CHRIS LAKEY Jon Thaxton says rising star Amir Khan should show a bit more respect and bottle.Thaxton makes the second defence of his British lightweight crown at the York Hall tonight - but once again, the rumbling dispute between the holder and the wannabe is in the background.

CHRIS LAKEY

Jon Thaxton says rising star Amir Khan should show a bit more respect and bottle.

Thaxton makes the second defence of his British lightweight crown at the York Hall tonight - but once again, the rumbling dispute between the holder and the wannabe is in the background.

Khan stoked the embers again this week when he described Thaxton's as "old and predictable" and a "four or five-round fighter".

But Thaxton hit back yesterday and sent out a warning to Khan, the 2004 Olympic silver medallist who faces Scott Lawton in the first defence of his Commonwealth title tomorrow - but who isn't eligible to challenge for the British title until he turns 21 in December.

"I want the fight against Amir to happen, but I don't know whether he really wants it to happen," said Thaxton. "All he said this week is bravado. My promoter Mick Hennessy and sponsors GoldenPalace.net tried to get the fight happen after our last fights -but they didn't want to know. So to come out now and start saying he wants it and will beat me easy is a disgrace.

"It was on a plate for him. He didn't have an opponent for his fight this weekend and we offered that I would fight on his promoter's show for the Commonwealth title for nothing. We took politics out of it, but all of a sudden he has gone quiet. Now he has got a schedule, he has gone brave again and started mouthing off.

"I'm the best in Britain and I have got the belt to prove that. He should show a little bit more respect."

Stewart, meanwhile, has been concentrating his efforts on Thaxton.

"I think my height will be an advantage and it will be harder for him punching up at me," he said. "I have got the boxing skills but I intend to win what ever way is needed on the night."