"You know he has to go for broke now right. When you throw punches now, they have to be solid. Keep your hands up, stay off the ropes and use the middle of the ring. Listen to me, listen to me."

The words of Joe Goossen, Amir Khan's trainer.

There can be no doubt, Amir Khan will have to find plenty more if he moves up in level.

He tucks up on the ropes and clearly feels he has a comfortable lead on the cards. Carl Froch is ringside and tells broadcasters that a "good Kell Brook" would have knocked Khan out tonight.

Just 20 seconds of the 11th remain. Khan bounces on the spot and continues to be evasive but that's about all he's interested in now.

The bell comes. We go to the 12th...

Samuel Vargas looks the fitter man, dare I say it.

He glances a shot off Khan's head and literally trots across the ring in pursuit. He's not going to give the home fighter an easy last six minutes.

What have you got Amir? You survived the jungle, this should be easy...

"It was a good round until you got caught. You going to move around the ring, you need to keep your hands up," says Khan's trainer Joe Goossen.

Image source, Getty Images

Amir Khan's output is far, far lower now as we enter the final minute of the 10th.

He keeps moving well and pings in a four-shot combo as a reminder. Samuel Vargas works to get up close and tries to soften his man up with a few close-range digs to the body.

The bell nears but OH MY, Khan is caught heavily with a right hook. Just like in the second round the bell comes immediately and he's been lucky there to say the least.

Image source, PA

Anon: #bbcboxing, external Khan's glass chin has always been the problem & always will be. Exciting & skilled as he is this is why he's no Mayweather or Pacquiao.

Samuel Vargas is getting a talking to in his corner. His team are having a right go, telling him he is only throwing single shots.

Not sure about you but with my nose splattered and 27 minutes into a proper tussle, I'd be telling them where to go.

It works though as he goes after Khan in the corner, the Briton holds on and the crowd chant "Amir, Amir, Amir..."

Amir Khan shuffles right, then left, he's near the ropes and then leaps forward like some wild animal chasing prey. He catches his man nicely and sends the bloodied Samuel Vargas back into the ropes.

These are times where one mistake can end things, the punch resistance dips, the muscles burn and both of them remain game.

Samuel Vargas turns to his corner with a shake of his head and man oh man, that nose is in a bad way.

Amir Khan comes out throwing a few flashy combinations. He's tired and they aren't too loaded. They are eye-catching though and in truth, his better work throughout means his rival now needs a knockout really.

A left hook from Khan is crisp and Vargas takes it like only these hard nut boxers can.

Ninety seconds...

Image source, PA

A minute of the eighth to go. Samuel Vargas corners Khan and looks to unload but Khan is tucked up.

This fight started like an expensive firework but is slowly becoming more like some bargain bucket Catherine wheel from a petrol station.

Khan goes back to the stool. His trainer Joe Goossen tells him: "Every time you throw a good combo you hurt him. I need you to do a little bit more. He's going to be desperate and you still have to hurt this guy."

Amir Khan is up on the cards but probably not by a huge margin and he's now intent to spend large parts of rounds with his back to the ropes, circling his man.

Samuel Vargas throws a straight right which is dodged. He leaps forward again but catches a left hook to his temple for his efforts.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Reuters

Darron Dupre: Amir Khan now looking good. But he does look one punch away from being KO’ed. #bbcboxing, external

Imran Nongsaibam: #bbcboxing, external khan will win!

Anon: What an entertaining fight this is- Vargas is as tough as anything #bbcboxing, external

Kell Brook speaks to Sky Sports: "It's very interesting this fight. He had to take his pants off on the scales to make weight. It looked like he was struggling to make welterweight. I can. He's trying to pull everything he can not to fight me. Everyone wants to see us fight but this fight tonight is very tough."

They grapple on the ropes, Samuel Vargas looking to dig the head in in the hope of opening a cut of some kind.

Khan has started plenty of attacks tonight by going to the body first and he does the same again. His pace is slowing a bit, it's been a long time since he went seven rounds after all and all the sparring in the world cannot prepare you for big nights under the lights.

He's being a lot more selective now as to when he engages.

Image source, Reuters

As fast as he has looked in flashes here, you would have to expect Kell Brook and Manny Pacquiao to fancy themselves on this basis.

The seventh starts with Khan visibly looking to evade trouble. I think that second round knockdown has given him plenty to think about.

They exchange in the middle of the ring and Vargas gets the better of it. Solid right to the face and left to the body.

Ninety seconds to go in seven...

Image source, Reuters

A minute of the sixth remains. Amir Khan circles his rival and waits for him to throw before pinging a jab back himself.

Three body shots from Khan, that's impressive and then he mixes it up with a straight right to the head, dominant stuff.

The bell nears, still Khan moves well and he wins that round. That's probably the first round where we didn't look close to a stoppage.

We reach round six. Many tipped Amir Khan to get things done at around this point against an experienced rival.

Samuel Vargas complains about a low blow and he has a point.

He backs Khan to the corner and tries to dig blows into the body but Khan looks happy to take them and flicks a jab to open up the ring again.

Vargas' nose is pouring claret.

Lewis Sullivan: This fight is an example of why Amir Khan will never be seen as a great, but will always be entertaining for fans. #bbcboxing, external

Amir Khan walks through a shot and throws a flurry. He's working head and body with variety tonight but there are still moments where you fear for him.

Samuel Vargas takes the middle of the ring, his nose looks broken to me with a cut across the top of it. Hats off to him though, he's one game sort and as the bell goes at the end of a round where he took most of the punishment he turns back to his stool and smiles.

Maniac.