Amir Khan must consider retirement - before he gets seriously hurt

Amir Khan has been a brilliant subject to cover for the last 15 years. Always ready to speak, a great export for British boxing to the USA and a crossover star. No question. They say never get too close to those you cover and write about, but Khan is close to a group of British journalists who have covered his progress - his fighting life - since he won an Olympic silver medal for Britain at the age of 17.

It is not easy to write this, as his openness in allowing your correspondent into his camp - I went to see him four times in the build up to the Terence Crawford fight in the Hayward gym run by his trainer Virgil Hunter - and in general his willingness to be generous with his time and accessible is almost unprecedented. But when Hunter threw in the towel on Saturday night in New York after the accidental shot to the groin, I have to admit to feeling a sense of relief.

Khan was being hammered by Crawford in the fight. It was merciful. Sitting with Khan in his New York apartment on Sunday morning with four other media members who also know him well, there was a solemn mood, and just a very small team around him. Amir has insisted he didn't quit, claimed he suffered an elbow injury in the build-up to the clash, and says he will fight on.

Most likely he will, but from the perspective of having covered almost all of his 37 fights live, I hope he calls it a day. He has always thrilled us, and has never been in a boring fight. I said some time ago that due to his style he would probably end with 30-odd victory and five defeats. Well, here we are. He is a big earner, and far be it from me to call time on his career. Amir is the man who walks that last mile to the ring - not us.

But I do feel that those around him should be trying to persuade him that regardless of the large sums he can earn, he is ageing and his world-class qualities are leaving him and he could get seriously hurt in the ring. He is too brave, too courageous for his own good at times.

There is the chance of making the all-British grudge fight with Kell Brook, which everyone has been waiting for for some time, but in essence, it is also a fight he does not need to have. Khan has earned over £30 million as a prize-fighter - $4 million on Saturday night - and has been a great servant of British boxing, has brought a resonance in British society as a Pakistani-Brit and Muslim, has fought the best in his division, feared no one, and at the age of 32, has come to the end of fighting elite opponents.

The speed is still there, but his balance and timing are off. If Amir can bring himself to do it - it is time to say goodbye. For his own good. And before Amir Khan risks getting seriously hurt.