Khan claims he suffered elbow injury in camp before Crawford hammering following low blow controversy

AMIR KHAN revealed he suffered an elbow injury in the lead up to his world title defeat to Terence Crawford.

Khan, 32, challenged WBO king and pound-for-pound star Crawford, 31, at New York’s famous Madison Square Garden.

But the fight was stopped by Khan’s trainer Virgil Hunter after his fighter was hit by a sixth-round low blow.

After the bizarre defeat, Bolton’s 2004 Olympic silver medallist told he suffered problems with his elbow in the build up to the fight – but insisted that was not why he was withdrawn from the contest.

Khan said: “I’ve had some problems in training camp with the arm. It’s all good, I don’t know what it is to be honest with you.

“Since I had my hand operation, because I’m hitting a lot harder, I think the muscles around the arm are not gonna be as strong.

“Because I’m hitting harder with my right hand, I don’t know, I’ve just got some problems in my elbow area.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine, that’s not the issue in the fight, I would’ve still continued.”

KHAN ‘NOT A QUITTER’

Khan had recovered from a shaky first round in which he was dropped with a left-hook, before coming into the contest and holding his own.

Crawford was still comfortably bossing the action but the challenger was returning fire until in round six a left-hook caught the Brit below the belt.

Despite being entitled to a five-minute recovery period, Hunter claims Khan signalled he was unable to continue – leaving cynics accusing the Brit of taking the easy way out.

This was refuted by Khan, however, claiming after the fight he would “rather have been knocked out” than branded a quitter.

Khan added: “I’m not one to quit from a fight, I’m not a quitter, I’ve never been a quitter.

“I’d rather have been knocked out to be honest with you, after hearing what people are saying.

“I obviously didn’t feel too good and obviously Virgil called it.”