Norwich warrior Jon Thaxton wants a domestic dust up with Amir Khan to prove who is best of British.Thaxton retained his British lightweight belt with a gutsy 12th round stoppage of Dave Stewart at the York Hall on Friday - 24 hours before Khan despatched Scott Lawton in the first defence of his Commonwealth crown.

Norwich warrior Jon Thaxton wants a domestic dust up with Amir Khan to prove who is best of British.

Thaxton retained his British lightweight belt with a gutsy 12th round stoppage of Dave Stewart at the York Hall on Friday - 24 hours before Khan despatched Scott Lawton in the first defence of his Commonwealth crown.

Thaxton praised the former Olympic silver medalist's polished display at the Nottingham Arena but insisted he had the tools to test the precocious youngster.

"I'd love to get it on, love it if he wants to," said Thaxton, now Khan's mandatory challenger for his Commonwealth belt after ending Stewart's brave resistance. " I think it would bring out the best in both of us. We're two worthy champions - the two best in Britain - so let's see who is number one. I'm British number one and he has to come and take that off me.

"After watching him against Lawton a lot of people would put him as favourite. I thought he boxed very well. He'd slowed himself down, he wasn't rushing in like the Willie Limond fight when he got dropped. But you have to remember - Scott Lawton is not a puncher, Jon Thaxton is a puncher."

Khan is poised to tackle Graham Earl at the Bolton Arena next on December 8 but the 20-year-old hinted Thaxton is on his radar next year.

"I want to prove I'm the best in Britain and fight Jon Thaxton," he said, after stopping Lawton in the fourth round on Saturday. "Thaxton was too slow in his last fight and I don't think I would have any problems with him."

Thaxton, who plans to take some time off after dismantling Stewart, said his will to win got him through Friday's tough test: "The last thing my trainer said to me before the final round was, 'don't leave this ring without your belt. Bring it home for your girls'," revealed the champion. "That's what I did."