SOUTHAMPTON fighter Shane Watson is eyeing a showdown with Amir Khan, the hottest young prospect in British boxing.

The Golden Ring prospect is now just one fight away from a possible meeting with the much celebrated Olympic silver medallist in the semi-finals of the ABA light-welterweight championships.

Watson landed the Southern Counties title with a dramatic last-minute knock-out win over Portsmouth's Josh Leigh and he is now preparing for tonight's national quarter-final against Yorkshire's Chris Serbine.

Golden Ring head-coach Stuart Gill was delighted with Watson's late victory.

"He was losing the fight on points, but landed a good left hook at the end of the third round which rocked him.

"We told him he had to step it up and throw more punches and then with 38 seconds left he knocked him straight out with a superb left-hook.

"He has to get through the quarter-finals and then it could be Amir Khan. He is obviously an outstanding talent but Shane has got a good punch and could trouble him with his power."

Also competing in the ABA quarter-finals tonight will be Golden Ring's Tony Hill.

The former British and Olympic junior champion has been struggling with an injury to his right-hand, but showed his class to sensibly box to a points victory over Bognor's Paul Mobey.

Middleweight Hill, from Lordswood, will now take on Durham's Stuart McCoy in his ABA quarter-final.

Hill, 18, is only in his first season as a senior amateur, but is confident that his ability can overcome the experience of McCoy who has had more than 100 fights.

The quarter-finals will take place in Sheffield.

Other Golden Ring boxers were also in action this week in the Golden Gloves junior Southern Counties finals.

Mitchell Whitehead boxed his way to a punch-perfect points decision against Dorking's John Jones while Iain Weaver outboxed Tom Shilling to force an end to the contest in the second-round.

There was controversy, however, when Josh Bowers lost a disputed points decision to Brompton's Billy Cherry.

Golden Ring head coach Gill said: "I don't want to sound like I'm whingeing but I couldn't believe the decision. Josh boxed brilliantly, made him miss and counter-punched superbly.

"Everyone I spoke to thought he had won, but the judges decided otherwise. I feel sorry for Josh.

"He has worked hard and was well capable of going on to win a national title."

RESULTS: Senior ABA southern-area finals: Shane Watson (GR) bt Josh Leigh (City of Portsmouth) KO4, Tony Hill (GR) bt Paul Mobey (Bognor) pts. Southern Counties Golden Gloves finals: Josh Bowers (GR) lost to Billy Cherry (Brompton) pts, Iain Weaver (GR) bt Tom Shilling (Herne Bay) TKO2, Mitchell Whitehead (GR) bt John Jones (Dorking) pts.