COMPARISONS are cruel but unavoidable when you see a rare young talent emerging.

And each time I watch Amir Khan at the Olympics I see similarities with the greatest of them all, Muhammad Ali.

It's a hard one to argue. How can a skinny 17-year-old student from Heaton who nobody outside Bolton -- and few inside -- had heard of a week ago, possess similar qualities to the biggest sporting legend of all time?

After all, there are fundamental differences. Amir is a lightweight, Ali was a heavyweight. Amir is unassuming, Ali was arrogant.

But when the Bolton College student climbs into the ring there is one likeness which hits you like the punch which floored his last opponent -- lightning hand speed.

Ali, particularly the young Ali, could throw single or combination punches quicker than the eye could blink.

So can Amir. But where Ali's speed was mainly shown from close or medium range, Amir throws punches at incredible velocity and with shattering power from long range. And when you have a long reach like he has, that means serious trouble for opponents.

Another similarity Amir possesses to the man whose poster hangs on his bedroom wall is his ability to dodge punches.

At times fighters found it impossible to hit Ali and this week three Olympic opponents have had the same trouble with the Bolton superstar.

What is really exciting about Amir is that he is never more than a split second away from producing a devastating attack.

He can be leaning back or apparently backtracking out of trouble and, in an instant, he is landing a big punch or combination.

His balance, technique and power combine to produce the type of quality which comes around once in a lifetime.

If he wins the semi-final he will probably face the most daunting opponent of all in double Olympic and three times world champion Mario Kindelan from Cuba.

But, whether Amir wins gold or silver or bronze he is destined to go on and become one of the greatest boxers this country has ever produced.