Thanks again to Luke Thomas of MMA Nation.
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Amir Khan:
"It seems like I was against him and the referee. Times come when he kept putting his head low, I put my arm over him because he kept going so low. We stuck to our boxing skills. In my eyes I think the referee a bit on his side. It's true what I'm saying. When you come to DC, to his home state, you are two points down before the fight starts. He won the fight tonight, and I'm ready for a rematch, anywhere.
"I came to DC, now let's take the fight to the UK. Let's see if he has the same balls as me. We all know who won the fight. ... I don't know why (the scores) took so long if they thought he won fair and square. ... But you know, this is boxing. You live another day. I'm gonna go back to the gym, sit down with my team, see where we go from here. A rematch is something I'm looking and I want it straight away. I want my two titles back. We know who won that fight and I'm sure everyone else knows who won that fight."
Q: Physically, how do you feel? Hindsight being 20/20, do you regret fighting in DC?
"No, this is a learning curve. That's just the character I am. I'm not scaring of coming to DC and fighting him. Now let's see if he has the same balls to come and fight me in the UK. I don't think he has. ... Physically, I'm in great shape. I'm good. He did catch me with some good shots, but I stood in the fight. Boxing is like, you go in the shower and get wet, you go into a boxing ring, you get hit. That's boxing."
Q: Do you think you can come back from another defeat strong?
"Definitely. I'm much stronger. ... Even Lamont was very shocked and surprised himself he got this fight. I knew straight off, we won the fight. The ref wasn't on my side. I mean, every time Lamont came in with his head down, I said, 'Come on, ref, do something.' But then as soon as I hold him down there because I don't want him to come back with the head, and headbutt me, the referee kept penalizing me. Like I said, I was up against the referee. But no excuses. People who were watching on HBO, Sky TV, they know what the fight was all about. I'll come back stronger. I want the rematch straight away. To prove to everyone, look, let's be fair. Somewhere neutral like Vegas, I'm up for there. Or if he has balls, let's have it in the UK. I don't think he'll want to take the fight next, but I'll be ready."
Q: Do you in any way regret that you put it on the line against a tough opponent?
"I had a lot of opportunities, but that's the character I am, the fighter that I am. I've proven that to the world of boxing. They look at Amir Khan as a joke. I go to their home state, and fight them, and I've beaten them there, and I still didn't get it. ... It's always hard when you fight somebody in his home state. ... In the first round there was two knockdowns, I only got one. There was points taken off me, where I thought, why is that happening? The (referee) didn't even warn me. He just straight away jumped in and took points off me. Especially in the 12th round, there was no warning or anything, and he took a point away from me. It's always tough when you fight somebody in his home state. Bernard (Hopkins) has had draws in his past, and it's how you come back from these fights. I'm strong. I'm still young. I've got a lot left in me. This is what boxing's all about, how you come back."
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Q: Were you surprised by his power and his ability to come forward all night?
"We knew he was gonna be strong and come forward. If he wanted to box me, he was gonna get schooled. ... I didn't really think he was strong, he caught me with some good shots, but that's boxing for you. He did well. You could see he trained hard for the fight. But that's boxing for you. He knew it was a big opportunity for him, a big fight for him, two world titles on the line. I gave him an opportunity, I just think he should give the opportunity back."
Q: Is winter time special and is there some kind of magic about you having two good fights in December? (Note: I may have taken liberties with the phrasing of this question. - SC)
"One thing about me, I like putting big fights on. I like to show the world, I don't like to avoid any fights. It shows what kind of fighter I am, coming to someone's state, fighting someone who's in the top ten and a credible opponent. I could have taken other fights. We offered the fight to Lamont in the UK once, and then in Vegas, and he turned that fight down. When I offered in DC, he took the fight. But I can't take anything away from him, because he wasn't the referee and he wasn't the judge, and he put up a good fight. ... I do want a rematch. This is boxing for you. You get these bad decisions."
Q: Were you verbally warned before the second deduction?
"I was shocked when I got that point deducted in the 12th round. I don't know why the referee did it. There was no warning before then. He just took a point off."
Then Khan's fans ask him questions, so I stop transcribing, but he says that yes, his plans to go to 147 are on hold, and Oscar closes by saying, gee, let's go to the UK you guys. Yay, right?