Khan wins bronze madal for Pakistan

Haroon Khan will climb on the podium in the Talkatora Stadium in Delhi on Wednesday night convinced the bronze medal he will receive following his bantamweight semi-final defeat here tonight should have been won under the flag of St George.

Khan was comfortably outpointed 9-3 by India's Suranjoy Mayengbam, bringing to an end a successful fortnight for the younger Khan, who is more convinced than ever that his performances proved Great Britain selector's wrong.

Khan, fighting for Pakistan, said: "I'd love to see [head coach] Rob McCracken right now and tell him 'look, in your face, I've got a medal and I should have got that medal for England'.

"I think I've proved my point to the selectors. I read in the media that McCracken said he didn't think I was good enough but I've never seen him and I don't think he's watched me in any of my fights."

Khan, who will stay in Pakistan's training camp to prepare for the Asian Games in November before making a definite decision about 2012, said he had been inspired not only by his GB snub but by his desire to emulate older brother Amir.

"My aim was to come here and stand on that podium and I've got the bronze medal - it means so much to me," added Khan. "I'm sure my family's so happy with that. Now I can put my medal next to his Olympic silver medal."

Khan, a previous victor via countback over Welshman Andrew Selby - who in turn had beaten England's representative Tommy Stubbs, was up against it from the start and dropped 6-0 down at the end of the first round.

Despite a gutsy mini-comeback in which he tagged Mayengbam twice in quick succession to reduce the deficit, the Indian proved too strong and experienced and there was little doubting the winner.

Khan added: "I knew it was going to be tough, especially in his back garden. I tried to block out the crowd and go out there and fight him but I kept getting caught. I will come back stronger from this."