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Amir Khan defended his WBA light-welterweight title with a unanimous points victory over Marcos Maidana in a thrilling fight in Las Vegas.
The Bolton fighter had his opponent down in the first with a brutal body shot after being rocked himself with two huge hooks from the Argentinean.
Khan looked to have the fight under control but was wobbled in the 10th and was lucky to survive the round.
The three judges ringside scored the fight 114-111, 114-111, 113-112.
Khan, 24, answered every question about his suspect chin in his third title defence, finishing the fight with blood dripping from his nose after taking several fierce shots.
The fight will go down as one of the most entertaining of the year with both boxers trading punches throughout. Khan has spoken of his desire to meet pound-for-pound superstar Floyd Mayweather in 2011, while a light-welterweight unification bout with the winner of Timothy Bradley and Devon Alexander's bout in January could also be on the cards.
However, the astonishing 12 rounds that Khan and Maidana produced in the Nevada desert means the clamour for a rematch may become too much to ignore.
The fight started with Khan taking two huge right hands from the free-swinging, big-hitting Maidana which rocked the champion as memories of his 60 second defeat by Breidis Prescott in 2008 came flooding back.
The legs of the champion also stiffened but he proved that under trainer Freddie Roach he is now a much different fighter and showed great resolve and heart responding in turn with a cluster of shots that also found the target.
And a brilliant body shot at the end of the round landed flush on the ribs of Maidana and floored the Argentinean who looked in agony as he went crashing to the canvas. Maidana survived the eight count and made it through to the end of the round but the signs looked ominous for the challenger.
Khan started the second in electric fashion but took a left hook flush on the chin, while the Bolton fighter later continued to pepper the body of Maidana who was still clearly in pain from that first-round punch.
A right hand from Khan wobbled Maidana early in the third who responded with a right hook of his own that hurt the champion. The punch spurred Maidana on in a thrilling round as Khan looked to hold on and clear his head but the pressure from the Argentinean was relentless.
Khan was back to his best early in the fourth with his speed proving too much for Maidana early in the round. The 2004 Athens Olympic silver medallist produced some fine combinations to both the body and the head but Khan took an uppercut midway through the round which reminded him of the South American's power.
A right hand early in the fifth rocked Maidana and the frustrated challenger was later docked a point for an elbow midway through the round. Khan's intensity continued throughout the round with an uppercut and a body shot breaking the spirit of his opponent.
Maidana came out firing in the sixth with Khan rocked with a fierce hook that appeared to wobble the Bolton fighter. Khan continued to lose his way in the sixth as his defence dropped and Maidana took his opportunity to rough up the champion who for the first time looked in real danger of losing his title
A cut opened up above the right eye of Maidana who found success with the jab as Khan's performance started to become ragged. An uppercut also hurt Khan who looked as if he was running out of steam and Maidana ended the round with some clubbing shots including a huge right over the top as the fight started to go his way.
Maidana looked tired at the start of the eighth as Khan used his skills and boxing ability to peg back his opponent as the pace of the fight noticeably slowed for the first time in a thrilling contest.
A stunning three-punch combination which went straight through the guard of 27-year-old Maidana hurt the challenger who later went to the canvas after an uppercut - but it was was rightly ruled a slip.
Khan boxed at long-range in the tenth but he was wobbled with a thunderous overhand right to the chin. He had two minutes to hold on until the end of the round and shipped several sickening concussive punches and it almost defied belief that he managed to hold on and stumble to his stool.
Maidana came out flying in the 11th as Khan backtracked throughout the round with his legs unsteady and appearing to lock at times. The punches were only coming from the Argentinean but from out of nowhere Khan found a massive uppercut that rocked Maidana and relented the pressure with the South American ending the round with one of his own.
The challenger came out like a raging bull in the final round and had Khan pinned up against the ropes. Maidana was ending the round the stronger with Khan holding on for the final bell. The final 30 seconds saw both boxers go toe-to-toe with Khan showing unbelievable spirit to end the fight on top.
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