-per-view star. His two most recent fights have proved his pulling power has not diminished after two years off.

Sky were bowled over by the viewers he generated and he was trending No1 on Twitter after the unanimous decision.

That pulling power means he is not going to walk away from the sport, instead he has labelled the next handful of legacy fights his “final chapter” but his fans will dread the book taking a dark turn.

The rat-a-tat- hands are still thrown in a flurious blur but the veteran legs cannot get him out of range as quickly as they once could.

His stamina was there for all of the Arena Birmingham to see, as he was still able to evade the rampaging Vargas in the last two rounds. But a cavalier fighter with Khan’s propensity for getting chinned cannot hang about.

Power seems to be the last thing a fighter loses, that one-shot concussive blow is how Pacman, 39, is still around and Gennady Golovkin is still the man aged 36.

But speed can quit on a boxer overnight – just ask David Haye whose KO capability came from pace more than power and is now a former fighter after wisely recognising his terrifying trait had parted company.

On December 15 or 22, Khan will land his stadium spectacular against his age-old domestic rival or his legendary former sparring partner.

Tickets will fly out the door but has the horse already bolted on the Bolton hero?