HAROON Khan led the way in a successful weekend for three professional boxers from Bolton.

The 22-year-old dominated Bulgarian Stefan Slavchev to record his third win since turning pro earlier this year.

His impressive, one-sided points victory in Blackpool on Friday night increased talk of him heading for English and British title fights.

And he was followed on the Winter Gardens bill by Great Lever heavyweight Paul Drago also maintaining his 100 per cent winning professional record with an encouraging performance.

Then on Saturday night, Chris Jenkinson – a club-mate of Drago’s at Elite Gym on Wordsworth Street, Halliwell – produced the biggest shock of his career and one of his best displays – when he ended Aldershot fighter Adam Battle’s unbeaten pro record.

Khan, being watched by his superstar brother Amir, continued to announce himself on the domestic super-flyweight scene with the comprehensive undoing of Slavchev over four rounds.

Elite coach and former pro, Alex Matvienko, who was in Khan’s corner with the young Bolton fighter’s trainer Oliver Harrison, said he displayed a maturity beyond his years as well as plenty of quality.

“Haroon does pack a punch caught his man early on,” he said.

“After that the guy didn’t want to get involved and went on the defensive.

“Most fighters would get frustrated by that, but Haroon kept his cool and did a good job.

“He worked away and picked his shots and looked like he was going to stop him every round, and won every round hands down.”

Drago, aged 29, had a last-minute switch of opponents to adjust to before his four-round points victory over Danny Fleary from Darlington.

“It was difficult because they swapped his opponent at the last minute and not told us,” said Matvienko, who trains both Drago and Jenkinson.

“He was a tough opponent who was a good amateur and had won his only other pro fight.

“Paul had him all over the place in the third. It was a bit of lack of experience that he didn’t finish him off.

“He throws some good combinations when he lets his hands go, with a bit more experience he could do much more.

“But he’s unbeaten in four, you can’t argue with that and he will keep learning.”

Jenkinson was widely expected to become 26-year-old Battle’s eighth straight victim on the undercard of the James DeGale bill at Kent’s Glow venue.

And it looked that way when the Halliwell 30-year-old – who went into the fight with a record showing four wins, 10 defeats and a draw as a pro – was knocked to the canvas in the second round.

But he survived the rest of the round and came back with a knockout in the third.

“This was a good prospect he was up against and they brought Chris down to get beat up,” said Matvienko.

“Battle was unbeaten and spars with the likes of Chris Eubank Jnr, and people saying it was a hard fight for Chris, but he’ll fight anyone, anywhere.

“The first round was even, he caught Chris with a really good right hand in the second.

“Chris got through the round and we spoke in the corner about him looking to land his right hand, and he did it with a peach of shot in the third which knocked the lad out.

“He goes up and down the country all the time and deserves this win against one of the best fighters he’s fought.

“He was up against it and this was one of the biggest upsets in his career where he had his back up against the wall and put his heart on his sleeve.

“To come back from a knock down and then knock out an opponent – who was unbeaten and a good prospect – was massive.”