By Hilmar Rojas

The 140-pound champion Amir "King" Khan was recognized as the fighter of the month by the World Boxing Association. The Pakistani-born British boxer fought at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, winning a tough decision over interim-king Marcos Maidana on December 11. Khan retained his belt and now has a record of 24 wins, 1 loss with 17 KOs.

The WBA's leadersgip gave an honorable mention to Mexican boxer Juan Manuel Marquez, who is the super champion at lightweight. Marquez, meanwhile, stopped Australian Michael Katsidis on November 27, also in Las Vegas. Marquez now has a record of 52 wins, 5 defeats, one draw, with 38 knockouts.